Fabio Zeppetella - Chansons! [e Canzoni] - Via Veneto Jazz and Jando Music

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

The editorial offices of JazzProfiles has recently received a number of new and forthcoming recordings and we’d like to share some information with you about certain of these that we have found particularly appealing.

The Italian word for songs is “Canzoni” and it seems fitting that it so closely resembles that of the French word for songs - “Chansons!” because of the geographical proximity of Italy and France and because the two countries share a quest for beauty in all aspects of Arts and Letters in the broadest sense of those terms.

This French-Italian cultural and artistic affinity is on display in Chansons! Guitarist Fabio Zeppetella’s latest CD for Via Veneto Jazz and Jando music [VVJ 113] on which he is joined by his countryman Roberto Gatto on drums and two, excellent French Jazz musicians: Emmanuel Bex on organ and voice and Géraldine Laurent alto sax.

There is a further meshing of en Francais and Italiano in the eleven song selections that make up this album as six are by Italian composers while the remaining five feature tunes penned by French songwriters.

The press release that accompanied Chansons! It as “a musical conception similar to a diplomatic treaty or melodious embrace between cousins. Essentially, it’s an innovative exchange between two neighboring worlds that have always eyed and inspired one other with reciprocal curiosity. Italy and France unite as allies on the musical front, gathering on the field four extraordinary talents: Fabio Zeppetella, Roberto Gatto, Géraldine Laurent and Emmanuel Bex.

The group employs a variety of musical devices to keep the music based on these familiar melodies interesting. For example:

This original quartet uniquely interprets eleven songs that best reflect the musical tradition of singer-songwriters belonging to these two countries. Starting from the highly popular jazz composer Bruno Martino, passing through the ever-present De André and De Gregori and arriving to Pino Daniele, another milestone; on the French scene are idols such as Jacques Brel, Leo Ferré, Yves Montand and Joe Dassin.”

The quartet’s interpretation is extraordinary and the songs in “Chansons!” enchant from beginning to end. While the harmonious complicity of Gatto, Bex and Zeppetella is a well-known fact, the musical fluency added by the involvement of Laurent is unexpected, further enriching this innovative project.”

The music on Chansons! [VVJ 113] is Jazz but played in a manner that compliments a basic facet of the music historically: its receptiveness to a variety of influences. In this case, Zeppetella and company infuse Jazz with a variety of French and Italian popular tunes which they alter melodically, harmonically and rhythmically.

For example, on Track one - E la chiamano estate - opens as a slow tempo rhumba with a rock ‘n roll backbeat which is understated because of Roberto Gatto’s uses of brushes to establish this pulse.

Bocca di rosa Gatto plays a 6/8 triplet figure behind Géraldine Laurent’s improvised introduction before she states the melody in unison with Zeppetella which launches a magnificent Bex organ solo.

Fabio switches to acoustic guitar to frame the chords for Buonanotte fiorellino over which Géraldine plays a beautiful one chorus statement of the melody to create the ultimate lullaby.

With its Jazz-Rock fusion beat A me me piace o’ blues hits the ultimate groove that really locks the musicians into some inspired soloing.

This is followed by the startling contrast created by a church-like choir introduction to Napule è which is formed by a Bex voice-over organ effect that creates a sonority underpinning improvised statements by Laurent and Zeppetella.

My favorite is a Latin Jazz version of Luna Rossa which you can check out on the video that closes this review along with an audiofile only version of Bocca di rosa.

Chansons!

(VVJ 113– barcode 8013358201137)

Fabio Zeppetella | guitar

Emmanuel Bex | organ and voice

Géraldine Laurent | sax alto

Roberto Gatto | drums

The full track list is as follows:

01 -  E la chiamano estate (Bruno Martino)

02 -  Bocca di rosa (Fabrizio De André)

03 -  Buonanotte fiorellino (Francesco De Gregori)

04 -  A me me piace o’ blues (Pino Daniele)

05 -  Napule è (Pino Daniele)

06 -  Luna Rossa (V. De Crescenzo-A. Vian)

07 -  Avec le temp (Leo Ferré)

08 -  C’est si bon (Henri Betti-André Hornez)

09 -  L’été indien (Joe Dassin)

10 -  Les temps des cerises (J.B. Clément-A. Renard)

11 -  Le bon dieu (Jacques Brel)

Chansons! (VVJ 113) is available through www.viavenetojazz.it, Amazon.com or www.forcedexpsoure.com

Rewinding with Max, Alberto and Frits

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

Rewind is a co-release from Via Veneto Jazz and Jando Music. Italian saxophonist Max Ionata is among the leading players in the contemporary jazz scene and released his thirteenth album Rewind; his fourth recording produced by Via Veneto Jazz. With Rewind Max Ionata marks a turning point and repositions himself at the head of an entirely different ensemble: a Hammond trio. The group features an exceptional array of talents, comprised of master musicians of international stature with whom he established a remarkable synergy during numerous concerts in the past few years; namely the organist Alberto Gurrisi and the premier Dutch drummer Frits Landesbergen - also considered one of the best vibraphonists in Europe. This album truly represents a rewind - a transition veering from his traditional path - where Ionata starts anew with an abundance of creativity and bold stylistic innovations. An energetic swerve following an intense artistic career during which Max Ionata performed both as leader and as a special guest at international jazz festivals and clubs, collaborating with the greatest musicians in the world. The album contains two jazz standards, one song composed by Frits Landesbergen and arranged by Max Ionata, and six original by Ionata.

Of the nine songs in the album, six are autobiographical: "Drum" is a tribute to the great Italian trumpeter Marco Tamburini, with whom Max shared key moments in his musical career; "Bob's Mood" is inspired by Bob Mintzer and his unique style of composing; "Mr G.T." (with Amedeo Ariano at the drums and Frits Landesbergen on the vibraphone) is dedicated to his friend and colleague Gege' Telesforo, who inspired Max with his unique way of experiencing the stage and with his passion for funk. "North Sea" is a ballad, played on the soprano sax, enthused by the coastal landscapes; "Sunflower" stems from the effect of the intense colors of Van Gogh's sunflowers. Antonio Carlos Jobim's pulsing and rhythmic "Chovendo Na Roseira" and George Coleman's "Amsterdam After Dark" are a few featured covers. "At Vic's" is written by Frits Landebergen and dedicated to one of the greatest musicians in jazz, Victor Feldman.

http://www.forcedexposure.com/Artists/IONATA.MAX.html

The editorial staff tries hard [sometimes, perhaps too hard?] to find catchy titles for its blog postings.

This one gets it name from Rewind  (VVJ 109) the title of a soon-to-be-released CD by one of our favorite Italian Jazz saxophonists - Max Ionata -  on which he is joined by Frits Landesbergen the Dutch drummer and vibraphonist and Hammond Organist Alberto Gurrisi. This is his fourth recording produced by Jando Music | Via Veneto Jazz.

As is the case with his previous recordings, with Max, the swing is the thing.

Max uses a number of sophisticated devices to keep the set fresh for the listener including a variety of tempos, song structures and rhythmic devices such as playing the initial choruses in 2/4 before switching to 4/4 to really propel things forward on the solos they take on At Vic's.

Nobody “teaches” you this stuff. You’ve got to have “big ears,” listen closely and know how to apply what you are picking up on.

Max is a monster tenor player: technique to spare; a big, bossy, blustery tenor tone; a sense of swing reminiscent of the great “big horn” players of the past.

Ionata is so hard to classify, that once I stopped trying, I recognized him for who he is - a true original on the instrument with his own voice and his own style of improvisation. You’ve heard it all before and yet you haven’t. He is unique and he impresses with each and every song rendering and improvised solo.

If Max is reminiscent of anyone with his hard-charging, finger-poppin’, and full-bodied sound, the late Dexter Gordon’s name comes to mind. But Max puts things together using modern harmonies in a completely different manner than Dex. He has very much become his own man on his instrument. Respectful of the tradition, but still charging ahead to put his own stamp on it.

I had written about Frits - a dynamite Jazz vibraphonist, drummer and percussionist - previously when I posted a review of his Dynavibes Mons CD [MR 874-794] to the blog. Joining Frits on that recording are Larry Fuller, piano, Lynn Seaton, bass and Jeff Hamilton on drums.

Born in Voorschoten in 1961, Frits, whose father is an amateur guitarist and bassist, became interested in jazz around the age of 12 and, at 14, decided to become a professional musician. He studied at Amsterdam Conservatory, graduated in 1985, having studied tympani, classical snare drum, vibraphone and marimba, and began working extensively in Holland both as a drummer and vibraphonist. He also developed his skills as a composer and arranger.

Says Frits. "I enjoy having the possibility to work both as a drummer and as a vibraphonist because in the one case you are primarily an accompanist, giving support to the soloists and helping to keep things swinging and in the other case you are a soloist and have the opportunity to express your musical ideas and personality."

His musical associates over the years have included Rita Keys, Pirn Jacobs, the Rosenberg Trio, Madeline Bell and Louis van Dijk. He has also performed with Georgie Fame, Milt Jackson, Toots Thielemans, Eddie Daniels, Scott Hamilton, Barney Kessel, Joe Pass and Buddy de Franco, among others, and has appeared with the London Symphony Orchestra, the WDR Big Band and the Metropole Orchestra.

His performance with Milt Jackson was for a television show, and Frits recalls: "It was very exciting to be able to play and talk with Milt for three days in a row. That's a memory I'll treasure."

Rewind was presented “live” with an Italian tour that kicks off on May 10 in Rome, at the BeBop Jazz Club, and will then play dates in several cities including Pescara (Friday, May 13 at the Conservatory Auditorium “Luisa D’Annunzio”) and Milan, Sunday May 15 at the Blue Note.

Here are excerpts from the Via Vento Jazz/Jano Music press release:

“With  “rewind”  Max Ionata marks a turning point and repositions himself at the head of an entirely different ensemble: a Hammond Organ trio. The group features an exceptional array of talents, comprised of master musicians of international stature with whom he established a remarkable synergy during the numerous concerts in the past few years; namely the organist Alberto Gurrisi and the premier Dutch drummer Frits Landesbergen - also considered one of the best vibraphonists in Europe.

This album truly represents a “rewind” - a transition veering from his traditional path - where Ionata starts anew with an abundance of creativity and bold stylistic innovations.  An energetic change-of-direction following the intense early years of an artistic career during which Max Ionata performed both as leader and as special guest at the world’s most important jazz festivals and clubs, collaborating with the greatest musicians in the world.

 

The album contains two jazz standards, one song composed by Frits Landesbergen and arranged by Max Ionata, and six original songs Ionata composed at the piano in August 2015, at his house in Abruzzo. Max has reached a time during which he is intensifying his musical research, starting with his great passion for American jazz, particularly modern hard bop, and unveiling new layers of that musical genius and intuitive melodic sense that distinguishes his music.”  

Order information about the new CD can be located by going here. It is also available as an audio CD from www.amazon.com

Other websites that contain information about the principals involved in Rewind are http://www.maxionata.com/ www.jandomusic.com and www.viavenetojazz.it

The following video features the group on Frits At Vic’s as arranged by Max Ionata.