Frank Marocco delivers creative improvisation and first-rate music on an unlikely Instrument. His fascinating performance thoroughly affirms the fact that its not the Instrument that makes the music, it's the imagination and creativity of the person who is playing it.

-Don Heckman: Los Angeles Times Music review

"Appassionato" is a must for accordionists and people who love good Jazz. Frank gets a great sound and shows his versatility, playing different kinds of music but incorporating Jazz into each arrangement.

- Art Van Damme

In the world of accordion performance, Frank Marocco is a giant. Not only for his mastery of the instrument itself, but for his highly developed musicality. In any style, on the concert stage or in the recording studio, his playing is technically brilliant and musically superb.

Frank is the most recorded accordionist in America (and, possibly, the world), having played on a vast number of movie soundtracks, television scores, commercial jingles and record albums, in the studios of Hollywood and beyond. He has recorded for and/or worked with artists ranging from Brian Wilson, Pink Floyd and Madonna to Luciano Pavarotti, conductor Maxim Shostakovich and composer John Williams.

He was nominated eight years in a row for the Most Valuable Player Award by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (N.A.R.A.S) and received that award twice. Frank is also a consummate jazz artist and a gifted composer with several of his own albums to his credit. He has played his music for audiences all over the world. Enjoy this eclectic collection.

-Al DiMarco

"Appassionato" is a departure from any of my previous recordings. It is more of an eclectic collection of music from various cultures. It has everything from an Italian pop ballad to a Cuban jazz salsa original. This CD features the accordion in a variety of settings, most with an ethnic world music feel, much jazz improvisation, and many original songs with different rhythmic grooves.

There are two Brazilian tunes: "Cavaquinho" (a bright Choro) and "Fogo No Baile", the latter featuring the Hammond B3 work of Ron Feuer, who playfully trades solos with me. I am also playing the bass line on this duet. One of the more unusual cuts is the opening 7/4 ballad with a Latin pop feel. Joe DiBlasi's guitar and Justo Almario's soprano sax make this an exciting opener. This is followed by an original of mine- "Samba Italiano", an up tempo samba with Justo Almario's soaring solo on flute. "Soave", a European style jazz waltz (another original), features a great guitar solo from Larry Koonse. "Abril en Cuba" is a Cuban jazz version of an original line I wrote based on the chord changes to a familiar standard. Great solos by Donald Vega (piano) and Justo Almario (flute) on this track.

"Autumn in Rome", a pretty ballad played as a 6/4 bossa was enhanced by Jon Kurnick's beautiful guitar solo and a nice ensemble section consisting of accordion, vibes and guitar. "Oblivion", the classic piece by the great Argentinean composer Astor Piazzolla, is given a different treatment by opening up the B section and soloing over the chord changes. A beautiful gut string guitar solo by Joe DiBlasi and the accordion solo over the 2nd accordion rhythm track give this often-recorded classic a fresh twist.

My Italian flavored original, "Bella Chitarra", features the guitar of Jon Kurnick and a piano solo by Mark Levang, the person who really believed in my music and was greatly responsible for making this CD happen. Mark did most of the arranging, all of the orchestrating and the excellent synth and piano work on the CD. In addition to his musicianship, Mark, along with studio engineer Paul Tavenner, captured great sounds from all the instruments, especially the accordion, which is one of the most difficult to record.

One of my favorites is the pop ballad "Ballad for Anne", a love song I wrote several years ago to my wife Anne, my soul mate, and mother of our three daughters. Brian Scanlon's pretty alto sax is heard on this track. He also plays the hot soprano solo on "Cavaquinho".

The surprise track on this CD is a song written and sung (in English) by Bruce Atkinson. The Italian translation was written and sung by Tony Galla. This is the only track on which the accordion is not the featured instrument. Mark's arrangement for "Aspettami" is a "tour de force." Using his acoustic piano with The Hollywood Strings and just a touch of accordion, he produced the perfect background for this beautiful vocal.

-Frank Marocco

Recorded at the following:
Big City Recording, Granada Hills, Calif. USA. Engineer - Paul Tavenner - June 5th, 2002.
Green Room Studio, Van Nuys, Calif. USA. Engineer - Mark Green - July 12th, 2002.
J&R Studio, Van Nuys, Calif. Engineer - Ron Feuer Jr… Track 9…(Fogo No Baile).
Instument: Petosa AM-1100 Frank Marocco model & Giulietti classic 127

Musicians:
Frank Marocco: Accordion
Mark Levang: Keyboards
Bruce Atkinson: Bass & Vocal
Steve Distanislao: Drums
Jon Kurnick: Guitar & Mandolin
Luis Conte: Percussion
Justo Almario: Flute & Soprano Sax

Arrangements: Mark Levang, Frank Marocco Orchestrations: Mark Levang
Produced by: Mark Levang, Frank Marocco
Cover Photo: Ed Morgan

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