Vince Santoro Exposed
Vince Santoro Offers Reflections and Lessons From a 50-Year Career on Exposed
Nashville-based roots rock and Americana drummer, singer, spoken word artist and songwriter, Vince Santoro has released Exposed, his first solo album of original music.
Since his days as a teenager in the D.C. suburbs, Vince Santoro has been collaborating and performing as a sideman with a large number of artists for over 50 years. As a singing drummer, he came to the attention of national acts who appreciated his flamboyant style and dynamic performing persona. In 1974, he joined forces with Capitol Records artist, blue-eyed soul singer, Kathi McDonald, with whom he toured and recorded. From there he moved on to work with guitar legend Roy Buchanan and Edgar Winter.
Through an early friendship with guitarist Steuart Smith, Santoro was introduced to Nashville and began to work extensively with Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, Emmy Lou Harris, Carlene Carter, Shania Twain, and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Santoro also played with acclaimed super-group, The Highwaymen, comprised of Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings.
Vince Santoro was also a featured vocalist on the 1997 self-titled album by The Cicadas (including Rodney Crowell, Steuart Smith, and Michael Rhodes). In 2001, Vince Santoro collaborated with the multi-talented keyboardist songwriter and producer, Billy Livsey (Tina Turner, Michael Jackson) on their eclectic record, Little Vinnie, which featured several co-writes and Santoro on drums and vocals. Santoro has also been performing with Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals for the past 20 years.
Exposed is an offering of Santoro’s personal writings and reflections on life. He shares co-writing credit on “What’s That Like” with his wife, Barbara. With Exposed, Santoro strives to dig deeper and connect more honestly with his inner voice. Drawing on his experiences over his career, his songwriting is influenced by the talents of Rodney Crowell, Rosanne Cash, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and others.
With his exuberant and passionate vocals, Santoro’s style brings to me a comparison with the music of Michael Stipe and REM.
In his youth, Santoro was a self-described Army brat. Both of his parents were Army veterans leading to moves and postings to bases throughout the US before finally settling in Alexandria, Virginia. From that background, whether intentional or not, it is quite fitting that Santoro publicly released Exposed on the anniversary of D-Day.
The album’s title track, “Exposed,” heads up the listings. George Marinelli’s exuberant guitar lead along with Santoro’s staccato drum beat provides the opening for the song. “Exposed” represents that defiant anthem of self-awareness posing that nothing meaningful can be gained without some personal risk.
Leading off with a few guitar licks and a horn introduction, “Rec Room” offers a fond, yet humorous take on Santoro’s childhood memories. Background vocals duck and weave seamlessly throughout the song with the sax track playfully joining in.
Santoro is unafraid to reveal his emotions and willingness to cry out loud, as shown on “For Adeline”-a loving ode to his recently departed mother. Written from the perspective of the immediate aftermath of his mother’s passing, Santoro travels along the emotional path of his loss, as he postpones and defers the demonstration of his grief while dealing with the mundane tasks of final arrangements.
“Long Slow Rain” is perhaps the most mellow offering on the album. Beginning with a simple guitar refrain, the song portrays the peace, serenity, and self-reflection while sitting on a dock casually fishing and enjoying the soft rhythm of the long slow rain.
Beginning with the opening line in “Everything,” “You are an educated man/so you don’t get a pass,” Santoro shows his disdain for purveyors of alternative facts and falsehoods in today’s current political environment. With slightly discordant vocals perhaps intended to keep the listener off balance, Santoro laments the loss of truth in our society.
“I’d Be Dancing Too” represents an ode to the value of music in everyday life. With a light, bouncy beat, occasional tonal changes, and a wailing background vocal from Jonell Mosser, the song is guaranteed to get your toes tapping in tune with the music.
“A Too Familiar Sight” sets the scene of an introverted person, perhaps a little afraid to go out and engage with the world. With a reggae beat, the song shows that it may just be easier at times to stay behind closed doors.
Reflecting on his early experiences of being frequently uprooted and moved across the country, Santoro expresses his desire to finally sink his roots deep in the final song on the album, “Shade Tree.”
Exposed represents a figurative cornucopia of Vince Santoro’s vast musical and personal experiences. Santoro has acknowledged that his creations, through writing and playing, will likely garner both praise and pans. Nevertheless, he’s asserted that the greatest feeling of success will occur when music is created and performed for one’s own pleasure and fulfilment. This, in essence, represents the theme underlying Exposed—the feeling of self-confidence resulting from firmly and offering one’s creativity and experience for all to witness.
As with most releases, Exposed may take a few listens to begin to fully identify and appreciate the nuances underlying the melodies and lyrics. It’s well worth the effort and hopefully represents a harbinger of more to come from Vince Santoro.
Exposed was produced by legendary guitarist George Marinelli, best known for his work with Bonnie Raitt and as a founding member of Bruce Hornsby and the Range. Vince Santoro (lead and background vocals, drums, guitar, synth bass, electric bass) is joined in the studio by Marinelli (electric, acoustic, slide and bass guitars, mandolin, synth bass, keyboards harmonica, percussion and background vocals); Barbara Santoro (background vocals and piano, co-writing credit on “What’s That Like”), Benny Harrison (keyboards and background vocals), Jim Hoke (horns) and Jonell Mosser (vocal on “I’d Be Dancing”).
For more information about Vince Santoro, please visit his website: https://www.vincesantoro.com. https://www.facebook.com/share/16QtjCPsb6/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Accompanying photos courtesy of Vince Santoro and Karen Leipziger/KL Productions.
Vince Santoro Exposed
Track listing
Exposed
Rec Room
For Adeline
Slow Rain
Everything
I’d Be Dancing
Too Familiar Sight
What’s That Like
Shade Tree
