Rating:
Genre:
Jazz
Release Date: 09/14/2004
Vocalist/pianist
Peter Cincotti burst onto the
jazz scene in 2003 as an 18-year-old wunderkind much in the same way that
Harry Connick, Jr. positioned himself as an updated crooner with a debut album of enjoyable if predictable
standards from various decades. Interestingly,
Cincotti's follow-up,
On the Moon, finds him exploring
funk and
soft rock balladry. Similar to his British contemporary
Jamie Cullum,
Cincotti seems intent here on mixing a radio-friendly melodic
pop aesthetic with his
jazz chops. In fact, the title track sounds a lot like
Cullum's single
"All at Sea," which is not to say that
Cincotti is ripping anybody off. On the contrary, while there are touches of
David Gates,
Barry Manilow, and even
Coldplay, it is hard to pinpoint any concrete influences for
Cincotti's
singer/songwriter style. While original songs are the focus this time around, there is also a bevy of inspired
standard tunes. To these ends, he opens the album with a funky,
hip-hop-influenced take on
"St. Louis Blues," gives
"Bali Ha'i" a bluesy
Sting-influenced vibe, and turns
"Up on the Roof" into a cinematic
ballad. Adding to the lush atmosphere are full string arrangements and guest spots by such sought-after New York artists as keyboardist
Sam Yahel, trombonist
Wycliffe Gordon, and drummer
Kenny Washington.
~Matt Collar, All Music Guide
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