Live Tropical Fish

It's a fine line for the indie artist between being snapped up as the new darlings of the cultish crowd and the dire alternative of remaining in obscurity, all the hard work and talent overlooked, even by those who you know would be into what your doing.

Fortunately for the Fish, swimming out of the mainstream in Bologna, northern Italy, the latter fate now looks unlikely: from a hard-to-find download, The Day Is Too Short... is now available in CD format and more widely on the net, and the rave reviews are - deservedly - flowing in.

Musically the three core members of LTF are most influenced by seventies-style live playing [Antonio 'Lurpak' Fernè, bassist], Latin jazz [percussionist Fabrizio 'Doc Bix' Poli] and eighties and nineties funk and jazz [guitarist Salvatore 'Salvo' Pignanelli], all of which you get to hear at different points during the album - as well as goodly portion of west African rhythmic flavour and, probably most attention-grabbing of all, a bunch of vocalists whose reputations will surely bring a lot of people to the table.

For me, for instance, anything with Omar on it is something I want to hear, and Rubber Soul, on which he shines, is a cracker, jumping right in with blasting, riffing horns, shuffling Latin rhythms and some lovely rise and fall between verses, hooks and vamps.

Alison Crockett stands out too, her smoky, round tones sitting beautifully over a pair of wildly energetic grooves, both - Complete Me and Slide Away - having an urgent, afro flavour, the latter tune peaking with a triumphantly melodic chorus. It's the kind of thing you'd pick as the best track on, say, a Fertile Ground album.

Laurnea, meanwhile, has a sweeter, breathier delivery, perfectly suited to a gorgeus, undulating and sexy, vaguely Marvin-ish mid-tempo roller like Breathe Again, a tune you could be playing all summer long.

Other input comes from Nick Rolfe, April Hill and the frequently interesting Maya Azucena, who's been cropping up on some very nice projects over the past couple of years.

The result is a refreshingly muscular and confident project put together by a bunch of blokes you've never heard of from a place you wouldn't have considered as even being on the soul map, but who clearly know what they're doing when it comes to picking up their instruments.

Life is definitely too short to pass it by.

Chris Wells - ECHOES MAGAZINE - June 2010 (UK)

Den italienske gruppe Live Tropical Fish, er netop nu super aktuel med deres andet album, som har fået den mærkværdige title ‘The Day Is Too Short To Be Selfish’. Men lad dig endelig ikke skræmme af det, stilen på albummet er en omgang sublim opløftet jazz-soul fusion.

Albummet ‘The day Is Too Short To Be Selfish’ indeholder 12 tracks med vokalbidrag fra velkendte neo-soul vokalister såsom; Alison Crockett, Deborah Jordan, Laurnea, Omar, Maya Azucena, Nick Rolfe og April Hill. Det i sig selv gør dette udspil til en mere interesant udgivelse - end hvad der ellers udgives i øjeblikket.

Tracks, der er værd at bemærke er blandt andet; ‘Complete Me’ ft. Alison Crockett, ‘Breathe Again’ ft. Laurnea, ‘Speak Easy’ ft. Nick Rolfe samt ‘Rubber Soul’ ft. Omar.

Live Tropical Fish nyeste skud er gennemført fra start til slut og kan du lide din soul med en god portion jazz - så er det svært ikke at blive begejstret for albummet ‘The Day Is Too Short To Be Selfish’.

Soulportal tøver ikke et sekund med at anbefale dig at købe denne fornemme cd.

Live Tropical Fish: The Day Is Too Short To Be Selfish ude nu på Live In Music

Added: May 7th 2010
Reviewer: Frank Ryle - SOULPORTAL.DK (Denmark)

Brilliant new soul album from Italian group using real instrumentation and horns etc. It features some of the cream of new soul vocalists. 'Rather Uncomfortable Combinations' ft April Hill is a good uptempo dancer, 'Rubber Soul 'ft Omar a brassy uptempo groover, and 'Speak Easy' a funky soul groover ft Nick Rolfe. Alison Crockett features on the horn backed percussive uptempo jams 'Complete Me' and 'Slide Away', Maya Azucena on the pulsating 'Rising Bible' and Laurnea on the mid tempo floater 'Breathe Again. Deborah Jordan also features on three tracks. Vibrant Organic Soul. - SOUL BROTHER (UK)

It's been a few years since we last heard from Live Tropical Fish, but the combo is as smooth and groovy as ever – one of the best-sounding combos from the Irma scene of the 90s, still very much a jazz-based group all these many years later! This time around, they've got some killer help from an array of Neo Soul vocalists – including Laurnea, Alison Crockett, Deborah Jordan, April Hill, Nick Rolfe, Omar, and Maya Azucena – all artists we've stocked on their own, and who really contribute a lot to the sound of this album – making it a wicked bit of Neo Soul that goes even farther than any previous efforts we've heard from LTF! Titles include "Peace Of Mind", "Complete Me", "Rubber Soul", "Run & Hide", "I'm Tired", "Speak Easy & Listen", and "Breathe Again". - DUSTY GROOVE USA

"An excellent album."

This must be one of the most original band names I heard for a while. For the attentive music fan however, Italian based collective Live Tropical Fish might ring a bell as their 1997 released debut, Shape your Life, gained them quite a loyal fan base throughout Europe. This even resulted in touring the continent and a couple of impressive gigs as opener for Earth, Wind & Fire in Switzerland, 1998.
After this, the band somewhat landed up in a period of silence, and while their music kept appearing as remixes or on acid jazz and bossa nova compilations, their was no new material being written.
Their supporters however stayed and the music of Live Tropical Fish always remained a topic of huge respect. Therefore ... it was about time for a new CD and so The day is too short to be Selfish was born.
From the first notes of the opener, Peace of Mind, I was convinced again that this album would be a treat for all fans of real, fresh live instrumentalism. This time however, Live Tropical Fish took their project a step further by inviting a 'royal' cast of vocalists such as Aprill Hill, Omar, Laurnea, Maya Azucena, ... who add that little extra dimension that lifts an album up from being good to becoming excellent.
While enjoying the CD, I cruise through various landscapes of sounds, wrapping jazz, afrobeat, vocal harmonies and soul into delicious dishes, seasoned with heavy horns and compelling baselines.
In breathe Again, Live Tropical Fish prove that they are capable of writing damn good songs. Varying paces, stirring vocal lines blending in just perfest with the impressive instrumentalism. And to make a long story short ... this quality keeps showing throughout the entire album.
Speak easy and Listen leans a bit towards hip hop (great job by Nick Rolfe here), Aprill Hill sculpts A rather uncomfortable Combination into a somewhat wayward dance hit while Double Dream slips away into a silky, smooth soul classic, perfect to accompany 'a rainy candlelight evening'.
Excellent musicism, heavenly vocals, professional songwriting, a matching production and a fan of variation make this album an essential.
Italy has some fantastic wines and food to offer ... is famous for its overall beauty ... its legendary soccer teams and from today on don't forget its fantastic Live Tropical Fish.

A Teach review - JAZZANDSOUL.EU

The group name 'Live Tropical Fish' isn't a name you would associate with a quality soul / R&B / Jazz outfit, and as such some may be tempted to browse past this album. PLEASE DON'T!!!!! The album is exquisite and for those of you who appreciate the verve of Italy's abundance of soulful and Jazzy talent and also appreciate the live, soulful feel of Count Basic or the Llangau Big Band then this is so going to be up your street. Bristling with real musicians utilising their instruments to the max, the vocalists come into their own. I am a real fan of all concerned, and it's warming to see and hear artists such as Live Tropical Fish coming to the forefront, again showing the music originators in the US that they have soooooooo come off the rails. Okay, so the feel of the music is LIVE. It's gorgeously and professionally recorded and presented and as top-draw as you could ever hope for. The sexy vocals of Deborah Jordan remind me so much of Marva King - think George Howard's "Find Your Way" - and she is the best icing on the tastiest of cakes on our opening effort, "Peace Of Mind".

The UK's superb singer Laurnea is a real talent - and one who has yet to have her day. Her excellence is shown her by these fellas who know exactly how to pitch a groove with a sassy, no-nonsense vocalist. Laurnea is a rare breed of female singer who have a smoothness, yet possess a rough edge. There is a real bite inherent in her voice - something that the squeaky R&B teens simply do not possess. On "Breath Again" Laurnea toys with us...she can be sexy but like Millie Jackson can soon explode with vocal prowess in sheer catharsis. Keep an eye on this Lady. Tha album takes on a righteous tone with the personal commentaries of life and experience. Vocalist Nick Rolfe takes on racism and prejudice head on in a Jamiroqai meets Darryl Hall moment with a great Incognito flow! The ultra-delicious April Hill wades in with the brassy and jiggly "A Rather Uncomfortable Combination". Her precise, clear, soulful and sexy vocals are perfectly matched on this live, raw groove. Think Tower Of Power meets Nikki Richards. Oh yeah!

My favourite song, however, is the dreamy and slightly horny "Double Dream". The guitar and percussion gently sway like palm trees on a stunning white beach, Laurnea's wispish vocals draw you in almost in a conspiratorial fashion...but the bassline is the killer. It's deep, dirty and evokes a more carnal flavour. Or is it just me?! Whatever the case, this is an AWESOME track. The TOP-ish "Run And Hide" again makes use of the lovely Deborah Jordan and I have to really applaud the guys for their ability to craft adult, serious and meaningful lyrics. This is wholesome music and you get what you need on here - this CD ticks all the right boxes for your musical health! Fans of the brilliant Alison Crockett will love her performance on the dramatic, frantically brassy "Slide Away", and the UK's superb Omar dives in with a latin feel on "Rubber Soul" (NOT the Beatles song of the same name!) Maya Azucena also joins the fray and works her magic on "Rising Bible". Everyone, without exception, excels and more on this CD. This is one that I can do nought but highly recommend.

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe - SOULCHOONZ (UK)

Acid Jazz never really died and seems to be coming back even Mother Earth are reforming, yikes! So it's nice to see that italian survivors Live Tropical Fish are still going strong and more still producing quality material.

Opening track 'Peace Of Mind' shows off their exceptional chops on this breezy, summery ditty which is beautifully arranged with floaty rhodes, incisive horns and some breathy warbling from singer Deborah Jordan.

The form is maintained too with 'Complete Me' replete with the phattest of horn sections and some funky, afro scratchy, guitar that propel singer Alison Crockett sweetly along. The girl soars and puts in overtime on her vocal delivery and aches for her man (on the track that is !) like a lot of soul divas do! A stonking jazz funk workout with a crisp baritone sax solo giving it real pathos.

'Speak Easy' shows the level of musical maturity this outfit have built up over the years it's great to hear this stuff in it's truest sense i.e. the sound of a band in harmony and in sympatico with one another. Some wicked slap bass dominates and singer Nick Rolfe begs you not to judge him by the colour of his skin. A lyrical content that sadly still needs reinforcing.

Another Highlight and my fave on the album 'A Rather Uncomfortable Combination' starts with an absolute sick guitar lick and is driven by swinging drums and congas and again, those signature horns which would give incognito a run for their money. This is no fifty yard dash, no sir, way it's bigger than your average funk ticket!

Live Tropical Fish have produced some classic stuff here (no potboilers here!) and are gearing up for a promotion to the premier league and a bigger say on the international platform, do us a favour give them a leg up there will ya? Because as L'Oreal says "They're worth it!"

Words Emrys Baird - BLUES & SOUL ONLINE

With a name like Live Tropical Fish, one would expect an amalgam of guppies and various other aquatic sea creatures darting around in a giant fish tank instead of a kick-ass band. But LTF is indeed a band, and indeed they do kick some serious butt with a music style that's heavy on Afro-jazz, fusion, and soul. The Italian band, founded by Fabrizio "Doc Bix" Poli, Antonio "Lurpak" Ferne', and Salvo Pignanelli is a venture into new music sounds, styles, and concepts that came about as a result of their collaborating ideas. But what about the name Live Tropical Fish? "The first studio rehearsal of LTF, back in 1992, was under a tropical fish aquarium store," Lurpak says. "This is where the name comes from."

However they came up with the name, Live Tropical Fish appropriately creates an ocean of music, and after one listen, it's evident their sound is one that Jacques Cousteau would be proud of. The band's CD, "The Day Is Too Short To Be Selfish", is wave after wave of great sounds with a wide range of guest vocalist, from Maya Azucena and Allison Crockett, to Nick Rolfe, April Hill and Deborah Jordan. "We contacted all the artists through Myspace," Lurpak says. We didn't know personally any of them but we tried to ask them to collaborate with us, sent the mp3 and...wow, they like our songs and said yes, they wanna do it! [That's] the power of social networks..."

Musically, the album is all at once, fresh, smooth, hot and cool, giving the listener a little of something for the sonic pallet. With songs like "Complete Me", Live Tropical Fish embraces the soulful side, while on "I'm Tired", the band puts emphasis on Afro-Jazz with soul stylings. Either way, LTF pulls you into their web of great music full of lively composition, top-notch production and skillful arrangements. "We tried to create something "out of time", out of marketing logics, something in which we believe in strongly and which can reflect the love and passion we all have for music," Lurpak says. "We dedicated three years of our lives to this project and saw it growing like a child that becomes a man."

"The Day Is Too Short To Be Selfish" is indeed a full-grown adult album. And for those of you that are looking for real music concepts and live instrumentation that takes you on a ebb-and-flow journey, then Live Tropical Fish is that band that can give you what you're looking for.

rating: 9

Gabriel Rich for Soulinterviews.com
gabriel@soulinterviews.com - SOULINTERVIEWS.COM

You may not be familiar with the names Fabrizio "Doc Bix" Poli, Antonio "Lurpak" Fern, Salvo Pignanelli, Adriano Pancaldi, Mirco Zagnoli and Pino De Fazio, but together they make up the band Live Tropical Fish. Back in 1991, a young Fabrizio Poli met Antonio Ferne in university, and together they founded Live Tropical Fish. Their debut album Shape Your Life was released on IRMA records in 1997 to lots of interest in Europe, and on the back of this the band toured Europe , amassing a loyal fanbase. Their success reached its pinnacle in 1998 when they were chosen to be the opening act for Earth Wind and Fire in Switzerland. That very night the group decided to take a step back, rest and refocus. That break lasted two years, during which time the pair asked Salvo Pignanelli join the band. Their music continued to be heard throughout this period, with many tracks being remixed or put onto any decent collection of acid jazz, funk or bossa nova compilations. Refreshed and raring to go, Live Tropical Fish decided to take things to the next level by adding new members to really magnify their sound. With their good looks, talent, and loyal fan base, the only thing missing was new music, so they started working on their new album. The Day Is Too Short To Be Selfish is the end result, and includes Adriano Pancaldi, Pino De Fazio and a return of Mirco Zagnoli welcome guest vocals by Alison Crockett, Deborah Jordan, Laurnea, Omar, Maya Azucena, Nick Rolfe and April Hill.

The musical experience on this album sets it apart from so much of the ready-made music being produced in any category out there today -- much of which appears to be simply copying whatever the industry has decided is in vogue. This album is fresh and exciting, and a treat for fans of live instruments.

By the end of the first song, "Peace of Mind," I knew this review would be nothing but a joy. I heard jazz, afro beat, intricate vocal harmonies, all in varying paces and topped off with the delicate vocals of Deborah Jordan, soaring high like the lyrics command. Her soft vocals wrap the listener in "Believe," affirming that she can believe in love and being able to let go as she trusts in love and her lover. Laurnea's vocals maybe be sweet and tender, but when she has to ride along big sounds in "I'm Tired" it doesn't falter. The instruments and rhythm are like the waves crashing against the shore, one moment strong and ferocious, the next retreating and gentle. By contrast, on "Breathe Again" the same tender vocals are intoxicatingly hot and sticky like a summer night. The listener fights to breathe again from the suffocation of the memories of how love used to be. Almost as reprieve is Nick Rolfe's energizing "Speak Easy And Listen", where he asks that we see him for who he is not who we think he should be. We are asked to move beyond racial and gender stereotypes, in this uplifting, conscious, half spoken half sung track. Omar's "Rubber Soul" does not disappoint, and his instantly recognisable vocals are perfect for this song. From the tight first of the half of the track about life and fighting, we are treated to a more relaxed second half of the track.

The song that really turned up the heat for me however was "Complete Me," featuring Alison Crockett. Her clear vocals are the perfect match for the intricate afro beat, horns and heavy percussion. Like the different sides to a woman, Alison's vocals are tender in the verse, excitable in the bridge, and explosive and demanding of our attention in the chorus as we are asked to have faith and complete her. The contributions by April Hill and Maya Azucena equal the standards set by the other guest vocalists. April Hill's "A Rather Uncomfor table Combination" is a funky yet lyrically powerful track, packed with imagery and irony in fast sung stanzas. I found myself re-reading the lyrics for this and Rolfe's track, amazed at the depth they could produce. Maya Azucena's drama packed "Rising Bible" closes the album, filled with spiritual wisdom and the charge to "go with the rising bible".

This album is truly a musical experience, and I feel I have done an injustice to the band by focusing on the vocalists. Every track on this album is a successful marriage between the vocalist and the music; however we are not bystanders. We too are involved in the celebration. Every time I listen to the album something excites me. It can be the complexity of Antonio's bass rhythm, the urgency of Adriano's horn arrangement, the licks from Salvo's guitar, the jazzy accompaniment of Pino's keyboards, the passion of Fabrizio's percussion or Mirco's unwavering drums. Whilst I couldn't be a fly on the wall during the recording process, I intend to be a fully paid participant in the enjoyment and celebration of this project. Highly recommended.

By Ricardito - SOULTRACKS.COM (USA)

Let's start by reminding you about Live Tropical Fish, that fantastic band from Bologna, Italy, whose album The Day Is Too Short To Be Selfish we raved about a couple of issues back.

Now, you may have found that particular album hard to get hold of - mainly because it wasn't available, as it turned out. But you won't any longer, because the guys have been working hard to put a copy either onto a shelf or a download outlet near you ever since we wrote those words.

So trot along to Soul Brother [soulbrother.com or 020 88751018] and put your hands on a CD or go online and do the do in your own sweet way.

Whatever else you get up to this next month, though, please don't miss what will undoubtedly turn put to be one of the most enjoyed albums of 2010.

Featuring vocalists Maya Azucena, Nick Rolfe, Alison Crockett, Deborah Jordan and our very own Omar, it's a marvellous, live, band played recording that doesn't let up from start to finish. Interview upcoming. - ECHOES MAGAZINE - April 2010 (UK)

It’s a weird name for a band, but get used to it: Live Tropical Fish hails from Bologna, Italy and is made up of founding members Fabrizio “Doc Bix” Poli, Antonio “Lurpak” Fernè and guitarist/composer Salvo Pignanelli, plus more recent recruits, pianist Pino De Fazio and drummer Mirco Zagnoli. Their album, The Day Is Too Short To Be Selfish, is quite wonderful – a superb start to 2010.

Featuring vocalists Maya Azucena, Nick Rolfe, Alison Crockett, Deborah Jordan and our very own Omar, it’s a live, band-played recording, a funky mix of soul, jazz, afro and horn-blasted liveliness, vaguely in an Incognito kinda vein. And it doesn’t half get up and get the fuck on with it!

The Omar track, Rubber Soul, is already causing a fair bit of excitement, and its feisty horn arrangement, courtesy Adriano Pancaldi, is typical of what’s to be found elsewhere. Mr Lye Fook sounds right at home gliding over the swaying, Afro-Latin rhythm – he’s about two thirds of the way through his own next album, by the way.

One of Alison Crockett’s two contributions, Slide Away, follows it and is just as impressive, her delectable, warm tone rising and falling with customary effortlessness as the congas chatter like gibbering monkeys and the guitars organize a real set-to with the bassman. Like Maysa at top form, if you want a comparison. Or Fertile Ground, maybe. Meanwhile her other tune, Complete Me, rocks a hi-life beat as the guys throw in a few Marvin changes, all at breakneck speed. Nice farty sax solo too.

To be honest, we could do this track-by-track and I’d be raving about it all. So let’s not, eh? You know the style, you can see the green light and you can bet we’ll be writing more about these guys very soon. Buy with absolute assurance. Oh, and thanks to Brian Hurst at soulandjazz.com for putting it my way.

Chris Wells
Editor - ECHOES MAGAZINE - February 2010 (UK)