Jan Lundgren Trio - Soft Summer Breeze (2007)

The title itself is inviting, not to say seductive. And just like that the record is, a warm summer breeze that flies by quickly, but a very pleasant one. At first unfocused listening, it can sound like talented bar music. But if you put your ear closer to the record, you can't avoid Lundgren's elegance and imagination. There are no bolder moves, but that's not what Lundgren is known for either, low-key and thoughtful as he is. The disc was recorded during a tour in Japan that Jan Lundgren told about in an interview in orkesterjournalen (12/2007). Lundgren and his producers know what Japanese concert-goers want: safe cards from The Great Songbook. Here are many of the most played: Mood Indigo, Things Ain't What They Used To Be, Lets Face The Music And Dance, Lullaby Of Birdland, to name a few. The Danish co-players Jesper Lundgaard and Alex Riel reinforce the elegance and softness that surrounds the record. None of them go off for hoes. Piano trio lovers will not be disappointed. Lundgren tackles the standard songs, as usual, with an enormous sense of style and lyrical play, with nourishing roots in the very greatest. One of the songs was written by saxophonist Al Cohn's (died 1988) Tasty Pudding. Just like that. A delicious and tasty pudding! ~ Peter H Larsen, orkesterjournalen.com. [Translated from Swedish] 

Marshmallow Records, MMEX-120, 2007
Recorded September, 2007 at "Sugita Theatre", Yokohama, Japan 

Musicians:
Jan Lundgren - Piano
Jesper Lundgaard - Bass
Alex Riel - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Mood Indigo {Duke Ellington, Barney Bigard} (4:41)
02. Tasty Pudding {Al Cohn} (4:34)
03. Darn That Dream {Eddie DeLange, Jimmy Van Heusen} (5:11)
04. Rhythm-A-Ning {Thelonious Monk} (5:01)
05. Things Ain't What They Used To Be {Duke Ellington} (5:04)
06. Soul Train {Tadd Dameron} (6:51)
07. Soft Summer Breeze {Eddie Heywood} (5:39)
08. Velvet Moon {Edgar De Lange, Josef Myrow} (5:08)
09. Let's Face The Music And Dance {Irving Berlin} (5:38)
10. Am I Blue {Harry Akst, Grant Clarke} (5:57)
11. Lullaby Of Birdland {George Shearing} (4:52)
12. From This Moment On {Cole Porter} (3:46) 

Total Time: 62:28 

Soft Summer Breeze

Franco D'Andrea, Hein van de Geyn, Aldo Romano - Volte (1989)

In 1989 renowned Italian pianist Franco D'Andrea formed a trio with Dutch bassist Hein van de Geyn and fellow Italian drummer Aldo Romano, releasing this album 'Volte' on the now defunct French Owl Records label. The trio came together in Ferber Studio based in Paris for two days in March laying down nine tracks. It is an energetic album dotted with five of Franco's own compositions, three from Aldo Romano, one contribution from Hein Van de Geyn and topped off with a cover of a Beatle's number 'Norwegian Wood'. In all, it is an enjoyable and captivating album presenting a solid piece of entertainment for over an hour. This rip is from a Japanese reissue; for any Italian jazz enthusiast, a welcomed addition to their collections. 

Owl Records, OWL052CD, 1989
Recorded 21st, 22nd March, 1989 at Ferber Studio, Paris, France 

Musicians:
Franco D'Andrea - Piano
Hein van de Geyn - Double Bass
Aldo Romano - Drums

Tracks:
1. Two Colors {Franco D'Andrea} (6:53)
2. Marta {Franco D'Andrea} (9:35)
3. On John's Guitar {Aldo Romano} (8:25)
4. Volte {Franco D'Andrea} (6:45)
5. Strike Again {Hein van de Geyn} (6:25)
6. The Begining Years {Franco D'Andrea} (6:10)
7. Clouds And Rain {Aldo Romano} (6:10)
8. Norwegian Wood {Paul McCartney, John Lennon} (8:25)
9. Il Camino {Aldo Romano} (5:35) 

Total Time: 63:56 

Credits:
Producer - François Lemaire, Jean-Jacques Pussiau
Recording, Mixing - Laurent Peyron
Cover, Concept, Art Direction - Bernard Amiard
Photography - Mephisto Studio 

Il Camino

Donald Harrison Jr. - Kind Of New (2002)

New Takes on the classic Miles Davis session ‘Kind of Blue’ - a 21st Century shout out to a 20th Century masterpiece. Everybody is part of Kind of Blue in some way, because there probably isn't a note in jazz played since the record came out that hasn't been affected the album. It is the biggest selling jazz record of all time and is probably, 40 years after its initial release, holds a number one slot in every jazz loving country. Here, Donald Harrison who never shirks from a challenge looks Kind Of Blue straight in the eye. He takes some brilliant in the pocket players covering several generations, examines the original five tunes and throws in three new ones heavily in the style of Miles ('Kind Of New,' 'It Is' and 'What Next?'). This is 'Kind of Blue' done 'Kind of New.' It takes guts, but here it is, a 21st century shout out to a 20th Century masterpiece. Carl Allen and Javon Jackson are Donald's contemporaries - Javon like Donald, was a Jazz Messenger. Eric Reed and Vicente Archer, a bit younger, are from the first generation to be influenced by Donald and his peers. Kenny Barron of course, is a giant, more or less a contemporary of Miles. And last but no means least, Christian Scott (nephew of Donald) who is the trumpet man on this disc and was at the time of recording, only 17 years old. ~ amazon.co.uk. 

Candid Productions, CCD 79768, 2002
Recorded 21st-22nd November, 2001 at Clinton Recording Studios, New York 

Musicians:
Donald Harrison Jr. - Alto Saxophone
Christian Scott - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Javon Jackson - Tenor Saxophone
Kenny Barron - Piano (#3,5)
Eric Reed - Piano (#1,2,4,6-8)
Vicente Archer - Bass
Carl Allen - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Kind Of New {Donald Harrison Jr.} (7:17)
2. Blue In Green {Bill Evans, Miles Davis} (5:17)
3. So What {Miles Davis} (8:39)
4. All Blues {Miles Davis} (3:33)
5. Freddie Freeloader {Miles Davis} (5:57)
6. It Is {Donald Harrison Jr.} (5:26)
7. Flamenco Sketches {Miles Davis} (5:22)
8. What Next? {Donald Harrison Jr.} (6:34) 

Total Time: 48:10 

Kind Of New

Eri Yamamoto Trio - In Each Day, Something Good (2010)

"Another beautiful album of deep, emotionally rich original music from this pianist and her trio. A master storyteller at the keys, Yamamoto is distinctive for her warm, introspective touch, moments of joyous expansion and tunes that suck you into fully-realized worlds." ~ Forrest Dylan Bryant, KZSU. 

"Each piece shines with its own interior light." ~ Bill Tilland, BBC. 

"Yamamoto’s playing, unhurried and unforced, nevertheless demonstrates an active imagination and gift for melody; her improvisations avoid sweeping theatrical gestures in favor of focused introspection, in the spirit of someone who stops along the way to pore over the small details of everyday life that often elude those who hurry on." ~ Tom Greenland, All About Jazz-New York.

AUM Fidelity, AUM 059, 2010
Recorded 19th August, 2009 at Systems Two Studio, Brooklyn, New York 

Musicians:
Eri Yamamoto - Piano
Dave Ambrosio - Bass
Ikuo Takeuchi - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Attraction Of The Moon (7:45)
02. Secret Link (5:39)
03. Every Day (6:28)
04. We'll Figure Out Blues (5:48)
05. Blues In Tunisia (6:10)
06. I Was Born (6:47)
07. A Little Suspicious (4:40)
08. Let's Eat, Then Everything Will Be OK (4:54)
09. A Little Escape (4:57)
10. Sheep Song (7:33) 

All Compositions by Eri Yamamoto 

Total Time: 60:46 

Credits:
Producer, Liner Notes - Eri Yamamoto
Producer - Steven Joerg
Engineer, Mixing - Michael Marciano
Mastering - M.M. at S.T.S.
Photography - Agnieszka Kubeczko
Cover Art - Leo Yamamoto 

Francesco Cafiso “Island Blue Quartet” - A New Trip (2009)

Whether it is a "new journey" that of Francesco Cafiso and the Island Blue 4tet there is no shadow of doubt. Vittoria's (IT) offspring, at the age of twenty and having reached the twelfth album in which his name shows off, wants to prove that he has freed himself from the bulky shadows of the past and, in particular, from the manly sounds of Charlie Parker. The experiences lived alongside sacred monsters such as Hank Jones, Cedar Walton, Joe Lovano, Enrico Rava, Franco D'Andrea, Jimmy Cobb, Wynton Marsalis, his mentor, among many play in his favor. Experiences that led him to search for a personal stamp, an autonomous phrasing and also to try his hand at true compositions. A New Trip is the result of this inevitable metamorphosis, the result of the development of his compositional vein which is innervated entirely on his technique, certainly prodigious, but in some ways too aesthetic and muscular. Eight songs, none standard, three by the leader, two by Giovanni Mazzarino, two by Dino Rubino and one in the name of the double bass player Nello Toscano. Four Sicilians, all with a very strong brand that shines through clearly even in the melodic lines that smell of Sicilian vigor. However, a sonic democracy is struggling to emerge, given that the leader - almost unconsciously - often takes the reins of the quadrille in hand and takes the bench flying through large glimpses of the past. His style encyclopedia is full of lemmas: from the aforementioned Parker to Eric Dolphy, up to the asceticism of Coltrane. His fervor is well supported by Mazzarino, endowed with a strong sense of taste and measure, Nello Toscano double bass player with well-rounded lines and Dino Rubino who carves out substantial spaces to give voice to his sound, always poised both on the high and medium and fluctuating frequencies. His compositional and executive irony of the tango (figurative) notes of Pablo and the swing déjà écouté of Conversations is surprising. Piazza, autographed by Mazzarino, fits in well with the homogeneity of the sound, free from sophisticated structures. The theme of Cafiso's Enigmatic Night is embodied in the pleasant dialogue between the altoist and the piano. The absence of the battery does not weigh, which, in this context, would have appeared actually straight. ~ by Alceste Ayroldi, Jazzitalia. [Translated from Italian] 

Philology Records, W 419, 2009
Recorded 2nd-3rd April, 2009 at Artesuono Recording Studios, Cavalicco (UD) 

Musicians:
Francesco Cafiso - Alto Saxophone
Dino Rubino - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Giovanni Mazzarino - Piano
Nello Toscano - Double Bass 

Tracks:
1. A New Trip {Francesco Cafiso} (5:41)
2. Pablo {Cafiso, Rubino, Mazzarino, Toscano} (6:55)
3. Enigmatic Night {Francesco Cafiso} (4:04)
4. Piazza {Cafiso, Rubino, Mazzarino, Toscano} (8:35)
5. Conversations {Cafiso, Rubino, Mazzarino, Toscano} (6:17)
6. Cerimoniale {Cafiso, Rubino, Mazzarino, Toscano} (7:45)
7. Retrato {Cafiso, Rubino, Mazzarino, Toscano} (5:38)
8. Dieghito Mojito {Francesco Cafiso} (4:53) 

Total Time: 49:53 

Credits:
Recording Engineer - Stefano Amerio
Photography - Gianiuca Murella Fotografo
Liner Notes - Maurizio Franco 

Dieghito Mojito

Paolo Fresu Quintet - Ballads (1991)

While it's true that trumpeter and composer Paolo Fresu works in a variety of settings from trio to sextet, it is arguable that his quintets present him with the finest opportunities for creative expression. This date, a covers-only collection of ballads by Ellington and Strayhorn, Mingus, Monk, Johnny Mercer, etc., has all the hallmarks of a classic Fresu set. For starters, the band is amazing: Tino Tracanna on tenor, Roberto Cipelli on piano, Attilio Zanchi on bass, and Ettore Fioravanti on drums offer Fresu a wide palette for expressing the many shades and textures of the jazz ballad. Then, there's the material. Beginning a ballad program with the quietly gorgeous "When Sunny Gets Blue" is auspicious, especially when the opening measures feature a Fresu solo of such lyrical warmth and relaxed phrasing that the listener is nearly lulled into intoxication before Tracana adds some weight in his own Cannonball Adderley way. Fresu leads the quintet with a loose hand, and each member is allowed to explore the subtle nuances inherent in the material. Cipelli looks at each number and expresses it impressionistically, leaving the horns plenty of open space. In the front, Fresu touches deeply on the Miles Davis and early Chet Baker side of melodic invention, wrangling wonderfully muted timbral dimensions from such tunes as "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," "Darn That Dream," and Wayne Shorter's "Fall." Tracanna shines on Tom Harrell's "Sail Away" as well as "Monk's Mood" and "Star-Crossed Lovers." Cipelli and the rhythm section play almost glissando throughout, adding a shimmering light-on-water effect. They don't resort to an easy listening approach to the ballad anywhere here and, in fact, use a listener's approach to the subtle harmonic inflections and ever-shifting dynamics throughout. This set presents the Italians - and particularly Fresu - at their lyrical, consonant best. ~ by Thom Jurek, AMG. 

Splasc(H) Records, CD H 366-2, 1992; 2007
Recorded [Direct Dat] 3rd & 4th May, 1991 at Highland Recording Studio, Milano, Italy 

Musicians:
Paolo Fresu - Trumpet
Tino Tracanna - Saxophone
Roberto Cipelli - Piano
Attilio Zanchi - Bass
Ettore Fioravanti - Drums

Tracks:
01. When Sunny Gets Blue {Marvin Fisher, Jack Segal} (4:14)
02. In A Sentimental Mood {Duke Ellington, Manny Kurtz, Irving Mills} (3:46)
03. Star-Crossed Lovers {Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn} (6:07)
04. Monk’s Mood {Thelonious Monk} (1:59)
05. Darn That Dream {Eddie DeLange, James Van Heusen} (7:27)
06. Fall {Wayne Shorter} (4:04)
07. Duke Ellington’s Sound Of Love {Charles Mingus} (7:38)
08. I Thought About You {James Van Heusen, Johnny Mercer} (7:26)
09. I'm A Fool To Want You {Joel Herron, Frank Sinatra, Jack Wolf} (4:48)
10. Good Bye Pork Pie Hat {Charles Mingus} (2:49)
11. Sail Away {Tom Harrell} (7:00) 

Total Time: 57:20 

Credits:
Producer - Giorgio Mortarino, Peppo Spagnoli
Cover Painting - Salvatore Ravo "La Espera"
Photo - Mirko Boscolo
Liner Notes - Kevin Whitehead 

Fall

Riccardo Fassi Trio - Walkabout (1996)

With Billy Elgart on drums and Paolino Della Porta on bass, it's tough to imagine Riccardo Fassi turning in anything less than a stellar recorded set. That's exactly the case; in fact, it may be Fassi's strongest outing ever. With such a powerful yet sprightly rhythm section, Fassi gets to indulge his knack for fleet-fingered pianism that never, ever leaves the realm of the lyrical. In his compositions, Fassi tends to accent the double eights and nines, and use the blues as a springboard for long legato runs and busy, though never florid, arpeggio work. What keeps him tethered, however - and this is evidenced wonderfully on "Oxford," "What Cosa," and "Di Coccio" - is his striated chromaticism and fundamentally architecture-harmonic sensibilities. He moves with Della Porta through a series of knotty, angular changes and then flushes into the light with a run of 16th notes skittering across the pitch range before inverting them and staggering the harmonic to fit the interval. There are also a number of Della Porta compositions on Walkabout, the most notable of which is "Canguri Urbani," which begins with a drum and bass duet before being joined by Fassi in a Monkish vamp about two minutes in. From the Monk-like harmonics, Fassi moves out Tristano-style in scalar regimen to arrive at some appropriation of the blues as it met bop. Near the middle of his solo, his right hand begins comping through flatted sevenths and diminished ninths before taking flight again with Della Porta holding the space and Elgart pushing the pianist to the edge before they take it out with a whisper. This is an excellent example of why Italy has one of the most exciting jazz scenes in the world. ~ by Thom Jurek, AMG. 

Splasc(h) Records, CDH 475.2, 1996
Recorded & Mixed 27th-28th January, 1996 at Murec Studio, Milan, Italy 

Musicians:
Riccardo Fassi - Piano
Paolino Dalla Porta - Bass
Bill Elgart - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Di Coccio {Riccardo Fassi} (8:37)
2. Message From The Earth {Paolino Dalla Porta} (7:34)
3. What Cosa? {Riccardo Fassi} (6:33)
4. Il Polpa E La Cizza {Riccardo Fassi} (7:24)
5. Game 1 {Paolino Dalla Porta} (10:24)
6. Oxford {Riccardo Fassi} (7:23)
7. Il Sogno Evidente {Riccardo Fassi} (6:00)
8. Canguri Urbani {Paolino Dalla Porta} (6:53)
9. Rimozione Forzata {Riccardo Fassi} (5:34) 

Total Time: 66:21 

Credits:
Producer - Peppo spagnoli, Giorgio Mortarino
Sound Engineer, Photo [Back] - Paolo Falascone
Cover Art - Paolino Dalla Porta
Liner Notes - Luca Perini 

Canguri Urbani

George Adams & Don Pullen - More Funk (1979) [vinyl>flac]

The second Palcoscenico LP recorded the day after 'All That Funk'

Ripped from a mint LP that cost me rather more than I would usually spend but listening to 'God Bless That Child' - worth every penny!

1. Metamorphosis For Charles Mingus (Adams/Pullen/Richmond) (15:12)
2. So Nice (Adams/Pullen) (10:40)
3. God Bless The Child (15:30)
4. Devil Blues (Mingus/Adams/Gatemouth Brown (10:15)

George Adams - tenor sax; Don Pullen - piano; Cameron Brown - bass; Dannie Richmond - drums
Recorded at November 2, 1979 in concert at CIAK, Milano, Italy
Palcoscenico PAL 15003

Franco D'Andrea Quartet - Sorapis (2011)

Sorapis is an imposing Dolomite massif that stands as guardian of the splendid lake of Misurina, in whose waters it reflects all its austere majesty. The music contained in Sorapis like the Dolomite group of the same name: majestic, rich in history, shining, changing in shapes and colours, surprising in its development, a sure point of reference for anyone who wants to engage with it. Where the live dimension of the previous Half the Fun liberated an intrinsic exuberance, a marked executive freedom and allowed the music to form and flow mainly in the form of suites, in Sorapis the thought of D'Andrea and his quartet is organized in smaller episodes structured, with very different forms, with strongly characterized stories, true essays on the balance between writing and improvisation, between rigor and creativity. Allow yourself to be completely involved in Sorapis' music - how to grasp the beauty, the changes, the surprises that the mountain offers in the passing of a day. Like the reverberations of the sun on the granite, the plays of shadows and light, the edges and ravines that suddenly open up, the quiet of a sunset, the tumultuous plays of air and water that only summer downpours can bring about. capable of unleashing. After fifteen years of life, the quartet is an organism that thinks, breathes and produces in unison, far from automatisms, well-tested winks, aestheticisms supported by routine, not uncommon in such long-lived formations. Indeed, D'Andrea and his traveling companions proceed in the opposite direction. The profound mutual knowledge pushes towards research, experimentation, making the compositions something continuously changing, an open space where there are solid and well-recognizable structures but around and within which the four musicians move curious and unpredictable. It is impossible to point out one song rather than another because it would be like admiring a panorama from only one perspective. We then like to remember "The Single Petal Of A Rose" a vintage Ellington put there almost by chance but a brilliant demonstration of how the quartet is able to reread a piece of history making it more alive and current than ever and in perfect harmony with the entire work. [Translated from Italian] 

El Gallo Rojo Records, 314-43, 2011
Recorded 13th-14th May, 2010 at Sound Sistemi Studio, Sarithià (VC) 

Musicians:
Franco D'Andrea - Piano
Andrea Ayassot - Alto Sax, Soprano Sax
Aldo Mella - Double Bass
Zeno De Rossi - Drums

Tracks:
1. Tritoni 1 {D'Andrea, Ayassot, Mella, De Rossi} /
Seste {D'Andrea, Ayassot, Mella, De Rossi} / Old Jazz {D'Andrea} (11:08)
2. Latin Sketch {Franco D'Andrea} (9:30)
3. T.M. {D'Andrea} / Air Waves {D'Andrea} / Beatwitz {D'Andrea, Tonani} (12:05)
4. The Single Petal Of A Rose {Duke Ellington} (3:12)
5. Sorapis {Franco D'Andrea} (5:55)
6. Treble And Bass {D'Andrea, Ayassot, Mella, De Rossi} (6:22)
7. Winterpromenade {Franco D'Andrea} (4:53)
8. New Calypso {Franco D'Andrea} (3:04) 

Total Time: 56:13 

Sorapis

Renato Sellani, Gianni Basso - Á La France 2 (2002)

Romantically...from Italy
==================
From Philology home, the second chapter of "A' La France", the album dedicated to French music by these two sensational figures of our jazz. A repertoire, largely linked to songs, which enhances the balladeur skills of our most famous tenor sax in the world and the magical and sublime work of a pianist-poet like the "rediscovered" Sellani. [Translated from Italian] 

Philology Records, W 207.2, 2002
Recorded 7th May, 2001 at Mu Rec Studio, Milano, Italy 

Musicians:
Gianni Basso - Tenor Saxophone, Vocals (#12)
Renato Sellani - Piano 

Tracks:
01. Dans Mon Île {Henri Salvador} (4:21)
02. J'Ai Deux Amours {Josephine Baker} (4:17)
03. Elle Était Si Jolie {Alain Barrière} (4:11)
04. Watch What Happens {Michel Legrand} (5:11)
05. Douce France {Charles Trenet} (6:06)
06. Infiniment {Bruno Coquatrix} (4:38)
07. Vous Qui Passe Sans Me Voir {Charles Trenet} (4:59)
08. J'Attendrai {Tino Ross, Charles Trenet} (5:23)
09. Le Soir {Charles Trenet} (4:35)
10. L'Été Du 42 {Michel Legrand} (6:39)
11. Pres De St. Germain {Gianni Basso, Renato Sellani} (3:30)
12. Bedelia {Bernard Michel, Maurice Pon} (1:46) 

Total Time: 55:43 

Credits:
Producer, Executive-Producer - Paolo Piangiarelli
Recording Engineer - Paolo Falascone
Mastering Engineer - Fabio Alfonsi
Graphics - danilosantinelli@libero.it
Photography - Luciano Rossetti, Carlo Pieroni
Liner Notes - Vittorio Franchini 

Pres De St. Germain