Mickey Finn | Dudek! | El Gallo Rojo Records

Music in its purest state. Improvisation intended as a method of instant collective composition. Sonorous symbols which are as bare and essential as Zen aphorisms are dropped onto hypnotic and feverish pulsations. Gashes of a new psychedelia, with a visual valence that is cinematographic. Dilutions of sound meet with a killer instinct for proportions and colours. Displacements in real time, guided only by sparse but very distinct micro-thematic reference points. Enrico Terragnoli’s guitar is a box of sounds with unlimited secret compartments. Giorgio Pacorig’s Rhodes distances itself from the limits of its own tradition. Danilo Gallo’s bass meanders darkly around the gut and Zeno De Rossi’s drumming here is absolutely unbeatable. — Giorgio Signoretti Continue reading

Franco D’Andrea Quartet | Sorapis | El Gallo Rojo Records

Newly awarded as European jazz musician of the year from the Franch Jazz Academy, Franco D’Andrea carries on his fellowship with El Gallo Rojo with this second work. He surprises us giving up to that live dimension that he and his quartet accustomed us to: Sorapis is a studio recording. The listeners may be reassured: the freshness of their approach and the intensity of their performance are untouched. The stretched gait of the stream of consciousness that connects, often as medleys, original compositions and tunes coming from the jazz tradition is also intact. The more concise forms and the clearness of the sonic layers give us the meaning of the passage under the magnifying lens of the recording studio: D’Andrea is once again a poet of the synthesis. — Francesco Bigoni Continue reading

Zeno de Rossi Shtik | The Manne I Love! Vol.1 & 2 | El Gallo Rojo Records

De Rossi’s take on Manne is reminiscent of John Zorn’s tribute to Ennio Morricone on The Big Gundown (Nonesuch, 1986), where the Downtown saxophonist/composer combined various musicians to salute the spirit of the noted film composer. Like Zorn, De Rossi chooses not to adhere to strict covers remakes, employing Daniele D’Agaro and Francesco Bigoni, on his cover of Sonny Rollins’ trio session, Way Out West (OJC, 1957), as a two-tenor saxophone conversation, under which he applies his deft beats. Throughout the set, De Rossi’s passionate playing is the constant—like Manne, always swinging and tasteful. […] Throughout, De Rossi delivers a drum clinic. Accenting, driving, and swinging the tribute, he makes you want to dig in, dig? — Mark Corroto, All About Jazz – 21.12.2010 Continue reading

Giovanni Maier | featuring Marc Ribot and a Turtle Soup | Long Song Records

Featuring Marc Ribot + A Turtle Soup is an ambitious double cd containing two sessions by the new quartet led by Giovanni Maier, “Technicolor”. Giovanni Maier is a skilled and critically acclaimed double bass player. His style is strong and intense, his attack on strings thunderous and precise. Among his many prestigious collaborations over the years: the famous “Italian Instabile Orchestra” and Enrico Rava (most famous Italian jazzman) Electric Quintet. Giovanni has just been voted “best Italian bass player” in the prestigious “Musica Jazz” magazine 2007 year’s end poll. With Technicolor Maier switches to electric bass, with a particular line-up with two electric keyboards (keyboards wizards Alfonso Santimone and Giorgio Pacorig) plus rhythm section (Maier plus drums rising star Zeno De Rossi). Continue reading

Simone Massaron feat. Carla Bozulich | Dandelions On Fire | Long Song Records

I couldn’t help but feel that the material presented by Massaron’s Dandelions on Fire would be at home on any of the Tom Waits’ albums from the past decade. I couldn’t find any direct correlation from Massaron to Waits through background digging, and that’s what makes this album even better. It bears the almost unmistakable variances of an extremely seasoned veteran, yet makes no apologies when it comes to claiming its individuality. This is one uniquely diverse collection that’s sure to satiate any fan of Mr. Waits or Nels Cline, but would likely also be in frequent rotation of any dedicated Carla Bozulich fan. — songfrontiers Continue reading