Song:I Want You
Album:20th Century Masters: the Millennium Collection: The Best Of Gato Barbieri
Argentinian sax player Leandro "Gato" Barbieri was an avant garde musician in the 60s. But in the 70s he made a sharp turn to become one of the pioneers of smooth jazz. Of course he didn't know that at the time. But I think A&M Records owner Herb Alpert did. He was born Nov. 28, 1932 in Rosario, Argentina. Charlie Parker was Barbieri's major influence. In the 50s he was in Lalo Shifrin's band. And in the 60s he moved to Italy with his wife (she was Italian) and started playing with guys like Don Cherry. Many fans here would have first heard of Barbieri when he signed with Impulse Records in 1969. And when producer Bob Thiele started Flying Dutchman Records, Barbieri recorded several early 70s albums. The turning point in Barbieri's career was when he composed the score for the 1972 film Last Tango In Paris. That won him a Grammy. That was a huge success. And after a few more albums for Impulse, Herb Alpert signed him to A&M and he produced the 1976 album Caliente!. It was Barbieri's first album for A&M. This was more commercial than anything Barbieri had previously recorded. His cover of the Marvin Gaye classic I Want You was an R&B hit. The strings and horns were arranged and conducted by Jay Chattaway. Musicians were David Taylor, Paul Faulise and Wayne Andre on trombone, Bernie Glow, Marvin Stamm and Randy Brecker on trumpet, Eddy Martinez and Don Grolnick on keyboards, David Spinozza, Eric Gale and Joe Beck on guitar, Gary King on bass, Lenny White on drums and Ralph McDonald on percussion. Carlos Santana guested on one track. Barbieri recorded four successful albums for A&M. This budget comp covers those years. Barbieri recorded for Columbia in the 80s. But he retired after his wife died in 1983. He returned in the late 90s and continued to record and tour until his death on Apr. 2, 2016 at age 83. Here's Gato Barbieri with Frank Ferrucci on piano, Bill Washer on guitar, Chico Rindner on bass, Jean-Francois Fabiano on drums and Guihlerme Franco on percussion performing I Want You at the 1984 Montreal Jazz Festival from the DVD Live In Montreal. I think this is out of print.
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