Record Reviews

RICCARDO DEL FRA ~ MOVING PEOPLE CRISTAL 276 ~ ITALY ~ Jazz Recorded: 2018 Released: 2018 This is an album by veteran Italian (resident in France) bassist / composer Riccardo Del FraFind albums by this artist, who leads an international sextet, which includes Polish trumpeter Tomasz DabrowskiFind albums by this artist, German saxophonist Jan PraxFind albums by this artist, French saxophonist Remi FoxFind albums by this artist and pianist Carl-Henri MorissetFind albums by this artist and finally American drummer Jason BrownFind albums by this artist. American guitarist Kurt RosenwinkelFind albums by this artist appears as a special guest. The album presents ten original compositions, all by Del Fra. The music is mainstream, beautifully melodic contemporary Jazz, lyrical and melancholic, but at the same time full of zest and superb compositions. Contrary to the initial impression the music gets quite complex and unexpected at times, with broken themes and odd meters, but at the same time never loses focus or coherence. As a result the music flows swiftly, completely absorbing the listener and the album seems to be over very quickly. The relatively short tracks and their diversity also add to this effect. The album is first and foremost an exceptional display of Del Fra´s compositions. The musicianship is superb throughout, with every note played being just the right one at the right time. All these musicians, who represent different cultural backgrounds and age groups, are able to cooperate splendidly, creating a delicate mesh of sounds and harmonies. Listeners familiar with the work of Dabrowski, who is usually associated with a more Avant-Garde Jazz activity, will be definitely surprised by his mellow contributions here, which are of course as delightful as everything else he ever did. Rosenwinkel is not, in my opinion, the ideal addition to the sextet, as his playing is way more Fusion oriented and electric than the (mostly acoustic) music itself or the stylistics of the rest of the musicians and his long guitar synthesizer solos frankly sound a bit out of place, as much "attractive" as they are. But of course he is a very able instrumentalist. Overall this is an excellent album from start to finish, with strong compositions and exquisite performances, which should delight Jazz connoisseurs the world over.

Updated: 12/04/2019Posted: 23/02/2019

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THIERRY PEALA ~ INNER TRACES NAIVE 3298492261024 (Barcode: 3298492261024) ~ FRANCE ~ Jazz Recorded: 2000 Released: 2000 This is the debut album by French Jazz vocalist Thierry PealaFind albums by this artist. Subtitled “A Kenny Wheeler Songbook”, it presents twelve compositions by British trumpeter / composer Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist, with lyrics by various lyricist, including British Diva Norma WinstoneFind albums by this artist, who also sings duets with Peala on four tracks. Other musicians include French pianist Bruno AngeliniFind albums by this artist, Italian bassist Riccardo Del FraFind albums by this artist, drummers British Steve ArguellesFind albums by this artist and French Christophe MarguetFind albums by this artist, and finally the Maestro Wheeler himself on trumpet. The music is absolutely delightful from start to finish, which is hardly surprising, and showcases a lesser known facet of Wheeler’s work as a composer of songs, rather than instrumental music. The album is completely unknown to most Wheeler followers and does not appear in Wheeler’s discographies (and Norma Winstone’s discographies as well), which I am familiar with. I stumbled upon it quite accidentally and thanks God I did, as it is an outright marvel. Of course the Wheeler’s compositions are all wonderful, but the vocal interpretations by Peala are also brilliant, as is the instrumental work by all participants. Wheeler plays on ten tracks, as usual stunningly, including some overdubbed duets with himself. Del Fra’s superb bass playing is second to none and Angelini proves to be a highly sensitive accompanist. In short, this is a breathtaking album in every respect, and the fact that I was not aware of it is a travesty, now finally amended. And yes, there is the French accent (all the lyrics are in English), which normally could be an issue, bus somehow in this case this is a charming effect to the whole affair. Overall, this is a sublime album of modern vocal Jazz, beautifully sung and played by the Master musicians, and an important, albeit almost completely hidden, part of Wheeler’s recorded legacy. Of course it is a must for every Wheeler’s records collector, which probably is not that easy to find by now. A truly delightful, heart melting piece of music!

Updated: 14/08/2024Posted: 14/08/2024

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JOHN RUOCCO ~ AM I ASKING TOO MUCH? PIROUET 3029 (Barcode: 4260041180291) ~ USA ~ Jazz Recorded: 2006 Released: 2008 This is a beautiful and criminally obscure album by American (resident in Netherlands) clarinetists / composer John RuoccoFind albums by this artist recorded in a trio setting with British pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist and Italian (resident in France) bassist Riccardo Del FraFind albums by this artist. The album presents six original compositions, all by Ruocco and offers excellent sound quality. The music is beautifully melodic modern mainstream Jazz, masterly put together and although seemingly delicate and fragile, offers depth and sophistication, especially when the music moves into open form improvisation. The intimate trio setting and acoustic sound enables the listener to clearly hear all the nuances and intricacies crested by the players during their collective performances. The trio lineup is ideal for the music at hand; both Taylor and Del Fran are exquisite performers, known for their ability to adapt to any musical environment and create telepathic conversations with the other players. Although most of the soloing is performed by Ruocco, the album offers plenty of opportunities to hear sublime piano soloing in addition to Taylor´s playing behind the clarinet, as usual in perfect harmony and with great taste. Del Fra is beautifully melodic and mellow, exactly with accordance to what the mood dictates, but his pulsations are perfectly timed and serve as the rhythmic timeline, especially important in this drumless environment. Overall the album offers refined European Jazz aesthetics and an unpretentious, but powerful statement of "less is more", which holds the listener captive for the duration and leaves him lingering for more when the music is over. Ruocco´s recorded legacy is relatively limited and this album is definitely a gem worth investigating. Taylor´s many connoisseurs, most of which are probably not aware of this album´s existence, should find this an essential piece in their collection. Wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 06/10/2020Posted: 06/10/2020

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend

TAYLOR / WHEELER / DEL FRA ~ OVERNIGHT SKETCH 333022 (Barcode: 3700079700180) ~ UK ~ Jazz Recorded: 2001 Released: 2002 This is a wonderful and sadly little know album by a trio comprising of the British Jazz Masters, pianist John TaylorFind albums by this artist and trumpeter Kenny WheelerFind albums by this artist and veteran Italian (resident in Paris) bassist Riccardo Del FraFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, five by Wheeler, four by Taylor and two by Del Fra. The music (recorded in 2001) is sublimely lyrical and melodic, intimate and delicate, but fascinating from start to finish. In many respects it represents the last phase in the extensive creative lives of Taylor (who died in 2015) and Wheeler (who died in 2014) and reflects their decades long musical cooperation. Del Fra is an ideal partner for this intimate setting, with his superb technique and European sensitivities. All but three compositions present here do not appear on any other recordings, which makes this album even more unique. Well settled in their ways and majestically mature, Taylor and Wheeler bounce around single notes and phrases, like acrobats, obviously feeling happy about the emerging music. Del Fra provides a steady, yet virtuosic plane upon which the melodic content is free to move ahead, in perfect harmony. The trio´s approach is closer to "love making" with the music than consciously making an effort to articulate the notes, which is a delightful process. Overall this is an absolute gem of an album, which deserves a proud place in any serious European / British Jazz collection and is an essential must have for Taylor and Wheeler connoisseurs. Not easy to find these days but absolutely wholeheartedly recommended!

Updated: 19/03/2019Posted: 19/03/2019

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend