Warren Hill – La Dolce Vita

La Dolce Vita is Hill’s first studio release since 2005’s Popjazz and comes complete with an all-star cast that includes Greg Phillinganes (Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, Toto) on Piano & Keyboards, Nathan East (Phil Collins, Fourplay) on Bass, Dean Parks (Steely Dan, Toni Braxton) on Guitar, Paul Jackson (American Idol, Whitney Houston) on Guitar, Ricky Lawson (Steely Dan, Anita Baker) on Drums, Luis Conte (Phil Collins, James Taylor) on Percussion.

You will find this to be a warm and grooving CD, fit for listening in your car as well as the living room. I particularly liked the Island-tinged Hill be Jammin and the sloe funkiness of The Jive Samba.

Another great listen is Warm Rain featuring lush background vocals by Nathan East and some smooth nylon guitar work by Dean Parks. This is a keeper.

History: Born and raised in Canada, Hill began studying guitar at age 7. An insatiable passion for music gained him early recognition as a true virtuoso and lead to his fronting various Toronto high school rock bands as a multi instrumentalist as well as a singer/guitarist.

Expanding his musical horizons and satisfying a growing passion for saxophone eventually landed him a scholarship to the Berklee College of Music, where his graduation performance attracted the attention of legendary record producer Russ Titleman. At Titleman’s urging Hill moved to Los Angeles, immersed himself in the local music scene and an RCA record deal soon followed.

His first CD, Kiss Under the Moon, was released in 1991.