Flavio Boltro - 40° (2003)

Italian trumpeter Flavio Boltro is a worthy heir to the old American hard bop masters. In the 90s, his collaboration with the French branch of Blue Note began, resulting in several very successful albums, among which is 40 Degrees. This album is a rare case whereby Boltro has written the bulk of the tunes, allowing the brilliant pianist Éric Legnini to add two, the remaining being a couple of well-stated standards. His quartet includes a strong Italian rhythm section comprising of bassist Remi Vignolo and drummer Frank Agulhon. The album is very much an exemplary American hard bop outing regardless of its continental constituents. Essentially, the Quartet plays quite traditionally but at the same time is very much conversant with newer forms of jazz expression and does so quite elegantly, which leads the group to introduce elements of freer and more modern music. "Jazz A Doc" isn't a pure hard bop sound, it explores a warmer less fixed structure. Boltro's sound is not always in the manner of, say, Lee Morgan, but a lot looser with a very enviable feeling of blues. In short, he doesn't for a moment overlook his orthodox jazz sound as have other European players. A truly entertaining album that all jazz aficionados will appreciate.

Blue Note, 7243 580609 2 8, 2003

Recorded 12^th, 13^th, 14^th August, 2002 At Studio 26, Antibes, France

Musicians:

Flavio Boltro - Trumpet

Éric Legnini - Piano

Remi Vignolo - Double Bass

Frank Agulhon - Drums

Tracks:

01. Doctor K {Éric Legnini} (5:35)

02. Idea {Flavio Boltro} (4:46)

03. You're My Everything {Harry Warren} (8:45)

04. Take Away {Flavio Boltro} (5:53)

05. First Smile {Flavio Boltro} (4:11)

06. Jazz A Doc {Flavio Boltro} (8:12)

07. If I Were A Bell {Frank Loesser} (4:49)

08. Sabine {Flavio Boltro} (4:53)

09. Les Amis {Flavio Boltro} (8:00)

10. Magic Boltro {Éric Legnini} (7:10)

Credits:

Producer - Nicolas Pflug

Sound Engineer - Frédéric Bétin

Mastering - Lionel at Translag

Photography - Mephisto

Graphic Design - Dream On