(December 6, 2020) Filippo Perbellini’s career arc tells the story of the power of R&B and soul music. The singer and pianist was born in Verona, Italy in 1990 and grew up in a family of music lovers where he often heard classic soul from Motown and other legendary music lovers. Perbellini is a highly trained and award winning artist in his native land, yet he had a dream to make R&B music and he pursued that dream by reaching out to producer and engineer Tommy Vicari, who was impressed enough by what he heard to put together an all-star team of industry veterans to coach Perbellini and help him achieve his goal. That team included Jeffrey Osborne and the late Rod Temperton. The group began crafting the material that Perebellini sent them, turning it all into what would become Almost Midnight, the singer’s excellent debut album.
(December 6, 2020) Filippo Perbellini’s career arc tells the story of the power of R&B and soul music. The singer and pianist was born in Verona, Italy in 1990 and grew up in a family of music lovers where he often heard classic soul from Motown and other legendary music lovers. Perbellini is a highly trained and award winning artist in his native land, yet he had a dream to make R&B music and he pursued that dream by reaching out to producer and engineer Tommy Vicari, who was impressed enough by what he heard to put together an all-star team of industry veterans to coach Perbellini and help him achieve his goal. That team included Jeffrey Osborne and the late Rod Temperton. The group began crafting the material that Perebellini sent them, turning it all into what would become Almost Midnight, the singer’s excellent debut album.
The group created an album that has a classic, analog sound, and that was intentional. Vicari recruited some of the best studio musicians and Perebellini could not do much better for a lyricist and vocal coach than Osborne. The result of all that work can be heard on the lead track from Almost Midnight, “Goodbye, So Long.” The tune is an upbeat cut that tells the story of someone deciding to start over rather than stay in a destructive relationship. The track pairs that message with a shimmering arrangement that is funky and brassy and includes real life backing vocals from a group that includes SoulTracks favorite Judith Hill.
Perbellini says, “I chose this track as a single to open the record because it is solar and full of energy, I am convinced that it has the right drive to pull the other tracks on the album as well.” Check out “Goodbye, So Long,” here.
By Howard Dukes
Filippo Perbellini – “Goodbye, So Long”