Record Reviews

BENEDETTINI / MONTRONE / PACHE / MAGNARELLI ~ NEAR AND HOW AMP 012 (Barcode: 662578831051) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is an album by Italian Jazz quartet comprising of trumpeter Joe MagnarelliFind albums by this artist, pianist Bruno MontroneFind albums by this artist, bassist Paolo BenedettiniFind albums by this artist and drummer Adam PacheFind albums by this artist. Magnarelli and Benedettini are now based in NY, Montrone lives in Bari and the Australian born Pache lives in Rome, which emphasizes the international scope of Jazz today. The quartet plays seven pieces, three of which are original compositions by Magnarelli and four are standards. The music is very mainstream oriented, based on American Jazz tradition and basically stays within the Bebop idiom, which still sadly dominates American Jazz to this very day. This quartet is a typical example of European musicians following the American Jazz tradition, rather that seeking for an individual form of expression. All four instrumentalists are very professional and play without a hitch, but the music does not go anywhere, being frozen in time since decades. Basically a good mainstream Jazz album, but there are thousands of similar albums around and this one offers nothing in particular, which it can be remembered for. For fans of mainstream Jazz only!

Updated: 24/07/2017Posted: 24/07/2017

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ANDREAS DREIER ~ BUT NOT FOR ME LOSEN 175 (Barcode: 7090025831751) ~ NORWAY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the fourth album by Danish (resident in Norway) Jazz bassist Andreas DreierFind albums by this artist and the second recording with his trio which also includes Norwegian guitarist Bjorn SoliFind albums by this artist and Australian (resident in Rome) drummer Adam PacheFind albums by this artist. The album is a continuation of the previous trio recording (called "PoincianaFind albums with this title"), dedicated to a transcription for guitar trio of the piano trio recordings by Ahmad JamalFind albums by this artist, made in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The album presents nine tunes (one repeated twice), mostly well known standards with a couple of Jamal´s originals. The music is everything one might expect from the a.m. idea, i.e. swinging mainstream Jazz, focusing on the virtuosic guitar performances, amicably supported by the rhythm section and very well recorded. Classic guitar trio albums are very rare these days, so this album should bring a lot of joy to guitar Jazz connoisseurs everywhere on this planet. Soli plays fluently and with an obvious command of his instrument, sticking strictly to the Jazz tradition and successfully avoiding any excursions into Fusion territory, which is commendable. The rhythm section stays solidly in the background, doing its job elegantly, but without overshadowing the guitar parts, as appropriate for this situation. Musically the album does not offer anything adventurous, but that is exactly the concept – to reproduce the spirit of Jamal´s recording and retain the perfect swing and feel it offered at the time. For guitar Jazz enthusiasts this album is a must of course, a true case study of what classic Jazz guitar should sound and a showcase of its possibilities and charm. Its great to see that Jazz tradition is being cherished and kept alive, which is exactly what this album does.

Updated: 07/11/2017Posted: 07/11/2017

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