Good Vibes, Indeed

Joreen and I headed down to the Iberian Lounge at the Hershey Hotel last night to catch three of our friends and Just Friends Bandmates in their remarkably cool side project, the Amici Trio. The trio is Giovanni on vocals and keys, Vince on horns and woodwinds, and Barry on the vibes. If you've never been to the Iberian Lounge, you should check it out sometime. Just remember to dress nicely, and bring your wallet -- it's not a place for bargain beerhunters. It's really a throwback to the days when elegance, class and sophistication were what lounges epitomized, and that's why the Amici Trio is such a perfect fit for this place.

Listening to and watching the trio perform shows what three experienced and talented players can do, supported with a little technology in the form of sequencers. Gio's vocals blend the best of musical theatre skills with club band energy. Vince's playing, supported by a bedrock of backing tracks and the other two instruments, stands out and stands on its own, reminding me that one of his earlier bands, the Continental Three, was a trio as well. The format suits him.

The real treat, though, is hearing Barry play vibes. This is an instrument that you just don't hear live around here, and it's a shame. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they weigh about as much as a small truck, or that you have to be able to aim three or four mallets in three or four directions at once, but it's not something you see and hear every day. Joreen and I just kept saying, "Listen to that sound!" I don't care how good your synthesizer is, you're not going to get the tone you can get with metal bars, fans and mallets. Standards, pop tunes, even Jimmy Buffett songs sound great on this amazing instrument. If you've never heard Barry play anything but drums, you're missing out.

Vince tells me the Amici Trio is playing once a month at the Hershey Hotel. Give the hotel a call to find out if they're there. You'll see live musicians, augmented with just enough background tracks to fill out the sound, reviving the tradition of standards, pop music, and show tunes played with tuxedo class and Tony Bennett cool. Make sure and request "Send In The Clowns," my personal favorite of the night. It'll make people who use "lounge act" as an insult think twice, believe me.