This CD represents an
emblematic example of the high level of Italian jazz, which has nothing to envy
for quality projects of its exponents to what is practiced overseas. The esteem
that Riccardo Fassi enjoys with American musicians is well known to fans of
African American music, as evidenced by his past collaborations with Steve
Lacy, Tim Berne, Oliver Lake, Gunter Schuller, and especially his beautiful
record of 1993 New York Trio (also for the YVP) with Rufus Reid and Marvin
Smith. An elegant and refined writing of mainstream derivation permeates the
CD, in which the pianist has carved out the difficult and discrete role of the
orchestra more than the soloist, leaving room for the delicious solos now
responsorial now in unison by Gary Smulyan engaged in the baritone saxophone
and of vibraphonist Bryan Carrott, whose great rhythmic verve recalls the best
Bobby Hutcherson of the '60s. Already the first notes of the CD, suggest a
perfect balance between the components of the quintet, which leads the musicians
to interact as if they were in an orchestra, aiming for short and dense solos,
without ambitions of hyper-virtuosity pleased in a continuous game of tension
and distension. A soft and relaxed atmosphere, never however glossy or mushy,
permeates the development of most of the pieces including "Just
Love", "Alluminio" and "Lamu", from the suave melodic
performance. Carrott's performance is enhanced by the record, to which the
recording industry has not (incredibly) granted until today the opportunity to
show off with engravings on its behalf. And this seems all the truer given that
today the creation of CDs no longer denies anyone. The forty-three vibraphonist
New Yorker, who had already contributed with Fassi to the success of the
"Conduction 43" by Butch Morris during the course of Verona Jazz in
1994, gives his instrument greater harmonic freedom and timbre variety to the
weaving of the songs, on which the relaxed and relaxed interplay of the
quintet. The beauty of the themes - all fascinating and seductive as few - and
the rapid melodic and rhythmic changes, finally avert the predictability that
generally characterizes the mainstream production, rigid in the structuring of
the solos and the monochordal path. 4 Stars, ~ by Maurizio Zerbo [Translation
from Italian].
YVP Music, 3092 CD, 2001
Recorded 3rd
February, 1998 At Systems Two, Brooklyn, New York
Musicians:
Riccardo Fassi - Piano
Gary Smulyan - Baritone
Saxophone
Bryan Carrott - Vibraphone
Dennis Irwin - Double Bass
Adam Nussbaum - Drums
Tracks:
1. Lamu (6:54)
2. Last Dance (6:08)
3. No Space For The Eggs
(7:23)
4. Mars (7:08)
5. Miss B (3:59)
6. Market (7:58)
7. Just Love (7:36)
8. Prophet (7:49)
9. Alluminium (6:34)
All Compositions and
Arrangements by Riccardo Fassi
Credits:
Producer - Riccardo Fassi,
York v. Prittwitz
Recording Engineer - Michael Marciano,
Joseph Marciano
Digital Mastering - Philipp
Heck, Bauer Studios, Ludwigsburg
Cover Photo - Jorge Lardone
Photo - Riccardo Fassi
Cover Design - York v.
Prittwitz
Liner Notes - Yvp Music Archive
