Michel Petrucciani - Both Worlds (1997) [re-rip]

The diminutive piano dynamo with the dynamic technique has enjoyed a decidedly mixed recording career, never really establishing a good sense of momentum with any one company. That is perhaps until now, where Dreyfus has opened its arms to his various projects, this outing being a program exclusively of his original compositions. His writing is sparkling, witty, largely optimistic and full of heart. All is arranged by the esteemed Bob Brookmeyer, who also graces the session with the somewhat rare offering of his considerable trombone work, rare because his concentration in recent times has been on pen and paper. 

Also assisting Michel are drummer Steve Gadd, who used to be ubiquitous on New York sessions but who seems to have limited such activity in the latter ’90s; the adroit bass guitarist with the acoustic sensibility Anthony Jackson; trumpeter Flavio Boltro and saxophonist Stefano DiBattista, a nice cultural balancing act of three Americans and three Europeans, thus in part comes the title. The theme is further borne out in the Frenchman Petrucciani entrusting his creations to the arranging skills of the American Brookmeyer. The results are a fresh, jazz-proud date that neatly spans the poly-world sensibility. Petrucciani’s compositional influences are equally as disparate, but despite the melding of these wide-ranging elements the date works as a cohesive whole. And the ensemble flavor is indeed manifest. It certainly seems the wisdom of age and experience find Michel no longer content with diving headlong into piano furioso, instead he deals from the standpoint of the essence of jazz-the band sound, something all too rare these days. ~ Willard Jenkins, JazzTimes.

Dreyfus Records, FDM 36590-2, 1997
Recorded 1997At Right Track Recording Studio, New York 

Musicians:
Michel Petrucciani - Piano
Flavio Boltro - Trumpet
Bob Brookmeyer - Trombone, Arranger
Stefano Di Battista - Soprano & Alto Saxophones
Anthony Jackson - Bass
Steve Gadd - Drums 

Tracks:
1. 35 Seconds Of Music And More (5:24)
2. Brazilian Like (4:47)
3. Training (3:58)
4. Colors (6:58)
5. Petite Louise (5:25)
6. Chloe Meets Gershwin (6:14)
7. Chimes (5:11)
8. Guadeloupe (6:12)
9. On Top Of The Roof (5:35) 

All Compositions by Michel Petrucciani 

Total Time: 49:50

Credits:
Producer - Francis Dreyfus, Yves Chamberland
Recording & Mixing Engineer - Roger Roche
Mastering Engineer - Scott Hull [Masterdisk, New York]
Photos - Jean Ber [Back/Front]
Photos - William Laxton [Booklet]
Artwork - Jean-Paul Théodule
Liner Notes - Thierry Pérémarti

LINK

Brazilian Like

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.

Stefano Di Battista, Flavio Boltro Quintet - Volare (1997)

Here we have an early collaboration of a number of emerging European jazz musicians in the late 90's. This album is especially good due to the pairing of both Stefano Di Battista and Flavio Boltro before they made a name for themselves in their own backyards. In fact, all the musicians, predominantly Italian and French, on this date have gone on to carve out solid careers. Recorded in France and released on Label Bleu, this CD will be of interest to any hard bop and post-bop lover with a leaning towards the European jazz scene. In all a fine recording that's very recommended, Enjoy!

Label Bleu, LBLC 6613, 1998

Recorded & Mixed in July, 1997 At Studio Gil Evans, Amiens, France

Musicians:

Stefano Di Battista - Saxophones

Flavio Boltro - Trumpet

Eric Legnini - Piano

Jean-Pierre Taïeb - Guitar

Rosario Bonaccorso - Bass

Benjamin Henocq - Drums

Tracks:

01. Prima Di Partire {Stefano Di Battista} (5:28)

02. Blues For Michel {Stefano Di Battista} (3:51)

03. Widows Walk {Rick Margitza} (9:15)

04. Funky Porcini {Stefano Di Battista} (4:02)

05. Stars Fell On Alabama {Mitchell Parish, Frank Perkins} (7:08)

06. Matbon {Rosario Bonaccorso} (8:31)

07. My Foolish Heart {Ned Washington, Victor Young} (2:39)

08. Patacchione {Eric Legnini} (8:33)

09. Volare {Stefano Di Battista} (5:26)

10. Rap [Hip Criminal Time Top] {Stefano Di Battista} (4:21)

11. Caligola {Flavio Boltro} (1:44)

12. One Finger Snap {Herbie Hancock} (4:38)

Total Time: 65:36

Credits:

Executive Producer - Michel Orier

Production Assistant - Martine Patrice

Recording Engineer - Philippe Teissier du Cros

Assist Engineer - Pierre Guinot

Digital Editing - Jean-Pierre Bouquet

Photos - Didier Cry

Sleeve Design - Christophe Rémy

Translation - Stephanie Carwin