Furio Di Castri - Unknown Voyage (1988, 2000)

Recorded in 1988, originally released by the label A Tempo, Unknown Voyage it is a very significant work. The musical result is particularly remarkable for the level of the band here presented and for the compositions, all originals by Furio Di Castri. A recording that is a perfect example of the possibility to be in the mainstream and at the same time to be modern and original. Music built around a clear compositional project. Joe Lovano, Paul Motian, Franco D'Andrea and Furio Di Castri, a real jazz all-stars band, give life to a music in perfect balance between the written parts and the improvised ones with rare technical and expressive skills. ~ italianjazz.bandcamp.com. 

A Témpo Records, ATCD 882, 1989
Felmay Records, 21750 7019 2, 2000
Recorded December, 1988 at Studio Emme, Firenze, Italy 

Musicians:
Furio Di Castri - Double Bass
Joe Lovano - Tenor Saxophone
Franco D'Andrea - Piano
Paul Motian - Drums
Flavio Boltro - Trumpet (#11)
Manu Roche - Drums (#11)

Tracks:
01. Unknown Voyage (5:31)
02. Luce E Ombra (8:26)
03. Colors (3:16)
04. The Ancient Wood (0:49)
05. Lichtung (5:58)
06. Waiting (4:49)
07. Life Song (3:20)
08. Elena's Slow Dance (5:18)
09. Way Out (3:40)
10. Mingus' Faces (5:40)
11. Zac [Bonus] (4:37) 

All compositions by Furio Di Castri

Total Time: 51:30 

Credits:
Producer - Marco Magrini, Furio Di Castri
Executive Producer - Piero Borri
Engineer - Daniele Trambusti, Ben Frasinelli
Cover Design - Lucio Diana
Art Production - Piero Sisti 

Unknown Voyage

Aldo Romano - Prosodie (1995)

An interesting early session by the master drummer and composer Aldo Romano. For this album he is joined by a power-house of well-known and emerging Italian talent including trumpeter Paolo Fresu, saxophonist Stefano Di Battista, pianist Franco D'Andrea, keyboardist Jean-Michel Pilc, bassists Furio Di Castri and Michel Benita along with harmonica player Oliver Ker Ourio. All the composition are penned by Aldo Romano and as the album title 'Prosodie' infers they are structured around melody and rhythm of the sounds of a poem; rules concerning these characters of sounds. Further implying rules fixing the relationship between words and music of the song and hence the intonation and rate specific to a language. So, certainly an in-depth exploration of music, sounds and poetry, treated beautifully by a continental who’s who of fine jazz artists and musicians. 

Verve Records, 526 854 - 2, 1995
Digitally recorded 8th,9th,10th January, 1995 at Studio Gimmick, Yerres, France 

Musicians:
Aldo Romano - Drums
Paolo Fresu - Trumpet, Flugelhorn (#1,2,4-9,11)
Stefano Di Battista - Alto & Soprano Saxophones (#1-7,9)
Franco D'Andrea - Piano (#1,2,5,8,9,11)
Jean-Michel Pilc - Fender Rhodes, Electric Piano, Piano, Whistle
Michel Benita - Bass
Furio Di Castri - Bass (#1,2,5,7-11)
Oliver Ker Ourio - Harmonica 

Tracks:
01. Silenzio (6:27)
02. Kadie B. (5:03)
03. Dida [Poem] (2:20)
04. Folk Off (4:34)
05. Oracion (4:05)
06. La Samba Des Prophètes (5:11)
07. A Richman Is A Poor Man With Money (4:37)
08. On John's Guitar (6:26)
09. Nat Eyes (6:08)
10, Il Silenzio [Poem] (1:16)
11. Abstraction Lyrique (8:14) 

All Compositions by Aldo Romano 

Total Time: 54:24 

Credits:
Producer - Aldo Romano
Digitally mixed in 20 bits on Nagra IV D.

Barbara Raimondi - Singin' Ornette!!! [Mr. Coleman's Music] (2013)

In 2013 Raimondi releases her new cd, a tribute to Mr. Ornette Coleman's music Singin' Ornette!!!, recorded with Mauro Negri (altosax and clarinet), Furio Di Castri (bass) and Enzo Zirilli (drums). The "Singin 'Ornette" project was born from a first love, which, several years ago, opened Barbara Raimondi's musical conception towards a so-called "parallel" universe, that of Mr. Coleman's music and more generally, towards the sincerity of his language. Obviously, being a vocal project, emphasis was placed on the most melodic trait of Coleman's expressiveness, highlighting a vein of singing that rarely appears so characteristic in his music. A real celebration of his world, therefore, and a sincere tribute from the whole group ..." 

Blue Serge, BLS 055, 2013
Recorded August, 2012 (#1-8,10) at Only Music Studio, Bruino, Torino, Italy;
October, 2012 (#9) at Quadra Recording Studio, London (UK) 

Musicians:
Barbara Raimondi - Vocals, Arranger
Mauro Negri - Alto Saxophone, Clarinet
Furio Di Castri - Bass
Enzo Zirilli - Drums
Ross Stanley - Hammond Organ (#8)
Orlando Manfredi - Additional Vocals 

Tracks:
01. The Missing [The Blessing] {Ornette Coleman; Barbara Raimondi} (5:57)
02. Una Muy Bonita {Ornette Coleman; Margo Gurian} (4:06)
03. Kathelin Gray [Intro] (2:02)
04. Kathelin Gray [Theme] {Ornette Coleman, Pat Metheny} (3:24)
05. Turn Around Me [Turnaround] {Ornette Coleman; Barbara Raimondi} (4:39)
06. Tone Dialing [Congeniality] {Ornette Coleman; Barbara Raimondi} (5:40)
07. Check Up {Ornette Coleman} (4:21)
08. Is It Forever? {Ornette Coleman; Barbara Raimondi} (7:39)
09. Mr. Ornette [Peace] {Ornette Coleman; Barbara Raimondi} (5:58)
10. Lonely Woman {Ornette Coleman; Margo Gurian} (8:16) 

Total Time: 50:02 

Credits:
Producer - Sergio Cossu
Recording - Carlo Miori (#1-8,10), Enrico Pinna (#9)
Front Cover, Graphic Artwork - Marina Vettorato
Mixing - Claudio Chiara
Front And Back Cover Photo - Valerio Grande
Inlay Photos - Stefano Barni
Liner Notes [English] - Jim Mullen 

"In taking on this most challenging of projects-- to sing the music of Ornette Coleman-- Barbara Raimondi has made it a triumph. Singing both wordlessly and with her own lyrics, she perfectly captures the bittersweet moods of Ornette's complex melodies. On a cd that contains many gems, I think "Is it forever" a masterpiece." ~ Jim Mullen. London, February 2013.

Paolo Fresu, Furio Di Castri, John Taylor - Contos [Tales] (1993)

The Italian label EGEA began its journey when Paolo Fresu and Furio di Castri felt the need to leave the tried and tested formula of the duo to welcome other musicians. The ‘Open Trio’ (which also gives its name to a composition by Paolo Fresu) became an open structure capable of hosting percussionists, drummers, pianists and multimedia artists. The meeting with the English pianist John Taylor documents a happy moment of the twenty-year collaboration between Fresu and Di Castri and a prelude to the subsequent formation of the PAF Trio together with pianist and accordionist Antonello Salis. The nine songs, largely the result of Taylor's lyric pen, interact with the compositions of Fresu and Di Castri and are also the result of a successful Italian tour. The CD is recorded live in the Teatro di Città di Castello and is part of the project to enhance the historical theaters that Egea has been pursuing for some time. ~ paolofresu.it.

EGEA Records, SCA 039, 1993
Recorded in 1993 At Teatro Comunale Di Città di Castello, Italy 

Musicians:
Paolo Fresu - Trumpet
John Taylor - Piano
Furio Di Castri - Double Bass 

Tracks:
1. Sueños [Dreams] {Furio Di Castri} (7:18)
2. Evan Song {John Taylor} (5:13)
3. Walkabout {Paolo Fresu} (5:57)
4. Satie {Paolo Fresu} (9:27)
5. Evening Song {Furio Di Castri} (5:24)
6. Ninna Nanna Per Vale {Paolo Fresu} (4:22)
7. Blue Glass {John Taylor} (5:51)
8. Lovely Ballad {Paolo Fresu} (5:14)
9. Mandarin {Furio Di Castri} (3:45) 

Total Time: 52:27

Paolo Fresu's beautiful trumpet tone comparable to Miles and Chet Baker is quite unsurpassed within today’s jazz world. Equally on this date, John Taylor conveys a hauntingly bittersweet feeling to his playing, differing to his usual cold image, which fades away into beautiful solos of a greater fieriness. In addition, bassist Furio Di Castri, a long-term counterpart of Paolo Fresu, seamlessly binds the musicians together. All players contribute a number of compositions to the mix enhancing a diverse flavour to the listener’s experience. Overall, this album is a good example of the superior jazz released on the Italian Egea label, enjoy!

Paolo Fresu Quartet - Angel (1998)

A native of Sardinia, Paolo Fresu has established himself for several years as one of the great voices on the trumpet since the disappearance of Miles. In a remarkably fluid speech, he incorporates sound elements from various origins, including electronic effects which he uses sparingly. Very active, he has several regular formations, mainly a quintet. But it is with the quartet with which he has been touring for three years that he made this recording. First of all, Nguyên Lê, French guitarist who has managed to achieve a subtle mix of rock sounds and jazz harmonies and makes intelligent use of the synth guitar. And a first-rate Italian rhythm, di Castri being known elsewhere for his superb compositions. The themes, apart from two standards, Angel by Jimi Hendrix and a traditional Italian song, indicative of the personality of the musicians of the group, clearly show that we are dealing here with a real quartet. "Fellini" by Fresu is particularly moving, as we know, one of the finest musical tributes that we have made to the master. "Sueños" (Dreams) by di Castri shows us that the bassist is also a great soloist. It is therefore a very beautiful album which will undoubtedly become a reference. ~ by Alain Le Roux, Chronicart.com. [Translated from French]

BMG/RCA Victor, 74321558642, 1998
Recorded 25th to 29th September 1997 At Esagono Studio, Rubiera, Italy 

Musicians:
Paolo Fresu - Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Electronics
Nguyên Lê - Guitar, Guitar Synthesizer
Furio Di Castri - Acoustic Bass, Electronics
Roberto Gatto - Drums
Ornella Vanoni - Vocals (#6) 

Tracks:
01. Everything Happens To Me {Matt Dennis, Tom Adair} (5:38)
02. Walkabout {Paolo Fresu} (6:31)
03. Fellini {Paolo Fresu} (5:57)
04. Elogio Del Discanto [In Praise Of The Discanto] {Paolo Fresu} (4:01)
05. Saïgon {Furio Di Castri} (7:28)
06. Accarezzame [Caress Me] {Pino Calvi, Nicola Salermo} (3:55)
07. Variazione Cinque [Variation Five] {Paolo Fresu} (2:48)
08. El Saola [The Saola] {Dominique Borker, Nguyên Lê} (4:31)
09. Song One {Dominique Borker, Nguyên Lê} (3:10)
10. Sueños [Dreams] {Furio Di Castri} (8:00)
11. Dove Niente Accade [Where Nothing Happens] {Paolo Fresu} (3:35)
12. Il Gatto E La Volpe [The Cat And The Fox] {Paolo Fresu} (6:07)
13. Real Time {Dominique Borker, Nguyên Lê} (2:22)
14. Angel {Jimi Hendrix} (4:22)
15. I Fall In Love Too Easily {Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne} (3:06) 

Total Time: 71:31

Credits:
Producer - Jean-Jacques Pussiau
Executive-Producer - Daniel Baumgarten
Recording, Mixing - Marti Jane Robertson
Mastering, Editing - Jean-Pierre Chalbos
Engineer [Assistant] - Andrea Rovacchi
Photography - Pino Ninfa
Art Direction, Design - Bernard Amiard
Liner Notes [French] - Daniel Soutif