Record Reviews

LORENZO DE FINTI ~ WE LIVE HERE LOSEN 162 (Barcode: 7090025831621) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2015 Released: 2016 This is the fourth album by Swiss / Italian pianist / composer Lorenzo De FintiFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with Cuban trumpeter Gendrikson MenaFind albums by this artist (Diaz) and Italian rhythm section: bassist Stefano Dall`OraFind albums by this artist and drummer Marco CastiglioniFind albums by this artist. It presents nine original compositions co-credited to De Finti and Dall`Ora, collectively called "Suite for Jazz Quartet". The music is modern acoustic Jazz, well within the mainstream idiom, based on lucid melodic themes, typical of European Jazz, beautifully performed by the quartet members, who are all highly professional players. The overall atmosphere is very ECMFind albums on this label like and enthusiasts of the Manfred EicherFind albums by this artist sound should have a field day with this album. The sound and recording quality are simply outstanding. Although there is plenty of European melancholy and fragile balance in this music, I personally fail to hear the alluded connection to Classical music; this is purely a Jazz album from start to finish. The instrumental work is consistently excellent, especially the trumpet parts, which display a remarkable clarity and sharpness. The music is dominated by the piano, but comes truly alive when the entire quartet is performing. The rhythm section is also exceptional, with the bass being a full partner in the melodic presentation and playing some breathtaking solo parts and the drums, as delicate and compassionate as they are, are unusually inventive and sophisticated at the same time. Personally the best moments of this album happen when the musicians let go of the composed patterns and improvise spontaneously, albeit briefly, but of course this is a matter of personal preferences. As much as I love the aesthetic beauty of this music, for me it lacks the element of surprise and unexpectedness, which I consider as essential ingredients of the idiom. But to put things in the right perspective, this is definitely a wonderful album for connoisseurs of mainstream melodic modern Jazz and should make most Jazz fans around the globe very happy. For people with high-end Hi-Fi equipment this is sonic heaven on earth!

Updated: 09/08/2016Posted: 09/08/2016

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