Tony Marino – Swing Your Thing (Album Review)

Tony Marino brings authentic Latin jazz music to the forefront on “Swing Your Thing.”

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TOP 5

5. FATHERLY ADVICE

“Fatherly Advice” boasts this slick and sly sound that is hard to ignore. It also features sequences that ooze of bounciness, brightness, and sunniness.

If you are a fan of music that calms nerves but also makes you want to watch The Pink Panther, “Fatherly Advice” is for you!

4. MATTHEW’S SAMBA

“Matthew’s Samba” will make you want to dance, dance, dance!

If you are a professional Samba dancer, “Matthew’s Samba” should talk to you. Though the song gets most of its power from comforting feels, it also features melodies, drum patterns, and sequences that will challenge your feet. It also features a saxophone that should blow you away.

3. QUITE FRANKLY

Tony Marino combines a bunch of pleasant instruments together to create a soothing sound on “Quite Frankly.”

“Quite Frankly” is so warm and cozy. I love the song’s upbeat tempo and how each instrument (The piano, the saxophone, and the flute) gets its chance to shine. It’s impossible to walk away from “Quite Frankly” not feeling all good inside.

2. SWING YOUR THING

“Swing Your Thing” starts Swing Your Thing off magically.

The number one thing that sticks out to me about “Swing Your Thing” is that it features tons of jaunty vibes. You can tell that Tony wanted to take folks on a journey to the past (Particularly the roaring 20s) with this song, especially when it comes to the song’s exuberant horns and shifty piano patterns.

1. A JAM FOR PAQUITO

“A Jam For Paquito” is the most dynamic track on Swing Your Thing.

“A Jam For Paquito” is powered by a bunch of different vibes, a bunch of different styles, and a bunch of different elements. While I won’t quite call the song a rollercoaster ride, I will call it something that takes you on one of the more interesting cruises.

SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

1. SWING YOUR THING (BIG BAND VERSION) (4/5)

2. QUITE FRANKLY (BIG BAND VERSION) (4/5)

3. MATTHEW’S SAMBA (BIG BAND VERSION) (4/5)

4. MY LADIES (BIG BAND VERSION) (3/5)

5. FATHERLY ADVICE (BIG BAND VERSION) (3/5)

6. BIAGIO (BIG BAND VERSION) (3/5)

7. HOPPY (BIG BAND VERSION) (3/5)

8. A JAM FOR PAQUITO (BIG BAND VERSION) (4/5)

9. AS GOOD AS IT GETS (BIG BAND VERSION) (4/5)

10. BLUES FOR CLAUDIO (BIG BAND VERSION) (4/5)

OVERALL RATING

(B+)

It’s clear as day that Tony Marino is one of the BEST Latin Jazz artists/composers on this planet. With the release of Swing Your Thing, he will convince you that he’s also one of the most VERSATILE Latin Jazz artists, too. Throughout the album, he toys with all kinds of vibes, musical styles, tempos, and more. He also finds unique ways to tell stories through his music without using words. All in all, Swing Your Thing is a truly delightful body-of-work.