(CHARLOTTE, NC) – Helen Little, the midday DJ for WLTW-FM (106.7) in New York City, recently reviewed Curioso, the all-original jazz CD by Marc Hoffman that Virillion Music released this year. Her comments underscored the eclectic intention of the compilation.
WLTW-FM's midday DJ Helen Little
Of the title track, “Curioso,” Little said: “’Curioso’ is one of my more favored. It was bright, fun, yet not too simplistic. It seems to have a very visual sound to it, with captivating changes.” (Gary Dalkin of Film Music on the Web has called it “an amiable stroll though classic piano, bass, drums, jazz trio territory.”
Another stand-out for Little is “Aila Leya,” the only vocal tune on the CD and intentionally reminiscent of the jazz-rock of the late ‘70s, early ‘80s. “It has a mild Lyle Mays-[Pat] Metheny-esque feel to it,” she said.
Likewise, “Pontified put me in mind of JL Ponty,” she said, as was the composer’s intention.
“This track was Inspired by my appreciation for Jean Luc Ponty, especially his music from the late ‘70s to early ‘80s,” Hoffman said. “And I had the pleasure of personally giving Ponty a copy of the tune when I first wrote it.”
Yet the “most interesting and engaging track” on the CD to this New York DJ is “Q,” a lyrical dialogue and a tribute to the strength of one of Hoffman’s piano students at the Salisbury School of Music in Salisbury, NC where he is Artistic Director. His student was battling a life-threatening illness at the time he wrote the tune.
“Her calm strength was so inspiring,” he recalls.
Overall, Little said she “liked the variety of musical textures” on Curioso.
“And eclecticism was the point,” Hoffman said. “I wanted to represent as many styles of jazz as there are tracks on the CD. To have a radio personality like Helen Little note the variety of musical textures is quite a compliment.”
Curioso has enjoyed air time on the famous WWOZ-FM in New Orleans, the NPR station WFSS-FM in at Fayetteville State University, KTU Jazz Radio in Kaunus, Lithuania, and on “All That Jazz with Brian Parker” in Malaga, Spain.
MP3 versions of all tracks on Curioso are available on iTunes and at CDBaby.com. Selected tunes can be heard on Marc Hoffman’s website www.marchoffman.com.
WLTW-FM’s studios are located on the Avenue of Americas in New York City. For more information, visit www.1067litefm.com.