Second CD is ‘Smooth Sailing’ for Houma artist

Considering Houma musician Paul Sammarco’s first release, “Hang On To Your Dreams,” took 30 years to record, his second effort lives up to its name: “Smooth Sailing.”

It’s been six years since “Hang On” was released.

Since that time, the methodical music man has been tending to his day job as a coral reef ecologist and, in his spare time, writing songs for his second CD.

“I really do believe my brain is split into two parts,” Sammarco said. “I went in to music professionally 100 percent after college, but I got lonely for the books.”

He went back to school, earned his doctorate and traveled the globe conducting research. Until he got lonely again… for music.

“I found that I couldn’t drop one or the other,” the leader of Paul & Friends said. “It just didn’t work.

That’s when I decided to do both.”

These days, Sammarco splits his time between jobs as a professor at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON); president of P&J Records, a company co-owned by Paul and his brother Jim that released “Smooth Sailing”; and as the head of Endless Shores Music Publishing (ASCAP).

For his second CD, Sammarco recruits the talents of some of the areas best musicians. “Musicians in Terrebonne, Lafourche and Orleans parishes n that caliber of talent is extraordinary,” he said. “There’s such a concentration of talent.”

The artists that comprise the “& Friends” teams on Sammarco’s CD read like a Who’s Who in Southern Louisiana music. Kurt Brunas of the Kurt Burnus Project, Tracy Griffin of Allen Toussaint & Friends, Mark Liuzza and Mark Trennecosta of Benny Grunch’s Bunch; Brian O’Neill of Bonerama; and June Yamagishi of Papa Grows Funk are among the New Orleans talents.

A few Australian “Friends” also contribute licks to the CD.

Locally, Todd Adams, Roger Kimball, Larry Martin, Ben Menlancon, Clyde Pellegrin, Hank Randle, Jerome and Steve Theriot all lend a hand.

“Each musician was hand-picked and matched to specific musicians and their individual God-given talents,” Sammarco said.

To compile that talent, he said, “The moon and stars had to align perfectly.”

Given Sammarco’s dedication to the integrity of the musicn“I didn’t rush anything. We worked on one song at a time until it was right” n and with the delays in scheduling artists, it’s easy to understand why it would take six years to ready the release for market. The artist describes “Smooth Sailing” as smooth rock or smooth jazz-rock. “It’s easy on the ear,” he said. And Sammarco’s close ties to the sea are easily detected on a number of the cuts.

Eight of the 11 songs are Sammarco originals. The CD features memorable melodies, rich vocal harmonies and smooth instrumental backgrounds reminiscent of the Houma musician’s influences: Brian Wilson, Kenny Loggins, Luther Vandross and Indie Arie. “It’s a mixture of styles intended to leave the listener with a good, comfortable feeling,” he said. “It’s easy on the ear and pleasant to listen to.”

From the CD’s namesake, the initial track, Sammarco makes his mark with a six-part a cappella short.

“Helplessly Hoping,” a Stephen Stills folk-rock standard, and the newly-arranged Beatles’ “In My Life” are among the few covers on the CD.

“I don’t feel it is worth putting out a cover song unless it is unique in its own way,” Sammarco said. “I think we achieved that.”

In addition to the lead track, Sammarco said “Brunch in the Big Easy,” an ode to how the city was pre-Katrina, is getting airplay on WWNO radio. “There’s no other city like New Orleans and that tune captures that,” the author said.

Although Paul & Friends aren’t likely to tour anytime soonnthe majority are working musicians currently on tournSammarco is keeping busy marketing “Smooth Sailing” and readying for his next CD. In between, he’s planning a project with his wife, Donna, who also performs on the “Smooth Sailing” CD.

“Smooth Sailing” is available at Fabregas Music in Houma and Hofman’s Music in Thibodaux. Soundclips are available at www.amazon.com, www.pandjrecords. com, and www.LouisianaMusicFactory.com.

Cuts from the CD are also available through iTunes and other online music download sites.