.Pleasure Pain Dezire - CD sleeve notes

Ambrose called on producer Federico Pol, (now touring with Jose Feliciano) who learned production from Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac. He called on Renato Neto, (Prince, Sheila E) from Brazil to provide the wonderful keyboard tracks. Kevin Winard (Sergio Mendes) played drums. Scott Breadman played percussion (Jose Feliciano, The Rippingtons). Mendes’s recording and sound engineer Geoff Gillette came aboard, and Jeff Golub (GRP) provided guitar tracks on “The Equalizer”, “My Sweet Baby”, and “Strollin with B”. Morris O’Connor (Stevie Wonder) added guitar on “My Only One”. Tony Moore (Gerald Albright) programmed the grooves on “My Only One” and “My Sweet Baby”.

CC Thomas Jr. (Baby Face) and Michael Sechrest of Sound Vision in LA provided the finishing production touches on “My Only One”, and “My Sweet Baby. Latin Grammy Nominee Bobby Rodriguez played trumpet on “Tequila”, “Fiero”, and “El Vacquero”. Violinist Jim Sitterly (John Tesh) and cellist Brian Asher (One World) provided the strings.

Mixing engineer and co-producer Tony Shogren learned mixing techniques from the legendary Grammy winning Moogie Canazio while he was with Mendes. Ambrose finally called on Danielle LoPresti to do the vocal work. “The end result was stunning.”

This music breaks age barriers, international borders, and much of it is timeless. “My objective is to reach the person who comes home from a hard day’s work, and make them feel good about life”, Ambrose smiles and comments; “If I haven’t done that, I haven’t done my job".

.Pleasure Pain, Dezire - the players

Track1. MY ONLY ONE (Mi Unica)
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
Ambrose Splescia – Tenor and alto saxophones
Renato Neto – keyboards
Morris O’Connor – guitar
C.C. Thomas Jr. – bass
Tony Moore – drum programming
Tony Shogren - percussion Danielle LoPresti - vocals

Track 2. THE EQUALIZER
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
FEATURING JEFF GOLUB ON GUITAR
Written and arranged by Ambrose Splescia
Ambrose Splescia - Tenor saxophone
Renato Neto – keyboards John Paulos - Synth organ
Federico Pol – bass
Kevin Winard – drums
Scott Breadman – percussion

Track 3. TEQUILA
Chuck Rio (Careers BMG Music/BMI, EMI Longitude Music Co./BMI, Powerforce Music/BMI)
Ambrose Splescia – Tenor saxophone
Bobby Rodriguez – Trumpet
Renato Neto – keyboards
Greco Burratto – guitar
Hussain Jiffry – bass
Tony Shogren – drums, drum programming, percussion
Tony Moore – drum programming
Danielle LoPresti - vocals

Track4. MY SWEET BABY
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
FEATURING JEFF GOLUB ON GUITAR
Ambrose Splescia – soprano saxes
Renato Neto – keyboards
Federico Pol – bass
Danielle LoPresti – vocals
Tony Moore – drum programming
Scott Breadman - percussion

Track 5. SAO YSIDRO
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
Ambrose Splescia – tenor saxophone
Renato Neto – keyboards
Morris O’Connor – acoustic guitar
Federico Pol – bass
Kevin Winard – drums
Scott Breadman – percussion
Danielle LoPresti - vocals

Track 6. FIERO
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
Ambrose Splescia – tenor sax
Bobby Rodriguez – trumpet
Renato Neto – keyboards
Sam Sorinson – keyboards
Marcus Gerakos – acoustic guitars, solo acoustic guitar
Federico Pol – acoustic guitars, melody acoustic guitar
Federico Pol – bass
Kevin Winard – drums
Scott Breadman - percussion

Track 7. MAGIC ISLAND
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
Ambrose Splescia – Tenor, alto saxophones
Renato Neto – keyboards
Federico Pol – bass
Kevin Winard – drums
Scott Breadman - percussion

Track 8. BELLS ARE RINGING
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
Ambrose Splescia – alto sax
Renato Neto – keyboards
Morris O'Connor – guitar
Federico Pol – bass
Kevin Winard – drums
Scott Breadman – percussion
Tony Shogren – percussion

Track 9. STROLLIN' WITH B (Beata’s Song)
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
FEATURING JEFF GOLUB ON GUITAR
Ambrose Splescia – soprano saxophones
Renato Neto – keyboards
Federico Pol – bass
Kevin Winard – drums
Scott Breadman – percussion

Track 10. EL VAQUERO
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
Ambrose Splescia – tenor saxophone and flute
Bobby Rodriguez – trumpet
Renato Neto – keyboards
Federico Pol – bass
Kevin Winard – drums
Scott Breadman – percussion

Track 11. DESERT CHILD
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
Ambrose Splescia – soprano saxophones
Renato Neto – keyboards, synth strings
Sam Sorinson – synth strings
James Sitterly – violins
Federico Pol – acoustic guitar, bassFederico Pol – bass
Kevin Winard – drums
Scott Breadman – percussion
Tony Shogren – percussion

Track 12. THE WORK SONG
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
Ambrose Splescia – alto saxophones Renato Neto – keyboards Federico Pol – bass
Sanjay Divecha - guitar Kevin Winard – drums Scott Breadman – percussion

Track 13. HE BRINGS HER FLOWERS (La Trae Flores)
Ambrose Splescia (Spectrum Star Publishing/BMI)
Ambrose Splescia – alto saxophone
Renato Neto – keyboards
Federico Pol – Lead, acoustic and rhythm guitars
Marcus Gerakos – acoustic guitar solo
Vin D’Nofrio – acoustic guitar fills
Brian Asher – cello
James Sitterly – violins
Federico Pol – bass
Kevin Winard – drums
Scott Breadman – percussion

.Credits and Acknowledgements

Produced by Federico Pol , Ambrose Splescia, and Tony Shogren. Post production by Ambrose Splescia and Tony Shogren at Sugarcane Studios, Los Angeles, Ca. Tequila arranged by Ambrose Splescia , produced by Ambrose Splescia and Tony Shogren. Pre-production of Tequila at John Palos Studio, San Pedro, Ca. Post production of My Sweet Baby, and My Only One at Sound Vision Studios, Los Angeles, Ca. by C.C. Thomas Jr. and Michael Sechrest.

This CD was recorded at Entourage Studios, Hollywood California, Sugarcane Studios, Sound Vision Studios, Ambrose Splescia’s studio, and John Palos’ studio all in Los Angeles. Engineered by Geoff Gillette, Tony Shogren, Tiago Becker, and Ashburn Miller. All rhythm section tracks at Entourage engineered by Geoff Gillette.
Mixed at Sugarcane Studios by Tony Shogren and Ambrose Splescia. Mastered by Don Tyler at Precision Mastering, Hollywood, CA.

Photography by Jacek Nowaczynski, styling by Nick Serino, art direction and design by Oscar Amaro. Photo of LA skyline by Ambrose Splescia, developed by Jacek Nowaczynski.

Jeff Golub appears courtesy of GRP records.

Special Thanks to:
Federico Pol, the soul behind my music, gifted performer, friend, and without whom this project would not have seen fruition. Tony Shogren, our brother who brought the project home. You BOTH are “the expeditors of my dreams!” Geoff Gilette, for capturing sounds like no other. To Renato Neto, who breathed life and rhythm into the music. To Kevin Winard, Scott ‘Scottula’ Breadman, Morris O’Connor, Tony Moore, Bobby Rodriguez, Danielle LoPresti and ALL the rest of the performers, I’ve been blessed. A special thanks to Jeff Golub, who’s generosity is only equaled by his talent, a friend who “remembers when.” To Marco Mendosa, Joey Heredia , Michael Whitaker, Tony Moore, C.C. Thomas Jr., Keith Jones, and Andrew Gouche who have been not only a joy, but an inspiration to play with. To Wes ‘DaWesMan’ Nagy, for his constant help, and C.C. Thomas Jr. for always hookin his brutha up. To Ambrose and Alberta Splescia, whose generous help made this project a reality, and all my family and friends for their undying support. This recording is dedicated to my lovely wife Beata, who’s love and passion for my vision helped make it all possible.