The Translators
By Marco Magrini
La Parco della Musica Records continua a proporre i progetti originali dei più validi musicisti internazionali. Questa volta presenta un quartetto di fuoriclasse (Pietro Tonolo al sax, Flavio Boltro alla tromba, Emmanuel Bex all’organo hammond e Joe Chambers alla batteria) riunitosi insieme nella sala di registrazione dell’Auditorium Parco della Musica per dare vita a una session unica di musica improvvisata e interpretazioni di brani originali e standard. Un quartetto italo – franco – americano che unisce diversi sound e background musicali per dare vita a The Transaltors, un disco propulsivo e potente che farà molto parlare di sé. Lingue, ma anche significati, modi di dire. Parole, ma anche gesti, rituali. Musica, ma anche frammenti melodici, poliritmi ancestrali. Tutto quanto ti passa per la testa, è un meme, una minuscola unità culturale che si replica da una mente all’altra, con la rapidità, la precisione e la determinazione di un gene. Come i geni (secondo lo scienziato-filosofo Richard Dawkins), anche i memi possono sopravvivere o estinguersi, replicarsi e mutare. È un altro modo di guardare, come nel microscopio, alla monumentale cultura della civiltà umana. The Translators è uscito dalla testa e dal corpo di quattro musicisti che parlano tre lingue diverse. Ma che in questo disco non traducono soltanto gli idiomi, i modi di dire e di fare, di Italia, Francia e Stati Uniti. Tradurre” e “traduir” vengono dal latino traducere, portare oltre. “Translate” deriva da translatare, che implica la consegna fisica di qualcosa. Joe, Pietro, Flavio ed Emmanuel – i quattro Translators – si occupano di trasportare, intrecciare e far evolvere i memi che hanno accumulato dalla nascita. Questo disco, è la traduzione, la consegna fisica della loro arte. Chi improvvisa si avvale di una quantità di memi ben maggiore, rispetto a chi esegue soltanto. Il processo di creazione che viaggia in tempo reale e reinventa i suoni già vissuti, è nel cromosoma della musica afroamericana, che non a caso si è evoluta nella forma artistica più cosmopolita che c’è. Dal ta-dum della batteria che apre Dark Matter, fino alla cadenza finale di Wasabi Blues, The Translators macinano idee, pensieri e ricordi, traducendoli in questa seduta di registrazione che è viva come uno spettacolo.
Seven
By Bill Milkowski
This all-star aggregation features some of the most prominent names on Italy’s modern jazz scene, including trumpeters Enrico Rava and Fabrizio Bosso, drummer Roberto Gatto, superb pianist Enrico Pieranunzi and the father-son team of valve trombonist Dino Piana and his gifted offspring, the trumpeter-composer-arranger Franco Piana. The four-movement Open Dialogues bears the harmonically rich stamp of Gil Evans and includes expressive solos from each of the band members; their collective swing factor is evident on the exhilarating final movement of this impressive 24-minute suite, which includes a bold tenor sax solo from Max Ionata and an adventurous plunger solo from Bosso (who nonchalantly drops in a quote from Monk’s “Nutty” along the way). “Your Smile” is a gorgeous vehicle for Franco’s lyrical flugelhorn playing, and the uptempo burner “Eighty and One” is another swinging showcase with solo-section fireworks. “Asimmetrico” is a tip of the hat to Monk, while the beautiful ballad “Sunlight” has Pieranunzi channeling Bill Evans. Trumpet great Rava appears on one track, the buoyant calypso-flavored closer, “Step by Step.” Classy mainstream jazz at its finest.
Giovanni Mirabassi & Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio
By Bill Milkowski
This all-star aggregation features some of the most prominent names on Italy’s modern jazz scene, including trumpeters Enrico Rava and Fabrizio Bosso, drummer Roberto Gatto, superb pianist Enrico Pieranunzi and the father-son team of valve trombonist Dino Piana and his gifted offspring, the trumpeter-composer-arranger Franco Piana. The four-movement Open Dialogues bears the harmonically rich stamp of Gil Evans and includes expressive solos from each of the band members; their collective swing factor is evident on the exhilarating final movement of this impressive 24-minute suite, which includes a bold tenor sax solo from Max Ionata and an adventurous plunger solo from Bosso (who nonchalantly drops in a quote from Monk’s “Nutty” along the way). “Your Smile” is a gorgeous vehicle for Franco’s lyrical flugelhorn playing, and the uptempo burner “Eighty and One” is another swinging showcase with solo-section fireworks. “Asimmetrico” is a tip of the hat to Monk, while the beautiful ballad “Sunlight” has Pieranunzi channeling Bill Evans. Trumpet great Rava appears on one track, the buoyant calypso-flavored closer, “Step by Step.” Classy mainstream jazz at its finest.
Giovanni Mirabassi & Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio
C minor
By Ernest Barteldes
On this disc, the Jagodzinski Trio from Poland plays alongside Italian pianist Giovanni Mirabassi (the bandleader taking on the accordion) for a program that includes several original songs and a couple of takes on Miles Davis, Bill Evans and Chopin. The trio has specialized on rereading their fellow Pole throughout its distinguished career, and it is exactly this that has brought the trio stateside for a number of performances that included a March, 2007 gig at New York's Joe's Pub, performing—minus Mirabassi—with Chicago-based vocalist Graźyna Auguscik.
The album opens with Mirabassi's "Tango, which is tailor-made for this four-piece format, as Jagodziński skillfully channels the vibe and feel of the Argentinean genre. The chemistry among the musicians is evident (this is their third disc together). The piano/accordion combination works like a charm, specially on more fast-paced numbers such as "Souvenirs Souvenirs, where you can also notice the chops of bassist Adam Cegielski and drummer Czesnaw Bartowski, who provide strong backing to the track and also shine individually with their fill-ins and riffs.
Bassist Adam Cegielski and the bandleader beautifully exchange leads on Chopin's "Valse in La Mineur, while Mirabassi backs them with subtle but effective chords that fill all open spaces in the song. During his own solo, he blends his classical and jazz influences by playing in an incredibly simple manner.
Polish jazz musicians seem to have an ongoing love affair with Brazilian music, which can be evidenced by the fact that many artists from that Latin country have toured in Poland. Several albums have either covered tunes by Baden Powell, Jobim and others or been influenced by these composers (vocalist Anna Maria Jopek, for instance, has recorded Powell's "Apelo (with the title "Samba Przed Rozstaniem" , from her 1998 CD Szeptem) and has made an entire album of original bossa nova-inspired songs). Here we are offered "Samba de Tygmont, a Jagodzinski tune that allows the group to be both creative and playful around the melody.
At their New York gig, the focus was on Chopin and Polish Folk songs. The trio played the first number, and then was joined by Auguscik. At first, neither the vocalist nor the group seemed to gel—the trio seemed a bit uneasy to be backing a singer, and she seemed a bit out of her element. However, as things evolved they seemed to develop some chemistry, getting positive appreciation from the audience, which was formed—as far as we could notice—mostly of expatriate Poles.
Visit The Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio and Giovanni Mirabassi on the web.
Track Listing:
By Ernest Barteldes
On this disc, the Jagodzinski Trio from Poland plays alongside Italian pianist Giovanni Mirabassi (the bandleader taking on the accordion) for a program that includes several original songs and a couple of takes on Miles Davis, Bill Evans and Chopin. The trio has specialized on rereading their fellow Pole throughout its distinguished career, and it is exactly this that has brought the trio stateside for a number of performances that included a March, 2007 gig at New York's Joe's Pub, performing—minus Mirabassi—with Chicago-based vocalist Graźyna Auguscik.
The album opens with Mirabassi's "Tango, which is tailor-made for this four-piece format, as Jagodziński skillfully channels the vibe and feel of the Argentinean genre. The chemistry among the musicians is evident (this is their third disc together). The piano/accordion combination works like a charm, specially on more fast-paced numbers such as "Souvenirs Souvenirs, where you can also notice the chops of bassist Adam Cegielski and drummer Czesnaw Bartowski, who provide strong backing to the track and also shine individually with their fill-ins and riffs.
Bassist Adam Cegielski and the bandleader beautifully exchange leads on Chopin's "Valse in La Mineur, while Mirabassi backs them with subtle but effective chords that fill all open spaces in the song. During his own solo, he blends his classical and jazz influences by playing in an incredibly simple manner.
Polish jazz musicians seem to have an ongoing love affair with Brazilian music, which can be evidenced by the fact that many artists from that Latin country have toured in Poland. Several albums have either covered tunes by Baden Powell, Jobim and others or been influenced by these composers (vocalist Anna Maria Jopek, for instance, has recorded Powell's "Apelo (with the title "Samba Przed Rozstaniem" , from her 1998 CD Szeptem) and has made an entire album of original bossa nova-inspired songs). Here we are offered "Samba de Tygmont, a Jagodzinski tune that allows the group to be both creative and playful around the melody.
At their New York gig, the focus was on Chopin and Polish Folk songs. The trio played the first number, and then was joined by Auguscik. At first, neither the vocalist nor the group seemed to gel—the trio seemed a bit uneasy to be backing a singer, and she seemed a bit out of her element. However, as things evolved they seemed to develop some chemistry, getting positive appreciation from the audience, which was formed—as far as we could notice—mostly of expatriate Poles.
Visit The Andrzej Jagodzinski Trio and Giovanni Mirabassi on the web.
Track Listing:
Tango; Blue melody; Souvenirs souvenirs; Rova; La barre d'Etel; Valse la mineur; Deep cut; Samba de Tygmont; Mirabasso continuo; Solar; My romance; Barcarole.
Personnel:
Personnel:
Giovanni Mirabassi: piano; Andrzej Jagodzinski: piano, accordion; Adam Cegielski: bass; Czes?aw Bartkowski: drums.
Andrea Pozza Trio
A Jellyfish From The Bosphorus
By Abeat
Andrea Pozza, between the Italian pianists who have been able to carve an international platform, boasting recordings and collaborations at the highest levels. After the recent successful publication of "Gull's flight" (always with Abeat and his European quintet) here Pozza gets back on the scene with the formula that made him famous: the trio. And he does it in an exemplary manner, for his part, giving us a disc with his elegant style, built on a pianism attentive to the nuances and colors, unfolds in a perfect balance between formal structure of European-style and the freshness and inventive of a sound of full respect for the African-American traditions overseas. Few pianists can boast a similar class, a so amazing swing and so great interplay. This is demonstrated by his collaborations bearing the name of some "sacred cows" of jazz : Harry "Sweet" Edison, Bobby Durham, Chet Baker, Al Grey, Scott Hamilton, Steve Grossman, George Coleman, Charlie Mariano, Lee Konitz, Sal Nistico, Massimo Urbani and many more. He still plays regularly alongside Enrico Rava, Fabrizio Bosso ... for 25 years was pianist with Gianni Basso. This cd, recorded between Italy and England, is entitled "A Jellyfish From The Bosphorus" and is deliberately metaphorical : such as jellyfish wander from sea to sea, so the influences of various cultures of the world creep into our musical knowledge. A CD telling us about Andrea Pozza increasingly open to the suggestions of a world in great evolution.
With:
Shane Forbes : drums
Andrea Pozza : Piano
Aldo Zunino : Doublebass
By Abeat
Andrea Pozza, between the Italian pianists who have been able to carve an international platform, boasting recordings and collaborations at the highest levels. After the recent successful publication of "Gull's flight" (always with Abeat and his European quintet) here Pozza gets back on the scene with the formula that made him famous: the trio. And he does it in an exemplary manner, for his part, giving us a disc with his elegant style, built on a pianism attentive to the nuances and colors, unfolds in a perfect balance between formal structure of European-style and the freshness and inventive of a sound of full respect for the African-American traditions overseas. Few pianists can boast a similar class, a so amazing swing and so great interplay. This is demonstrated by his collaborations bearing the name of some "sacred cows" of jazz : Harry "Sweet" Edison, Bobby Durham, Chet Baker, Al Grey, Scott Hamilton, Steve Grossman, George Coleman, Charlie Mariano, Lee Konitz, Sal Nistico, Massimo Urbani and many more. He still plays regularly alongside Enrico Rava, Fabrizio Bosso ... for 25 years was pianist with Gianni Basso. This cd, recorded between Italy and England, is entitled "A Jellyfish From The Bosphorus" and is deliberately metaphorical : such as jellyfish wander from sea to sea, so the influences of various cultures of the world creep into our musical knowledge. A CD telling us about Andrea Pozza increasingly open to the suggestions of a world in great evolution.
With:
Shane Forbes : drums
Andrea Pozza : Piano
Aldo Zunino : Doublebass
Claudio Bianzino 4tet Feat. Alberto Mandarini
Gigabbo
By Dodicilune
È in distribuzione Gigiabbo, nuovo progetto discografico del quartetto guidato dal sassofonista Claudio Bianzino con la partecipazione del trombettista Alberto Mandarini, prodotto da Dodicilune e distribuito in Italia e all’estero da IRD.
Otto brani inediti composti dal sassofonista affiancato in questa avventura dal pianista Davide Calvi, dal contrabbassista Stefano Profeta e dal batterista Nicola Stranieri. “Questo lavoro discografico rappresenta la realizzazione di un progetto che avevo ben preciso nella mia testa da molti anni e che ho deciso di realizzare insieme a dei “compagni di viaggio” che sono allo stesso tempo ottimi musicisti e persone straordinarie”, sottolinea Bianzino. “Essendo forse più noto come compositore ed arrangiatore, ho voluto realizzare queste otto composizioni originali nella mia veste originale di sassofonista e nell’ambito di quella che è la più classica e sfruttata delle formazioni jazz ovvero il quartetto con piano, contrabbasso e batteria: un terreno in cui tutti i sassofonisti crescono e che è in grado di rappresentare una sfida sempre nuova”.
Il disco vuole anche essere, in un certo senso, un punto di partenza e proprio questo è il significato del criptico titolo. Gigiabbo è una parola senza senso, ma a ben vedere un senso ce l’ha. Pare infatti che sia stata la prima parola che Bianzino pronunciò da bambino, all’epoca della cosiddetta lallazione, ovvero quando si inizia ad emettere dei piccoli aggregati di sillabe (tipo mamma, pappa, nanna, etc…).
“Il caso ha voluto che mentre, seduto sul seggiolone, pronunciavo la parola in questione, avessi spesso in mano un sottopentola, uno di quei cosi rotondi che una volta erano fatti di corda o di vimini intrecciati, belli colorati. Da quel momento a casa mia il sottopentola, parola che in effetti credo non avere quasi mai usato, si chiama ufficialmente “gigiabbo” e questo ormai è risaputo anche da tutti i miei amici”, scherza Bianzino. “Ecco, nonostante non sia più proprio giovanissimo, questo vuole essere il senso di questo lavoro discografico: una parola d’apertura, che magari suscita una certa curiosità, una parola che forse non ha molto senso, ma forse, invece, di senso ne ha parecchio, chissà…”.
Track List:
1 – Gigiabbo; 2 – Il leone e la gazzella; 3 – Lo specchio degli occhi; 4 – Tanghelli
5 – Foggy Waitz; 6 – Quasi trentanove; 7 – Il lungo viaggio; 8 - Gongolo
Musicisti:
Claudio Bianzino, soprano & tenor saxophone
Alberto Mandarini, trumpet & flugelhorn
Davide Calvi, piano
Stefano Profeta, double bass
Nicola Stranieri, drums
Recording Data:
Prodotto da Claudio Bianzino e Gabriele Rampino per Dodicilune Edizioni
Label Manager Maurizio Bizzochetti
Registrato nel dicembre 2011 da Davide Calci al Sounds Good di Borgosesia (Vc)
Missato e masterizzato nel marzo 2012 da Davide Calvi al Sounds Good a Borgonesia (Vc).
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