The unpronounceable title of guitarist Robb Cappelletto’s new album is strangely appropriate. The CD is full of excellent instrumentals that, at their core, are as abstract as the exclamation points in the title. It’s a fascinating mix of wonderful takes on jazz standards like Cole Porter’s “It’s All Right With Me” and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Corcovado,” combined with the more raucous John Scofield-like instrumentals Cappelletto seems to gravitate toward in his own compositions.
This is the debut album for Cappelletto, a guitar teacher at York University in Canada. Cappelletto has a style that ranges from traditional, gorgeously-toned, legato runs all the way to Jimi Hendrix-style distortion.
If there is any doubt that this is a power trio, listen to the overdrive drumming by Amhed Mitchel that kicks off “There Are Monsters” and punctuates tracks like “Get There,” “It’s All Right With Me” and just about every other tune on the album. Jon Maharaj, the other half of that driving rhythm section, is equally forceful. “There Are Monsters” has one more attraction; it features one of Canada’s hottest young pianists, Robi Botos doing some fine work on electric keyboard.