Domenico Sanna and Alfonso Deidda - Two More from Via Veneto Jazz and Jando Music

© -  Steven A. Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.

The editorial staff at JazzProfiles closes its week-long visit with the latest releases by Via Veneto Jazz as co-produced by Jando Music by bringing to your attention the music of two musicians who are part of the current Italian Jazz scene: pianist Domenico Sanna and multi-reed player Alfonso Deidda.

The first of these is Brooklyn Beat [VVJ 095] and it features the piano and Fender Rhodes artistry of Domenico Sanna with bassist Ameen Saleem and drummer Dana Hawkins. The CD offers ten [10] tracks all of which are Sanna originals except Jaki Byard’s D.D.J.L. and an evergreen from the Great American Songbook - Body and Soul.

Although this is only the second CD under his own name, Sanna is a seasoned musician having performed with Dave Liebman, Rick Margitza, Jeff Ballard, Larry Grenadier, Steve Grossman, Scott Coley, Joe Lovano, Peter Bernstein, Roberto Gatto, Stefano Di Battista, Flavio Boltro, Maurizio Giammarco, Dario Deidda.

Jaki Byard is a great starting point in describing Domenico’s style although one could also reference Paul Bley, Herbie Nichols, Andrew Hill and even, a somewhat contained, Cecil Taylor.

Sanna plays in a deeply linear manner and the path for his musical logic is rooted in harmonic substitutions. He evokes moods and pulses and atmospheres. He music can swing in a strictly metronomic sense, but that’s not the effect he is trying to achieve. He wants to explore new directions and, in this regard, his originals become points of departure for new and different excursions into melody, harmony and rhythm.

The net effect is to create, along with the very capable assistance of bassist Saleem and drummer Hawkins, a new sonority or texture for the piano-bass-drums Jazz trio. The sound is one that could be labeled a Jazz noir, but without recourse to or heavy emphasis on the blues.

Domenico Sanna’s is an original voice, but as yet, not an easily identifiable one nor one that is fully matured in a Jazz sense. It will be interesting to hear where he takes all of this in terms of future recordings.

The following audio track showcases the Domenico Sanna trio on Jaki Byard’s D.D.L.J.

The contemporary tone of the music set in Domenico Sanna’s Brooklyn Beat continues in Alfonso Deidda’s Lucky Man [VVJ 097].

Deidda plays all the saxes as well as bass clarinet and on his premier recording for Via Vento Jazz and Jando Music on which he is joined by the stellar trumpet player Fabrizio Bosso, Julian O. Mazzariello on piano, Dario Deidda on bass and Alessandro Paternesi on drums.

Here again the program is made up of ten [10] tracks but this time they are all original compositions as penned by Alfonso.

Deidda style, particularly on tenor sax, brings to mind Sam Rivers, Wayne Shorter and George Coleman and his writing is very straightforward which allows for a great deal of interplay with the other instruments.

Modes, unusual time signatures, quasi-Rock beats, repetitive vamps, and uncommon harmonies notwithstanding, Alfonso’s music has a sensitive and expressive quality to it that keeps the listener engaged.

The musicianship throughout is first rate and the solos by each member of the quintet are all artfully constructed and interesting to follow; they have a narrative nature about them, albeit an abstract one.

You can sample all of these aspects of Alfonso Deidda’s music on the following audio track that features his original composition Arahuacos from Lucky Man [VVJ 097]. The tune is in 5/4 which you can count as a straight 1-2-3-4-5 or as 1-2-3, 1-2; 1-2-3, 1-3 [one bar of ¾ and one bar of 2/2].

More information about Via Veneto Jazz can be found on its website - http://www.viavenetojazz.it/index.html. Via Veneto Jazz’s latest releases can be acquired through www.forcedexposure.com. You can also find its music at Amazon.com both as CD’s and Mp3 downloads and through Marco Valente’s online retail source - www.jazzos.com.