Guitar Men, Part Two - Tony Mottola

Bandleader, producer, and sound crafter extraordinaire Enoch Light was best known for his innovative record labels, Command and Project 3, which were active from 1959-1965 (Light's tenure at Command) and 1965-74 (his tenure at Project 3). With the records on these labels, Light expanded the boundaries of hi-fi sound with such methods as wide channel separation (with no phantom center channel), recording on 35mm tape, quadrophonic recordings, and experimentation with microphone placement. His studio productions, combined with Lew Davies' arrangements, were nothing short of brilliant, and the musicians he hired for these sessions were top-notch. Most of the Command/Project 3 albums were packaged in double-thick gatefold glossy covers complete with detailed descriptions of the arrangements and instrumentation. Enoch Light is truly an audiophile's idol, and a genius at packaging and marketing his total sound experience to music fans all over the world.

Of the many virtuoso musicians Light employed on his sessions, guitarist Tony Mottola and organist Dick Hyman were the most frequently utilized. Prior to working with Light, Mottola did sessions with Perry Como and Frank Sinatra, wrote scores for television shows, and was one of the original members of the Tonight Show band. Mottola typically had a warm, lovely guitar tone and a delicate touch, but he was not afraid to experiment, as evidenced on his version of the Beatles' "Come Together" featured here, from one of the 30-plus albums he recorded on Command/Project 3, "Tony Mottola's Guitar Factory."

This album was in constant rotation in my parents' house when I was growing up, and is one of the more successful attempts of an older generation of musicians interpreting the hipness of the late 60s vibe. On "Come Together," despite the cheesy singing by a trio of female vocalists and an obvious flubbed note by bassist Russell George, the guitars save the day. Mottola's wah-wah guitar work is, how should I put it, hmmm....outta site! Out of his "comfort zone" perhaps, but definitely in the zone, Mottola is one of three guitarists on this track - Jay Berliner and Vinnie Bell also add to the psychedelic wall of swirling, dueling axes here.

Also included on the album is the flip side of the "Come Together" single, George Harrison's "Something." This features a more typical Mottola touch, as he is true to the original arrangement during the verse, while inventing a multitude of impressive vamps, fills, and brief, speedy runs up the fretboard. During the "middle eight," the band switches to a bossanova rhythm before Tony takes on the solo, which begins as a note-for-note replication of Harrison's solo only to switch into a beautiful jazzy Mottola improv for the latter half. It's a sweet interpretation, and one that has been part of my own practice routine for many years. Tony Mottola died in 2004.

Tony Mottola

Come Together
Something

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