Claudio Fasoli Emerald Quartet - Venice Inside (2009)

Claudio Fasoli continues to fascinate jazz fans with his saxophone, which is filled with a unique European aesthetic. As the photo on the cover of this album tells us, this album is very much like Fasoli's. The consistent beautiful tone of the piano and the tranquility of the slow beats create a world of sound that is graceful and sometimes aesthetic. On the other hand, even in the tranquility, the passion that seeps out is like a pale flame...there is a heat that is contrary to the apparent tranquility. This is a work that is also in the world of ECM. And this is the second album by Emerald Quartet in two years. The backing members, especially Mario Zara on piano, who is reminiscent of John Taylor, are also noteworthy for their delicate sense. ~ ventoazul.shop-pro.jp. [Translated from Japanese] 

...the Emerald Quartet is truly an emerald of purity and adherence to a rigorous dictation: a precious interplay works, concealed in an ease of execution that is instead the fruit of research and effort: with Mario Zara's piano all "behind", hints and completions, and the rhythm of Yuri Goloubev and Marco Zanoli that has the lightness of a butterfly.... ~ Il Giornale della Musica. 

...a delicate and touching album, marked above all by almost photographic descriptions, through music, of environments dear to the musician. ~ Sergio Spada - Suono.it. [Translated from Italian] 

Blue Serge, BLS-019, 2009
Recorded and mixed at Artesuono Recording Studio, Cavalicco (UD) 

Musicians:
Claudio Fasoli - Soprano Sax, Tenor Sax
Mario Zara - Piano
Yuri Goloubev - Double Bass
Marco Zanoli - Drums

Tracks:
1. Rioterà (7:44)
2. Aponal (9:44)
3. Arcana (8:24)
4. Arogarb (4:58)
5. Stae (6:28)
6. Giudecca (7:22)
7. Rialto (7:37)
8. Cannaregio (4:08)
9. Squero (2:02) 

All compositions by Claudio Fasoli 

Total Time: 58:30 

Credits:
Producer - Sergio Cossu
Recording, Mixing - Stefano Amerio
Artwork - Massimo Giacomin
Photography [Cover] - Claudio Fasoli
Photography [Portraits] - Paolo Sacchi
Liner Notes [English, Italian] - C.F. 

Cannaregio

Claudio Fasoli Gammatrio - Gammatrio (2002)

Claudio Fasoli is an Italian jazz saxophonist and composer of modern jazz. Born (29 November 1939) in Venice, he now lives in Milan, Italy. After many sessions with various prominent musicians, he achieved popularity in the '70s playing with Perigeo Quintet, alongside Giovanni Tommaso and Franco D'Andrea. This group performed throughout Europe and also overseas, and whereby Fasoli gained considerable experience both as soloist and composer. When Perigeo disbanded in 1978, he became a leader of his own groups, mostly trios or quartets, with other top European and UK artists: Aldo Romano, Bobo Stenson, Henri Texier, Jean-François Jenny Clark, Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, Palle Danielsson, and Tony Oxley. Intrinsically, Fasoli adapts well to diverse musical settings, but has cultivated his own solo style and ever-evolving compositional approach. Nowadays, he continues to work with the best Italian and foreign musicians. This 2002 album brings together three very experienced jazz musician; with Claudio Fasoli at the fore playing both tenor and soprano saxophones, trombonist Rudy Migliardi and pianist Paolo Birro to weave an intricate web of scintillating sounds. The listener is taken on a surreal trip, Paolo Birro in particular is sensational, matching perfectly with both Claudio and Rudy. All compositions are penned by Claudio and they clearly outline his ability to draw the best out of his own playing and those associated with him. He is truly a virtuoso and has continued to expand his musical and composition expertise to this day. Similarly, Paolo and Rudy have maintained their momentum as sought after solo and sessional musicians, enjoy! 

Golden Map, G CD J 1933, 2002
Recorded & Mixed June, 2002 at M.A.P. Studio, Italy 

Musicians:
Claudio Fasoli - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Rudy Migliardi - Trombone
Paolo Birro - Piano 

Tracks:
01. Magic (6:26)
02. Kod (5:16)
03. Sommar (8:26)
04. Plurabelle (6:34)
05. Extatisk (2:35)
06. Fyr (4:59)
07. Fas (2:06)
08. Vol 2 (4:24)
09. Bris (7:32)
10. Diachromo (3:07)
11. Nyspel (5:32) 

All Compositions by Claudio Fasoli 

Total Time: 57:03 

Credits:
Producer, Cover Photo - Claudio Fasoli
Executive-Producer - Massimo Monti
Sound Engineer - Gianni Prudente
Cover, Graphics - Andrea Barrili, M.A.P. Studio
Photography [Birro] - Marco Lincetto
Photography [Fasoli] - Mirko Boscolo

Claudio Fasoli Quintet - Brooklyn Option (2015)

Between innovation and tradition, the album The Brooklyn Option marks the debut of the Claudio Fasoli Quintet, a band formed by the Italian saxophonist together with musicians from the New York scene: the trumpeter Ralph Alessi, the pianist Matt Mitchell, the bassist Drew Gress and the drummer Nasheet Waits. The saxophonist returns as his habit to collaborating with internationally renowned musicians in a work born almost by chance as he himself explains to us "I had previously met both Drew Gress and Ralph Alessi in occasional meetings in the context of jazz seminars in Siena and elsewhere. It is evident in the disc precisely this concertation of shared musical ideas where Claudio Fasoli's music from unitary becomes collective, developed in 13 songs having the Brooklyn neighborhood as the thematic center, which however, as Fasoli explains to us "are not a musical description of the places because music can and must above all be enough in itself, it must not describe a landscape but give an emotion" - and continues - "There are titles on the record that remind me of the moments I was on the Brooklyn Bridge, for example rather than in Shore Road and so on ... little flashes of details that thrilled me." But Claudio Fasoli's projects do not stop there, there are others even if they are not yet final "I am very intrigued by a rather chamber trio without drums with double bass and an extremely electronic guitar, I think this is a very interesting possibility. For example, I am curious to add another saxophonist to my trio without double bass, that is, the one with two saxophones, an electric guitar and drums. I also plan to meet Ralph Alessi and Drew Gress to re-propose the American quintet again., the curiosities are almost endless ... " ~ Extract by Paolo Marra, AAJ.  [Translated from Italian] 

Musica Jazz, MJCD 1289, 2015
Abeat Records, ABJZ206, 2019
Recorded 16th & 17th November, 2014 at Artesuono Recording Studio, Cavalicco (UD) Italy 

Musicians:
Claudio Fasoli - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Ralph Alessi - Trumpet
Matt Mitchell - Piano
Drew Gress - Double Bass
Nasheet Waits - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Brooklyn Bridge Part 1 (1:16)
02. Brooklyn Bridge Part 2 (6:52)
03. Brooklyn Bridge Part 3 (1:20)
04. Carroll Gardens (2:44)
05. Bay Parkway (2:56)
06. Bam (5:50)
07. Mapletone (1:25)
08. Boerum Hill (7:18)
09. Neptune Avenue (3:48)
10. 7005 Shore Road (7:39)
11. Avenue M (5:56)
12. Dumbo (7:11)
13. Gowanus (3:47) 

Total Time: 58:06 

Credits:
Producer - Claudio Fasoli, Luca Conti
Sound Engineer - Stefano Amerio 

Brooklyn Bridge, Pt. 2

Claudio Fasoli - Lido (1983)

"What is particularly pleasurable about this session is the clarity of it all, the lines, the time, the collective and solo improvisatory direction.  And out in front is a leader of fire and delicacy, directness and intimacy-- Claudio Fasoli." ~ Nat Hentoff, Liner Notes. 

Excellent vigorous lyrical mainstream post-bop from this quartet of Fasoli on tenor and soprano sax, Kenny Drew on piano, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen on bass, and Barry Altschul on drums playing six of Fasoli's tunes. ~ SadRoger, rateyourmusic.com. 

Soul Note, 121071-2, 1983
Recorded 22nd & 24th February, 1983 at Barigozzi Studio, Milano, Italy 

Musicians:
Claudio Fasoli - Tenor & Soprano Saxophones
Kenny Drew - Piano
Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - Bass
Barry Altschul - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Snob (7:21)
2. Lyrical Touch (3:26)
3. Etna (8:42)
4. Lido (6:44)
5. Map (7:21)
6. Jazz Job (5:42) 

All Compositions by Claudio Fasoli 

Total Time: 39:26 

Credits:
Producer - Giovanni Bonandrini
Recording Engineer - Giancarlo Barigozzi
Mastering Engineer - Gennaro Carone
Cover Design - Pick Up Studios
Cover Painting - Claudio Rebaudo
Photography [Cover] - Mirko R. Boscolo
Liner Notes [English] - Nat Hentoff 

Etna

Claudio Fasoli, Kenny Wheeler, J.F. Jenny Clark - Land (1988)

Dust never accumulates on good music, and this album is a confirmation of how much the work of Claudio Fasoli rests on foundations that have remained fixed in his career. He has had a tendency to look for travel companions who are as close as possible to his way of seeing music. Rightly not giving a damn about "Italianness". Fasoli has very often called with him artists from various backgrounds. On "Land" (1988) sees him at the head of a trio that includes the unforgettable Kenny Wheeler and Jean-François Jenny-Clark. With Wheeler the saxophonist - and this is another foundation of his music - shared a vocation for very readable melodies developed over wide intervals. Clearly, this is noticeable in a particular way within "Land", a record of which it is impossible not to immediately grasp the great compactness: the songs flow, you pass from fun ‘Tang’ to solemnity ‘Beedie's Time’ but it is as if they are all part of a single way of feeling. In short, a very structured lyricism - here is another Fasolian constant - as well as contained by the absence of the drums, which sometimes takes the place of Jenny Clark's bass; see the pressing ‘Kammertrio’. In short, within a few months Fasoli released two very different discs, "Land and "Bodies”; Two records that are still current and engaging. ~ Extract by Piacentino, MusicaJazz.It. 

Innowo Records, IN 802, 1989
Azzurra Music, TRI1328, 2018
Recorded And Mixed November, 1988 at Jingle Machine Studios, Milan, Italy 

Musicians:
Claudio Fasoli - Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone
Kenny Wheeler - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Cornet
Jean-François Jenny Clark - Double Bass 

Tracks:
1. The Land Of Long White Clouds (3:19)
2. Fax (4:30)
3. Kitsch (3:19)
4. Dear K (5:13)
5. Afternoons (4:46)
6. Kammertrio (6:00)
7. Tang (5:37)
8. UFO (5:00)
9. Beedie's Time (5:39) 

Total Time: 43:23

All Compositions by Claudio Fasoli 

Dear K