Personnel: Peter Cincotti (vocals, piano, keyboards); Jeff Mironov (guitar); William Galison (harmonica); Scott Kreitzer, Brad Leali (tenor saxophone); Barry Danielian (trumpet); Wycliffe Gordon, Gary Smulyan (trombone); Sam Yahel (Hammond b-3 organ); Barak Mori (bass instrument); Mark McLean (drums, percussion); Kenny Washington (drums); Bashiri Johnson (percussion).

Recording information: The Secret Studio, New York, NY.

As a teenage piano-and-vocal prodigy, Peter Cincotti was, predictably, subject to criticisms of being nothing more than a pale imitation of his influences. On his second full-length album, ON THE MOON, however, the New York City native exhibits the type of quiet confidence that normally takes decades to develop. Unlike many talented youngsters, Cincotti is neither rebel nor revivalist. Rather, he combines a bit of the bluesy New Orleans raunch of his mentor Harry Connick, Jr. with a distinctly Big Apple sophistication that's as much Brill Building as it is Blue Note. The result is something at once fresh and accessible, based in classic forms yet quite contemporary.

Phil Ramone's clean, dry production insures that the focus is always placed squarely on Cincotti's vocals, even on the title track and Gerry Goffin & Carole King's classic "Some Kind of Wonderful," both of which seem aimed directly at the Norah Jones-primed pop market. If the lyrics on Cincotti's originals aren't quite on par with those of Cole Porter and the other masters whose songs he tackles, his piano chops are first rate, as a jaunty and character-filled album-closing romp through "Cherokee" makes abundantly clear.

What the critics say...

JazzTimes (p.107) - "[I]ncreasingly assured and interesting....[I]t proves that Peter the pianist has as bright a future as Peter the singer."