Adam Nitti - 1998 "Balance"

Adam Nitti\'s 2nd release, featuring performances from Dave Weckl, Victor Wooten, Jimmy Herring, Shane Theriot, and many others. High energy instrumental music with an emphasis on musicianship. A diverse collection fusing together jazz, rock, and fusion.

Now here is a fusion feast for the ears - bassist Adam Nitti's second solo release, entitled Balance. Not only do you get Nitti's world class bass work, incuding three amazing solo tracks ("Vic-Dom, Part 1", "Fritter Boy", "Vic-Dom, Part 1"), but you get additional contributions by some outstanding guitarists and other musicians. Bill Hart contributes a slinky guitar solo to the Steve Miller cover "Fly Like An Eagle", as well as adds guitar work to two other tracks. Guitarist Shane Theriot guests on two tracks ("B Squared", "Cheeky"), while guitarist Jimmy Herring adds his six-string edge to the title track. Sax man Sam Skelton is also a standout here - he's featured on seven tracks. Nitti, of course, is center stage on Balance, and with good reason - his active, syncopated finger-funk and tasty solos will keep fretlovers enthralled. Instrumental Guitar (Electric/Fusion),

Adam Nitti has emerged as one of the cutting edge bassists and composers in the world of instrumental jazz and rock. Based out of Nashville, Tennessee, Adam currently has 3 CD\'s released on his own Renaissance Man Records label. Adam has toured with the Dave Weckl band, Jeff Coffin Mu\'tet, the Justice League, and Angie Aparo, and has also performed with such legendary jazz artists as Scott Henderson, Peter Erskine, Jimmy Herring, Mike Stern, Kirk Covington, Wayne Krantz, and many others. He is currently touring with Steven Curtis Chapman, a 4 time Grammy winning artist based .

Folks...if you don't know who this talented individual is yet...WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!!!! As bass players go, Stu, Billy, Jonas all rock. Mike Manring, Vic and Adam have brought two hands to the fretboard. Jaco, Gary Willis, Bunny, and Jeff Berlin are jazz monsters. There, of course, are many more, but this is a review of Adams first solo offering. Check out the video footage of some of this albums titles on U-tube and you'll understand. He has surrounded himself with very talented players, Dave Weckl, Kirk Covington, and Tom Knight on drums, Jimmy Herring and Shane TheRiot and Bill Hart on guitar. Vic joins him on bass, Randy Hoexter on keys as well as Sam Skelton on sax. Adam starts with a funky rock/fusion number that shows off some outstanding solo techniques. Next up is Kingpin, a jazzy piece with smooth melody and quick fingers. Yin & Yang, of course, features Vic Wooten and is a must listen. Cry for Peace slows things down and Sam's sax is sweet as is the six string Adam plays. Fly like an Eagle is a plucky 4 string version of Steve Miller's hit featuring Bill Hart and Sam. Vic-Dom 1&2 and Fritter Boy are bass solo pieces. Balance, the title track, features one of the most fascinating fusion guitarists, Jimmy Herring. AWESOME!!! Stephanie's Song is a straight ahead jazz piece, slick, smooth and easy. Nice keys solo. B Squared is a funky bayou fusion piece featuring Shane TheRiot. No one plays like Shane. He also is featured on Cheeky another funky, rockin' number with a lot of techniques, as the tune changes to, sort of, become the summary of Adam's talents. Faith is a nice melodic number that reminds one of The Rippingtons. Be astounded! Tell all your friends! By edzona.

I would say this album holds great things for everybody that takes their music seriously. This is Adam Nitti's first solo release and he's released two others since but I still think that this one is his best. You've got killer top shelf drumming throughout with Dennis Chambers being the most notable of them. This album jams right from the start of the first track schizo which is probably my personal favorite along with track 3 Yin Yang which has Victor Wooten guesting on bass and laying down a sick solo. This album also has three bass solo pieces Fritter Boy & vic doom part 1 & part 2. These solo pieces are mostly two hand tapping style songs with lots of energy and good direction. The guitar playing on here is in the progressive style but with some wah wah funk strumming thrown in for good measure. Nitti's playing on the rest of the songs is tight and groove oriented more in a Jaco Rocco sixteenth note style with solos from his six string and ripping slap grooves. This album is high octane fusion with a progressive rock overtone and it rocks out from start to finish, Buy it! By Jonathan Guarriello.

I've collected a lot of music over the past 20t years... and I can count on one hand the number of times I've had a recording just floor me! Balance from Adam Nitti is one such recording! I can actually remember the first time I heard this Cd. This Cd runs the gamut in terms of styles that are performed. Very few cds exist where every tune on the recording is great. Balance is it! When an artist can blend their technical talent with their tune writing ability and be able to keep the listeners attention from start to finish... what you have is a rare gem of a recording... Balance is it! Thank you Adam for this outstanding recording! By M Lucas.   

Track listing:

01 Skitzo 5:57
02 Kingpin 6:11
03 Yin & Yang 4:43
04 Cry For Peace 5:58
05 Fly Like An Eagle 6:13
06 Vic-Dom, Part 1 (Bass Solo) 2:26
07 Balance 5:45
08 Stephanie's Song 4:55
09 Vic-Dom, Part 2 (Bass Solo) 2:20
10 B Squared  4:37
11 Faith 6:00
12 Fritter Boy (Bass Solo) 3:37
13 Cheeky 3:19

Personnel:

Adam Nitti - 5 & 6 String Bass, Keyboards, 6 String Fretless Bass, $ String Bass
Victor Wooten - Bass and Bass Solo on "Yin & Yang"
Bill Hart - Guitar
Jimmy Herring - Guitar
Shane Theriot - Guitar
Tom Knight - Drums
Sam Skelton - Sax
Randy Hoexter - Keyboard Solo
Dave Weckl - Drums
Kirk Covington - Drums