Artist: Stephanie Sante

Title: Coffee Culture

Genre: Jazz-Fusion- Instrumental

Label: Sante Music

Website: http://www.santemusic.com

Coffee is a big part of our culture as Americans and the genre of jazz seems to have an inexplicable link to the beverage. Stephanie Sante gives you a taste of many blends on her new release Coffee Culture.

Sante is the consummate multi instrumentalist, playing various types of guitars, keyboards and percussion. The cover of the CD is a palette of soft colors, just like her music. The images suggest that you will find yourself engaged in a perpetual musical motion machine once you give this platter a spin. It turns into a reality once you get a few songs into the album.

Sante sites Al Di Meola and Steve Hackett as a few of her influences and you certainly can hear those flavorings blossoming in her music just like a freshly brewed cup of java. She invites you inside her instrumental compositions with a beautiful combination of guitar, world rhythms and beats with just enough electronic sounds and textures stirred into the mix to make it interesting and inviting enough to keep you listening in anticipation of what could be coming next.

I had a particular fondness for the tracks “Cup of Joe” and “Double Expresso,” (notice the way it is spelled with an X instead of an S) which had a nice surf-tropical island thing going on with a world essence for a backdrop. This is a fine collection of songs. All 12 tracks offer many variations of guitar playing, rhythms and electronica-enough spice and variety to keep the most finicky listener on their toes and interested.

© Keith "MuzikMan" Hannaleck-http://www.muzikreviews.com

May 25, 2005

Rating-9/10

01. Hot Coco (3:50)

02. Chai Chai (3:58)

03. Cappachino (4:13)

04. Vanilla Steamer (3:53)

05. Cup of Joe (4:24)

06. Mocha Latte (4:13)

07. Macchiato (4:14)

08. Frappe (5:29)

09. Café Au Lait (3:59)

10. Caramel Latte (3:54)

11. Expresso (3:32)

12. Double Expresso (5:36)