Right Time Left Thom Rotella

• 1 This Is for Lou 04:51
• 2 How Sweet It Is 05:23
• 3 In the Garden 05:23
• 4 Willow Weep for Me 05:06
• 5 What Hump? 02:57
• 6 Lazy Afternoon 04:34
• 7 Light It Up 04:42
• 8 Benny Thanks 05:58
• 9 Mr. Malone 05:02
• 10 Ray Brown's Shoes 03:38
• 11 The Girl from Ipanema 04:29
• 12 It Ain't What It Ain't ('Till It Is) 04:40
• 13 Shimmer 04:37
• Total Runtime 01:01:20

Info for Right Time Left

Jazz guitarist Thom Rotella has long been admired for his warm tone, lyrical phrasing, and ability to bridge the worlds of jazz, pop, and studio work. On his upcoming release Right Time Left, Rotella offers a collection that’s as soulful as it is sophisticated—a record that balances groove, intimacy, and artistry in equal measure. Rotella’s career includes collaborations with Norah Jones, Seth MacFarlane, Diane Schuur, and the legendary Stanley Turrentine. He has carved out a reputation as a versatile guitarist who can deliver across genres while always sounding unmistakably himself. With Right Time Left, he returns to the forefront, building on the success of his 2019 Savant release Side Hustle while pushing into fresh creative territory. t's warm, it's savvy, and above all, it's honest. Just great players making outstanding music together.

Over the years, Rotella has worked with some serious heavyweights like Norah Jones, Seth MacFarlane, Diane Schuur, and Stanley Turrentine, carving out a name for himself as a go-to guitarist in the world of jazz, pop, and studio work.

"Whether swinging on standards, stretching on originals, or savoring ballad moments, Right Time Left is about connection between musicians, between listener and sound, between tradition and modern sensibility. From the blues-soaked swagger of “What Hump?” to the shimmering lyricism of “Shimmer,” Rotella leads with warmth and honesty."

Thom Rotella, guitar
Wil Blades, Hammond organ
Charles Ruggiero, drums
Lenny Castro, percussion
Guests:
Ernie Watts, tenor saxophone
Jeremy Pelt, trumpet, flugelhorn
Tiereny Sutton, vocals
Antonio Adolfo, piano

Thom Rotella
is nothing if not comprehensive, but then protean talent is an essential requirement for any successful studio musician. It's a prerequisite. For years, Rotella was among the handful of household-name musical artists who populated dozens of Hollywood first-call lists for recording sessions, concerts, club dates, TV shows, television commercials, film scores and more.

Just a few of the artists who've engaged Thom Rotella's exceptional talent include Frank Sinatra, Norah Jones, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Nicks, Carly Simon, Debbie Harry, Burt Bacharach, Four Tops, the Beach Boys, Phil Spector, Lionel Richie, Bette Midler, Donna Summer, Seth MacFarlane, Don Was, Luciano Pavarotti, David Foster, Herb Alpert, Tom Scott and Cher as well as such GRAMMY winning jazz artists as Diane Schuurr, Stanley Turrentine, Gregg Karukas and Bill Cunliffe.

And such Fortune 500 companies as Ford, Goodyear, Cadillac, Chevrolet and Taco Bell have availed themselves of Rotella's creative expertise by commissioning his original compositions for their ad campaigns and television commercials. And more often than not, that's Thom Rotella you're hearing on The Family Guy and American Dad among many others.

We've also appreciated Thom's original music and performances on TV's Ellen DeGeneres Show, Extra, Sex and the City and China Beach. Additionally, he's lent his talents and imagination to any number of film soundtracks including Ted, Ted 2, Splash, Same Time Next Year, The Gods Must Be Crazy, Rumblefish, Mississippi Masala and many more. He also performed and composed an original score for the 2015 romantic comedy film Altos.

In addition, Thom Rotella enjoys a multi-faceted career as a member of that exclusive club of studio musicians who've achieved an enviable notoriety and ubiquitous presence on today's popular music charts and broadcast radio. He's not only one of the most notable and enduring fixtures on L.A.'s studio scene but also an artist who routinely scores on both the smooth jazz and straight-ahead jazz charts.

In 2019, Thom received a call from his old friend, producer and jazz guitarist, Chris Standring who, somewhere in the conversation, promised him a hit single. That single, "Eddie's Ready" an homage to the great jazz artist Eddie Harris, went to Number One on Billboard's Smooth Jazz charts. And Rotella's subsequent releases have all charted in the top twenty, including "Street Talk," Number One on Smooth Jazz radio and #3 on the Billboard charts and "Soul Kitchen" Number One on Watercolors.

The guitarist's previous project titled Say Hey! is a compilation of all his hit singles plus some new bonus tracks. In addition Rotella is gigging with his 4tet, that features sax titan Ernie Watts. His latest straight-ahead jazz CD "Side Hustle" on HighNote Records, a followup to his album Storyline, is a nod to the jazz organ trio records the 60's. It features jazz legend Roy McCurdy on drums and Columbus, Ohio organist Bobby Floyd. And guest spots by Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, Eric Alexander on tenor and Lenny Castro on percussion. Kendall Kay (drums) and Gregg Karukas(organ) step in for the final track. The release date is 8/23/24 and is his 14th CD.

"I remember it like it was yesterday...I'm eight years old and my buddy, Rich and I are looking through the basement window of Mt. Carmel Church (Niagara Falls, NY) where there's a dance going on. I see this multi-headed monster, with arms flailing and all this sound and energy blasting me, and people dancing... it was the first time I saw a live band and I said to myself, man I gotta be a part of this!!!! -- Thom Rotella

Booklet for Right Time Left