Bill Vivino
Wayne, New Jersey, United States
Music
Press
I wish my math teachers had been this cool. I already knew Bill Vivino was a talented artist just from listening to this EP, but I learned about his mild-mannered alter ego, Mr. Vivino the Math Teacher, when I visited his CDBaby site and found glowing reviews from his students. I’d accuse them of sucking up in hopes of passing the midterms, but Vivino and his band really are that good. And besides, midterms are over.
This band plays jazz-influenced pop/rock songs with a Jersey rock surf feel. These five songs are a lot of fun to listen to, and the vocal harmonies are impressive, especially on “Change Your Mind” and the title track. The musicianship is solid – this band is tight, and they have found a particularly strong lead guitarist in Steve Nurge.
These songs are melodic and radio-friendly, with the standout being the dreamlike ballad “I Found You.” Yes, it’s very much an 80s prom song, and in the hands of more metal-oriented bands, it would be an official power ballad. But I fall for that kind of thing now and then, and it definitely works here, especially since Vivino’s voice is sincere and yearning. And his piano skills aren’t half bad.
While most of these are love songs, Vivino proves his worth as a lyricist with the title track. He caught my attention with the line “Good things won’t come to those who wait.” The song is about not waiting for good things to happen and not settling for anything less in the meantime. Quite inspirational, especially when he belts out the message by showing off his vocal range with some strongly-held high notes. Pay close attention, kids. Mr. Vivino can teach you a lot more than just math. - indie-music.com
Discography
The Still Frame EP, 2005 - www.cdbaby.com/billvivino, www.billvivino.com,
www.myspace.com/billvivinomusic,
Photos
Bio
From his early days as a child plunking out notes on the piano bench next to his grandfather, a jazz pianist, Bill has tried to make music that comes from his heart. In his current work you can hear the pangs of heartache, the pictorial expression of true love, and the yearning and self-conflict of finding one's own place in the cosmos. He tries ardently to express these age-old themes in a modern musical fabric before fine-tuning everything with the best musicians he can find in the studio. Bill has said, "Everything I write about comes out of something I have the urge to express, be it a feeling or an idea or a story that I think is funny or interesting in some way." Wanting to further bring his music to the world, Bill put together a group of musicians who have each enjoyed much experience performing around New Jersey and New York at various venues, including Maxwells, Pianos, the Knitting Factory, and the Crash Mansion. Together, they have created a new, eclectic, jazz-tinged pop-rock sound that is sure to delight the listener.
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