Record Reviews

FRANCESCO BRUNO ~ BLUE SKY ABOVE THE DREAMERS HEVHETIA 0193 (Barcode: 8588005258692) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2019 My relatively short acquaintance with Francesco BrunoFind albums by this artist is a wonderful example of personal chemistry; we immediately found out that the number of things that connects us goes way beyond our obvious love of music. We also share the Mediterranean love of life, beauty, food and above all friendship – the kinship with other people. As a result of our friendship I discovered that Francesco is also a wonderful musician, an excellent guitar player and a superb composer, who consistently develops his Art over the years. He is gifted with a delicate lyricism, which results in his melodies being simply heart melting, like much Italian music naturally does. But he is also humble, hard working, loyal, highly professional, uncompromising and honest, a collection of qualities that are rare to come by these days. In spite of its immense popularity in many musical arenas, Jazz was never an easy field for the guitar. In retrospect the number of great Jazz guitar players is not overwhelming, surely not those who contributed considerably to the development of the idiom. Guitar is perhaps a less "natural" Jazz instrument and requires from its master a kind of dedication that only very few musicians are able to sacrifice. When you listen to the music on this album, hopefully with a glass of good wine in you hand, you are about to take a wonderful journey into Francesco´s world. Full of beautiful melodies and brilliant, gentle performances, like fingers touching the surface of water, this music simply flows smoothly from one tune to the next and before you even get a proper taste of it all, it is over – time to push the play button again of course. The quartet setting suits the music ideally and considering the fact that Francesco plays with these excellent musicians since years, the ensemble vibe and the mutual respect between Pierpaolo PrincipatoFind albums by this artist, Luca BulgarelliFind albums by this artist, Marco RovinelliFind albums by this artist and Francesco are well reflected within the music. The Jazz cognoscenti will of course be able to hear the finesse of the guitar phrasing, the fabulous harmonizing of the piano and the subtle chronometry of the rhythm section, but honestly this is just splendid music best enjoyed without much cerebral analyzing – just let your heart do the work! Love you my friend, as always! Side Note The above are my liner notes included on this album's artwork. I am honored when asked by the Artists to write liner notes for their albums, always hoping that my words reflect the true spirit of the music. This is also a symbol of our mutual respect and friendship developed over the years. The same is also true when Record Labels ask me to write liner notes for their releases, mostly in the case of reissues of archival albums, which is a symbol of their appreciation of my knowledge and historical perspective and my recognition of their dedication to the preservation of the history of recorded music and the effort to keep human Culture and Aesthetics alive.

Updated: 07/09/2019Posted: 07/09/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

FRANCESCO BRUNO ~ LE PAROLE ALTRE: IL LUNGO VIAGGIO DI TIZIANO TERZANI VIDEO EIKON ~ ITALY ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2009 Released: 2010 This is the eighth album by the Italian Jazz guitarist / composer Francesco BrunoFind albums by this artist and his ensemble, which also includes saxophonist / flautist Javier GirottoFind albums by this artist (on two tracks only), pianist Pierpaolo PrincipatoFind albums by this artist, bassist Enzo PietropaoliFind albums by this artist, drummer Tommaso CarliniFind albums by this artist and percussionist Iginio De LucaFind albums by this artist. The vocalist Irina DanciFind albums by this artist adds some voiced ornamentation on four tracks. The album is a multi-media package, which includes an audio CD, a DVD and a book, and which pays homage to the life and work of the legendary Italian journalist and writer Tiziano TerzaniFind albums by this artist, best known for his work about the Far East, where he lived for many years and wrote about extensively. The DVD documents a spectacle, which presents Terzani´s work narrated by his wife Angela Terzani StaudeFind albums by this artist and accompanied by the Francesco Bruno ensemble playing live. The entire project, which combines music, photography, video and literary work is a beautiful example of dedication and love of Culture necessary to make such an endeavor come true. Sadly such projects are quite rare in our reality these days. The audio CD presents eight original compositions, all by Francesco Bruno, which are beautifully melodic and intelligently crafted. The ensemble setting and the fact that Bruno uses also the guitar synthesizer enrich the overall sound scope, sounding quite orchestral at times. The compositions are strongly influenced by World Music, which is emphasized by the percussionist, who uses an array of exotic instruments from all over the world. All the ensemble members perform excellently, creating a vibrant, rich palette of sounds, which is aesthetically pleasing and emotionally engaging. Bruno´s guitar playing is simply spectacular throughout. Although this music was created to serve as part of the entire multi-media project, the audio CD has a complete life of its own and is perfectly suitable to be listened to separately and is a wonderful listening experience at that, sparkling with the joy of life and good spirited music. Overall this is a piece of wonderful work, which should make all those who were involved in its creation proud. In our cold, cynical world the fact that some people still care about Culture is a heart-worming assurance that life is worth living. All I can say is "thanks for sharing"!

BOOK+CD+DVD 2 Recommend To A Friend

FRANCESCO BRUNO ~ ONIROTREE ALFA MUSIC 263 (Barcode: 8032050022222) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2022 Released: 2022 Despite the fact that the friendship between Italian guitarist / composer / bandleader Francesco BrunoFind albums by this artist and myself lasts for many years, he still manages to completely surprise me with his musical endeavors time after time. Actress / dancer / vocalist Silvia LorenzoFind albums by this artist joined the circle of friendship a few years later, when she became a part of the “Remember” project, which paid tribute to the great Italian Poet Primo LeviFind albums by this artist, for which Francesco composed the music and I had the pleasure to cooperate with its conceptual outline. Her charming personality and mesmerizing stage presence were a great discovery for me at the time. When Francesco told me that his new project will put Silvia at the focus as a full-fledged vocalist, accompanied by just a guitar trio, I could not wait to hear the result. Now, after hearing this music performed live, in addition to this recorded version, my heart is filled with joy and pride of my Friends. Silvia collected a series of traditional songs, which were then magically transformed into the Jazz-World Fusion by the arrangements by Francesco and spiced with some original music by him, all brilliantly played by the trio, which also includes bassist Andrea ColellaFind albums by this artist and drummer Marco RovinelliFind albums by this artist and sung by Silvia. The music was superbly recorded by Francesco at his studio, and the result is truly spectacular. Silvia fully delivers all the expectations, performing in her very personal fashion, which floats between singing and acting, mixing the two perfectly and creating a completely unique sonic experience, which is absolutely enchanting. Her interpretation of the songs, which originate from many diverse cultural backgrounds, manages to create a coherent statement, which offers tribute to a multi-cultural musical tradition, which proves that music known no boundaries. Francesco takes a bold step to put his guitar playing at the very focus of this music, along the vocals, giving up piano accompaniment, which is usually featured on his projects. This allows the listener to fully appreciate his amazing technique as a guitarist and his beautiful musicality. The minimalist trio format, with the excellent rhythm section at its foundation, does a perfect job here, focusing on the heartbreaking guitar soli, which were less dominant of Francesco’s earlier recordings. Overall, this is a truly beautiful musical experience, honest and straight to the heart, with excellent musical contents and flawless execution, all brilliantly recorded and sounding like a dreamy musical journey with the “less is more” aesthetics at heart. Thank you my Friends for this gorgeous gift of music!

Updated: 15/09/2022Posted: 15/09/2022

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

FRANCESCO BRUNO ~ WITAM VIDEO EIKON 002 (Barcode: 8033706214404) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2014 Released: 2014 This is the ninth album by the Italian Jazz guitarist / composer Francesco BrunoFind albums by this artist and his quartet, which also includes pianist Pierpaolo PrincipatoFind albums by this artist, bassist Luca PirozziFind albums by this artist and drummer Nicola AngelucciFind albums by this artist. Two Polish Jazz musicians guest on couple of the album´s tacks: trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist and saxophonist Sylwester OstrowskiFind albums by this artist and the Japanese pianist Makoto KuriyaFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents nine original compositions, all by Bruno. The album´s title is the Polish word for "Welcome" and reflects Bruno´s special relationship with Poland, where he often performs with his quartet and Polish Jazz musicians. The music is a beautifully melodic mainstream Jazz, mostly very lyrical and somewhat melancholic on the slow tempo numbers. The compositions contain traces of typical Italian melody lines, characteristic of gentle breezes, sunny shores and lovable wine, that we, Mediterranean people know how to enjoy. The music broadcasts "amare la vita", with its elegance, nonchalance and caressing notes, which are meant to please and lift the spirit of the listener, without sounding banal or corny. Bruno has a very unique guitar sound, somewhat reminiscent of Pat Metheny but without the rough edge, and his quartet is an ideal vehicle for his melodic improvisations, with the pianist gently adding his highly harmonious ornamentations and the rhythm section elegantly steering the ensemble in the right direction. The guests also add some fine moments to the overall effort. On the whole this is a pleasant, stylish and graceful musical effort, which should make the listeners happy and asking for more. I suppose it would be most enjoyable accompanied by a glass of wonderful red wine and gentle see breeze, but sitting by a fireplace in the midst of winter is definitely also an option. Grazie amici!

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FRANCESCO BRUNO ~ ZAKYNTHOS ALFA MUSIC 285 (Barcode: 8032050023243) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is an album by Italian guitarist / composer / bandleader Francesco BrunoFind albums by this artist, recorded in a trio setting with bassist Andrea ColellaFind albums by this artist and drummer Marco RovinelliFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight original compositions by Bruno. In many respects this intimate guitar trio recording is a celebration of a “full circle” in Francesco’s career, which spans decades and a wide range of stylistic encounters. Stripped down to the basics, with the guitar clearly in the epicenter and Jazz at helm, Bruno demonstrates his cumulative experience and his natural talent, now completely matured and ripened. I have accompanied Francesco, who happens to be also a Dear Friend, since many years now, and after hearing him play on several occasions some time ago, I told him that I truly enjoyed his guitar playing again, which received less prominent exposure in his projects, and encouraged him to bring the guitar up to the front again, and I am very happy to see him doing just that. As a result, we are able to hear a wonderful cascade of notes he manages to create on this album, which goes back to the style and feel of the legendary Classic guitar masters, like Jim HallFind albums by this artist, Barney KesselFind albums by this artist, Kenny BurrellFind albums by this artist, Joe PassFind albums by this artist and others. The new compositions are also somewhat more vibrant and full of delightful Mediterranean breeze, as the title of the album suggests. Sunny beaches, a “zephyr” wind and the smell of the sea if what we, the people living around the Mediterranean all love, and which brings us together, often without a need for words. The compositions are ideal vehicles for the extensive guitar soloing, and the sensitive and amicable rhythm section is up to the task at all time. Overall, this is an excellent Jazz guitar trio album, sounding both contemporary and fondly reminiscent of the classic Jazz guitar recordings, beautifully played, composed and recorded, which should delight all Jazz lovers around the world and make guitar freaks salivate. There are very few guitar recordings like this one made nowadays, so don’t even think twice before you grab a copy. Molte grazie, amico mio!

Updated: 06/08/2023Posted: 06/08/2023

CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend

FABRIZIO CUCCO ~ FOR A BRIEF MOMENT CAMILLA (Barcode: 8032880740396) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2019 Released: 2020 This is the debut album as a leader by Italian Jazz electric bassist Fabrizio CuccoFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with saxophonist Maurizio GiammarcoFind albums by this artist, pianist Pierpaolo PrincipatoFind albums by this artist and drummer Roberto GattoFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, seven of which are original compositions by Cucco and one is a standard. The music was recorded by Francesco BrunoFind albums by this artist in his studio near Rome, and the excellent sound quality emphasizes every single note played during the recording sessions. The music is all within mainstream Jazz idiom, based on splendid melodic themes, mostly lyrical and harmonically solid. The entire album creates a relaxed, slowly unfolding musical story, which allows the listener to enjoy the proceedings and carefully listen to the performances. Although most of the soloing is naturally done by Giammarco and Principato, who are obviously more experienced musicians, Cucco is very busy on all the pieces, soloing and playing along the rest of the quartet with a distinct presence. Gatto adds an excellent rhythmic layer, but stays respectively slightly in the background, in order to allow the bass parts to be more audible. Overall this is a solid debut effort, which shows a lot of potential in Cucco both as an instrumentalist and composer and a great opportunity to wish him further success in his future projects.

Updated: 29/06/2020Posted: 29/06/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

MARIO DI FORTUNATO ~ NEI VICOLI DEL MONDO NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 8056099003554) ~ ITALY ~ Pop & Rock Recorded: 2019 Released: 2019 This is the second album by Italian singer / songwriter Mario Di FortunatoFind albums by this artist, recorded almost forty-five years after the release of his debut album "Un Buco Nel MuroFind albums with this title" in 1975. The album presents eleven songs, with lyrics all written by Di Fortunato and with music partly composed by him and partly composed / co-composed by Francesco BrunoFind albums by this artist, who also arranged and recorded the music in his wonderful studio near Rome and played all guitars, bass and synthesizers. Several other musicians also take part in the recording: drummer Marco RovinelliFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Massimiliano FilosiFind albums by this artist, pianist Pierpaolo PrincipatoFind albums by this artist, percussionist Iginio De LucaFind albums by this artist and guitarist Giorgio VeneriFind albums by this artist as well as other friends in charge of background vocals. The songs are absolutely wonderful, with a delicate Jazzy subcurrent, Mediterranean melancholy, poetic lyrics and the Italian language creating an unbeatable atmosphere of bliss. The excellent arrangements and instrumental parts all work together to create a highly aesthetic experience, and combined with a somewhat bashful vocals, which sound surprisingly youthful, one can not avoid the strong nostalgic memories of the great heydays of Italian Pop in the 1960s and then the thriving Italian Prog in the 1970s, which left a sublime legacy of wonderful music. This album is an obvious labor of love by all the people involved and although not meant to create "big fuss", it is infinitely more relevant Artistically that most what is considered as music these days. It should not be dismissed as an exercise in nostalgic reminiscences, as it offers a solid, highly intelligent and beautiful musical experience. Personally I have listened to this album many times since I received it and it simply gets better with every spin. Obviously nothing beats a great Italian song, not even Italian coffee!

Updated: 25/06/2020Posted: 25/06/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

RICCARDO ZANNELLI ~ TIRATECI FUORI NOT ON LABEL 001 (Barcode: 8056099001444) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz-Pop Fusion Recorded: 2016 Released: 2017 This is the debut album by Italian singer / songwriter Riccardo ZannelliFind albums by this artist, which presents eight original songs composed by Zannelli (with some help by his friends on two of the songs) and featuring his lyrics. He is accompanied by a bunch of talented musicians: trumpeter Aldo BassiFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Massimiliano FilosiFind albums by this artist, guitarist Francesco BrunoFind albums by this artist (who also plays guitar and bass synthesizers) and a few other guests. Bruno was also the recording engineer, artistic director and arranger of the entire project. The music is a wonderful amalgam of Pop, Jazz, Groove, World Music and a plethora of other elements, but first and foremost the typical Italian sense of melody, which luckily was not lost over the years. Each of these songs is a true gem, which in an ideal world would instantly capture the top of the playlists all over the world. The album could be classified as Smooth Jazz, but in the best meaning of the idiom, as it as good as the best work by StingFind albums by this artist and other Pop artists with strong emphasis on Jazz in their work. Zannelli is a superb vocalist, presenting a wide and rich range of vocal possibilities, from lyrical balladry to Groove / Soul and even Rap, which by the way shows that Rap can be quite musical in contrast to what the world was exposed to in the last decades. The short but elegant and expressive solos by Bassi and Filosi are like sweet raisins in a cake and Bruno´s guitar and synthesizer work is right on the money. His general musical direction placed this album exactly at its most comfortable spot, which is tasteful and catchy, but highly intelligent and sophisticated. This album proves yet again that entertaining music can be superbly crafted and perfect in every sense. This is one of those albums that go straight into your head and can´t be shaken down. I haven´t stopped listening to this album since I returned from Rome a couple of weeks ago and still can´t get enough of it. Hope to hear this music live one day! Thank you Riccardo and Francesco for this beautiful gift of music!

Updated: 31/10/2017Posted: 31/10/2017

CD 1 Recommend To A Friend