Pete Belasco – Get It Together

Pete Belasco started as a piano player on the high school rock band circuit. As he became more interested in jazz, he switched to saxophone and went on to attend Rutgers University. His focus on instrumental music took an unexpected detour as a boating accident that broke both hands left him unable to play for several months. While healing, he took the time to concentrate on developing his vocal and compositional skills. Once healed, his demo tape was heard by Guy Eckstine (Verve A&R guy and son of Billy Eckstine) and this album, Get It Together, ensued.

While he’s been widely adopted by the pablum-and-piano set (also known as “smooth jazz”), Belasco’s music is certainly painted from a broader pallette than regulation issue happy jazz. Make More Love hints at an essence of Beatles, while All I Want and I’ll Be Gone speak in tones of Ramsey Lewis meets Geraint Watkins.

Whereas so much of this style can be tolerated, at best, for just a few minutes this is a record to which I’ve come back many times.

Pete Belasco – All I Want
Pete Belasco – All IN My Mind
Pete Belasco – Dirty Deed
Pete Belasco – Even As A Kid
Pete Belasco – Get It Together
Pete Belasco – Heat
Pete Belasco – I’ll Be Gone
Pete Belasco – I’ll Never Tell
Pete Belasco – Love Is
Pete Belasco – Love Train
Pete Belasco – Make More Love
Pete Belasco – Without Within