Roberto Gatto - My Secret Place - Via Veneto Jazz - VVJ 138

 © Copyright ® Steven Cerra, copyright protected; all rights reserved.

Internationally, Roberto Gatto is undoubtedly Italy’s best-known drummer. Born in Rome in 1958, he made his professional debut at the age of 17 with the Trio di Roma (with Danilo Rea and Enzo Pietropaoli). He has performed throughout Europe and internationally with his own groups and in collaboration with other artists. 

According to the Istituto Italiano di Cultura based in San Francisco, CA: “His sound, and the groups under his name, are characterized by refined technique and timbre, as well as a warmth that is distinctive to Mediterranean culture.”

Put in Jazz terms, Roberto is a hard-driving, straight-ahead drummer reminiscent of Philly Joe Jones with overtures of Tony Williams and Elvin Jones to round out his style. Nice company 

His has worked with many of the world’s leading artists, including Chet Baker, Freddy Hubbard, Lester Bowie, Gato Barbieri, Kenny Wheeler, Randy Brecker, Enrico Rava, Ivan Lins, Vince Mendoza, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Joey Calderazzo, Bob Berg, Steve Lacy, Johnny Griffin, George Coleman, Dave Liebman, Phil Woods, James Moody, Steve Grossman, Lee Konitz, Barney Wilen, Ronnie Cuber, Sal Nistico, Michael Brecker, Jed Levy, George Garzone, Tony Scott, Paul Jeffrey, Bill Smith, Joe Lovano, Curtis Fuller, Kay Winding, Albert Mangeldorff, Cedar Walton, Tommy Flanagan, Kenny Kirkland, Stefano Bollani, Mal Waldron, Ben Sidran, Enrico Pieranunzi, Dave Kikoski, Franco D’Andrea, John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Billy Cobham, Bobby Hutcherson, Didier Lockwood, Richard Galliano, Christian Escoudè, Joe Zawinul, Biréli Lagrène, Palle Danielsonn, Scott Colley, Eddie Gomez, Giovanni Tommaso, Paolo Damiani, Emmanuel Bex, Pat Metheny, Adam Rogers, Rita Marcotulli, Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen, Mark Turner, Lew Tabackin, Chris Potter, Mike Moreno, and Dado Moroni.

As a leader, he has recorded many albums, including Notes, Ask, Luna, Jungle Three, Improvvisi, Sing Sing Sing, Roberto Gatto plays Rugantino, Deep, Traps, Gatto - Stefano Bollani Gershwin and more, A Tribute to Miles Davis Quintet, Omaggio al Progressive, The Music Next Door, Roberto Gatto Lysergic Band, Remembering Shelly Vols. I and II.

He has also composed film music, collaborating with Maurizio Giammarco on the soundtrack for Nudo di donnai, directed by Nino Manfredi, and with Battista Lena on the soundtracks for the films Mignon è partita, Verso sera and Il grande cocomero, all directed by Francesca Archibugi.

An accomplished teacher, Gatto made two instructional videos, Batteria vol. 1 e 2. He was the artistic director of the Jazz in progress project at Teatro dell’Angelo in Rome. For over twelve years he taught drums and ensemble music at the Siena Jazz Seminars. He attended Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome and the Conservatory in L’Aquila. He holds the chair of jazz drums at Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome.

Roberto has a new audi CD coming out on August 20, 2021 on Via Veneto Jazz [VVJ-138] entitled My Secret Place. As is always the case with its new releases, the label works in conjunction with Jando Music.

“This album represents the will and the desire to start living again a life that would allow us to take back the spaces we have had to leave, reopening the drawers where we had left the projects, ideas, events that struck us, that we have memorized and that as musicians we translate into music, transforming them into unique pieces. In particular the song EVERYDAY LIFE, a song that I casually listened to on the radio while I was in a shop, I recognized the group Coldplay right away but not the title. I immediately thought that I would like to make a jazz version of it for my new record and entrust it to my daughter's voice [Beatrice Gatto sings it on the new CD]. I am very happy with the result and I definitely consider it one of the best songs on this album.”  - Roberto Gatto

Musicians 

Gatto, Roberto drums 

Bortone, Matteo double bass

Lanzoni, Alessandro piano 

Presti, Alessandro trumpet 

Guest Musicians 

Beatrice Gatto vocals on tracks #1, 4 and 7 

Molinari, Andrea electric guitar on tracks #1 and 4

The music has a beautifully sound quality; very clean, very crisp with a light airy feeling throughout.

On Gee See, Beatrice’s voice is integrated both in unison and in harmony with guitar and piano to create a joyous sensibility that underscores all of the music on this album. It’s performed in  ¾ time with Andrea Molinari’s guitar adding an interesting sonority to the tune.

Rambler is a feature for Allesandro Presti whose sound on trumpet continues the happy and free mood of the music and it along with Gee See are the only tunes on the album played in an uptempo meter.

Everyday Life and the Jazz Standard The Meaning of the Blues are features for Beatrice whose vibratoless voice is alluring. She sings with authority, especially for one so young, and manages to keep a quiet swing in place which is only fitting as the daughter of a drummer. Although it is not stipulated on the credits, Everyday Life features synthesizers that create a haunting dimension to this hit song by the rock group Coldplay.

My Secret Place, Satie’s Mood and Nebrodi are all tone poems with melodies that create moods and evoke feelings.

Mad Bog offers a nice contrast to the more reflective tunes on the album as it provides an opportunity to hear the group try their hand at a medium tempo swinger.

The closing track - Se Non Avessi Più Te [If I Didn’t Have You Anymore] - returns the listener to the slower paced, introspective music that is a hallmark of My Secret Place. It, too, features the beautiful, burnished tone of trumpeter Alessandro Presti, whose work on this recording is arrestingly engaging.

Pianist Alessandro Lanzoni is the key musician in the sense that he integrates and “orchestrates” the sound of the group with his deft touch on the keyboard and his “presence” throughout the music.  

Roberto and Matteo Bortone come together to form a strong pulse, but one that doesn’t overshadow the music.

It would seem that when you open the door to Roberto Gatto’s “secret place” what greets you is the sound of warm music made with lilting melodies, gentle rhythms and exquisite musicianship on the part of all concerned. The music envelops you and creates a sense of security and contentment.

Perhaps Roberto’s “secret place” is a euphemism for - “la casa” or “le abitazione” or “la dimore” - in other words, “home.”

DEBUT - Julian Oliver Mazzariello

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

Julian mostra un tocco leggero e un fraseggio con note tratteggiate; è molto bravo nel dispiegare lunghe e liriche imitazioni. Il modo di suonare di Julian non è forzato, scorre. Lui sa dove vuole andare nei suoi assoli e lui arriva lì in un modo che è pieno di colpi di scena interessanti.

Julian è un abile musicista, ma non sta cercando di impressionarti con la sua tecnica, anzi, è più interessato a fare musica. Il suo tono e il tocco creano una chiarezza cristallina al suono che induce dal pianoforte.

La redazione di JazzProfiles.

When Matteo Pagano, the owner-operator of Via Veneto Jazz, sent me a preview copy of the latest CD by pianist Julian Oliver Mazzariello, I was somewhat baffled by its title - DEBUT (Jando Music/ Via Veneto VVJ 125 – 8013358201250).,

I mean, wasn’t this the same Julian O. Mazzariello that I’d heard on recordings by tenor saxophonist Daniele Scannapieco, trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso, trombonist Enzo Pietropaoli and his Yatra band, soprano and alto saxophonist Stefano Di Battista, singer and songwriters Edoardo De Crescenzo and Fabio Concato and Jazz vocalist Maria Pia de Vito?

Much to my surprise, it turns out that the answer to the “Debut” riddle is that this is the first recording that Julian has made as a leader.

The Jando Music/Via Veneto Jazz media release approaches the puzzle and its resolution this way:

“How many albums do you have of Julian Oliver Mazzariello? Think about it. It’ll probably be difficult for you to answer. Perhaps you won’t be able to recall the precise number, but there’s definitely at least one in your music collection. What’s more, that elegant touch of his on the piano is unmistakable, instantly recognizable, not to mention his remarkable Anglo- Neapolitan name.

But the truth is you haven’t got any of Julian’s albums. That’s because, although Julian has performed in the bands of many of his colleagues, he remained undecided as to whether to step into the role of band leader until Debut.”

I for one am delighted that Julian Oliver Mazzariello decided to make this maiden voyage CD on which he is joined by André Ceccarelli Drums and Rémy Vignolo on Double Bass because I find it especially satisfying to hear more of his playing as the lead voice instead of his more accustomed role as an accompanist.

As the The Jando Music/Via Veneto Jazz media release expresses it:

“So, finally we have the chance and opportunity to listen to Mazzariello in all his creative flair and compositional dynamism: groove, swing, refined technique; along a path of differing styles which he approaches with heightened awareness.”

Julian displays a light touch and a dotted eighth note phrasing that is very reminiscent of Cedar Walton and, like Cedar, he is very good at unfolding long, lyrical lines. Julian’s playing is not forced - it flows. He knows where he wants to go in his solos and he gets there in a manner that’s full of interesting twists and turns.

Julian is a skilled player, but he’s not trying to impress you with his technique, rather, he is more interested in using his considerable “chops” to make music. His tone and touch create a crystal clarity to the sound he induces from the piano.

Julian’s improvisations reflect a taste, phrasing and use of his technique that brings to mind the styles of Hank Jones, Tommy Flanagan, and Kenny Barron from the modernist tradition and, more recently, the approaches of Alan Broadbent, David Hazeltine, and Kenny Drew, Jr.

As he displays on Funky Chunks, Julian can get down ala Bobby Timmons, Wynton Kelly, and Joe Zawinul and play a mean groove, and yet, he’s equally at home with the introspective harmonies of Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner as is reflected on Dream Cycling [to my ears, there’s also a bit of Michel Petrucciani’s phrasing to be heard in the “tag” on this piece].

The nine selections that make up the music on Debut also provide a look at the compositional side of Julian O. Mazzariello and it’s a very rewarding one at that as he turns out to be a writer of intriguing melodies.

As always, drummer André Ceccarelli is his “Old Soul” self throughout the recording, wisely knowing what to play to keep the heartbeat of the music full of energy while also knowing how not to overplay. And in bassist Rémy Vignolo, Julian has found a companion who beautifully frames the chords, plays unison lines flawlessly and solos with authority .

On this their first musical trip together, Julian, André and Rémy Vignolo masterfully guide the listener through a voyage of discovery.

One can only hope that such sojourns will continue beyond this remarkable Debut.

Debut will be released on 14 December 2018 and you can preorder it through Forced Exposure by going here.

Cinema Italia

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

Matteo Pagano at Via Veneto Jazz and his associates at Jando Music are releasing Cinema Italia [VVJ 110] on October 28, 2016, It will be available as an audio CD through Forced Exposure via this link and from Amazon as a pre-order.

Cinema Italia features Rosario Giuliani | alto & soprano sax, Luciano Biondini | accordion, Enzo Pietropaoli | doublebass, Michele Rabbia drums on drums, percussions, and electronics.

While themes from movies are quite common as platforms for Jazz recordings, groups fronted by woodwinds and accordion are an unusual combination in the music.

I think this may be due to the fact that the sound of the accordion has never caught on with Jazz fans, although some marvelous musicians have played the instrument over the years including Art van Damme, Mat Mathews, Ernie Felice, Angelo DiPippo, Frank Marocco, Leon Sash, Joe Mooney, Russ Messina, among many others. Of course, today, Richard Galliano and Gary Versace are two masterful players on an instrument that I think deserves a greater appreciation.

For a full listing with annotations of Jazz accordionist please use this link.

Aside from Art van Damme whom I first heard fronting his George Shearing-like quintet on NBC radio in the 1950’s, the Jazz accordionist who made the greatest impression on me was Tommy Gumina.

My first introduction to Tommy’s imposing accordion playing was while watching an episode of The Stars of Jazz television which was syndicated on the ABC network in the late 1950’s.

Actually, I tuned in to view clarinetist “Buddy DeFranco’s Quartet” not realizing at the time that he was sharing a co-billing as “The Buddy DeFranco Tommy Gumina” Quartet.” The artistry of DeFranco in combination with Tommy Gumina just knocked me out and I became an instant fan of both the group and of Gumina’s work on the accordion. Tommy gave the instrument sonorities that were rarely heard in Jazz until much later with the development and use of synthesizers in the music.

From 1961-1964, my good friend, the late Jack Tracy, produced four LP’s for Mercury Records featuring Buddy and Tommy’s group and they have remained among my favorite recordings through the years, especially when I wish to listen to the rarely heard musical textures produced by a combination of [Buddy’s] clarinet and [Tommy’s] accordion.

Imagine my surprise then when Matteo Pagano sent me a preview copy of Cinema Italia [VVJ 110] featuring a woodwind player, in this instance, soprano and alto saxophone player Rosario Giuliani and accordionist Luciano Biondini exquisitely linked through their beautiful renditions of some of the most famous musical themes in Italian Cinema.

Put another way, the music of Nino Rota and Ennio Morricone has never been so sensitively rendered in a Jazz environment. While we were not fortunate to hear DeFranco and Gumina perform Hank Mancini and Carmine Coppola, we can listen to Giuliani and Biondini interpret Morricone’s Nuovo Cinema Paradiso Rota’s haunting Theme from La Dolce Vita along with seven other tracks ably supported by Enzo Pietropaoli on bass and Michele Rabbia on drums, percussion and special effects.

Here’s more about the forthcoming CD from the press release that accompanied the preview copy of Cinema Italia [VVJ 110].

“What would film be without music?

Music conveys all that which images cannot.

The importance of a soundtrack can sometimes even transcend that of images and stories, and great directors often build the entire structure of their masterpiece around a score - the themes in this Cinema Italia are evidence of the viability of this approach.

There have been numerous masterpieces in Italian cinema that have influenced filmmakers around the world and Italy continues to distinguish itself in this art.

The Cinema Italia project is a tribute to the greatness of Italian cinema and its tradition of excellence has contributed to raising global awareness of Italy’s culture.

Equally distinct is the cast of musicians in this album: Rosario Giuliani on sax, Luciano Biondini on the accordion, Enzo Pietropaoli on the double bass and Michele Rabbia on acoustic and electronic drums.

This quartet employs a contemporary music point-of-view in rendering these cinematic refrains, but one which never betrays the melodies of these unforgettable themes.

Giuliani, Biondini, Pietropaoli and Rabbia strive to give these cinematic themes a new force and vitality, demonstrating their immortality while constantly surprising the listener with fresh, innovative versions.

Unforgettable themes from unforgettable movies, as well as, two original tracks by Rosario Giuliani and Luciano Biondini (Bianco e Nero and What is there what is, all combine to confirm the narrative force of these two, incredible composers and four, masterful musicians.

Tracklist:

01 - La Strada (Nino Rota)          

02 – Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (Ennio Morricone)

03 - 8 e 1/2 (Nino Rota)

04 - Deborah's Theme (Ennio Morricone)

05 - Bianco e Nero (Rosario Giuliani)

06 - Impro-Romeo e Giulietta (L.Biondini – R.Giuliani/N. Rota)  

07 - What is There What is Not (Luciano Biondini)

08 - La Dolce Vita (Nino Rota)

09 - C'era una Volta il West (Ennio Morricone)     

You can sample the music on this forthcoming CD through the following audio-only version of Maestro Morricone’s theme from Nuovo Cinema Paradiso [Cinema Italia VVJ 110].

Enrico Pieranunzi - My Songbook

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

“When Chet decided that we should play a particular piece it was because at that moment he needed exactly that piece to express himself. For him each piece was a living thing he would return to again and again and whose features, whether happy or sad, he rediscovered every time. He knew the lyrics to almost all of the titles we played, the stories they contained, and in his performances he revived those stories. … His ear was extraordinary, as was his ability to force the audience into listening to what his trumpet and his voice had to say.”

– Enrico Pieranunzi, Jazz pianist, composer, arranger

If you substitute “Enrico” for “Chet” in the above quotation and “piano” in place of “trumpet,” Enrico Pieranunzi could have been writing about himself, especially the part about “... for him each piece was a living thing ….”

That’s the way Enrico feels about his music as though “ … each piece was a living thing he would return to again and again and whose features, whether happy or sad, he rediscovered every time.”

Born in Rome on December 5, 1949, Enrico Pieranunzi’s development as a Jazz artist has much in common with that of his contemporary, Michel Petrucciani, the late French, Jazz pianist [1962-1999]

Both began studying piano at an early age: Petrucciani at the age of four and Pieranunzi at the age of five; each urged on by fathers who were guitarists.  

Both were classically trained for many years and, as a consequence, developed a style of playing that fused classical technique with Jazz.

Early in their careers, each fell heavily under the spell of, and worked in the harmonic tradition of pianist Bill Evans, and each developed into pianists of considerable technical ability who matured out from under the weight of Evans’ influence to find their own voice.

Both Enrico and Michel performed with a whole host of Jazz luminaries during the formative and later stages of their careers: Petrucciani with the likes of Clark Terry, Charles Lloyd, Lee Konitz, Wayne Shorter, Jim Hall, Dave Holland, Tony Williams, Eddy Louiss, Stephane Grappelli while Pieranunzi has performed with, among others, Frank Rosolino, Sal Nistico, Kenny Clarke, Johnny Griffin, Chet Baker, Joey Baron, Art Farmer, Jim Hall, Marc Johnson, Lee Konitz, Phil Woods, Charlie Haden, Mads Vinding, Billy Higgins Chris Potter, and Kenny Wheeler.

Although both Pieranunzi and Petrucciani primarily favor the piano-bass-drums trio format, each has had their original compositions arranged for small group: Both Worlds, a sextet album that features Petrucciani’s works arranged by Bob Brookmeyer and Don’t Forget the Poet on which Pieranunzi arranged his own tunes for a quintet featuring Bert Joris on trumpet and flugelhorn and Stefano D’Anna on soprano and alto saxophones.

Pieranunzi issued his first LP in 1975. Since then, he has performed widely with his own group at European and American jazz festivals and in a variety of European Jazz clubs.

His recorded work falls basically into three categories:

[1] as accompanist with others such as Art Farmer, Chet Baker, & Phil Woods,

[2] as the leader of various piano-bass-drums-trio configurations and his own instrumental groups and in

[3] his solo piano recordings and his of recorded homages to Italian film composers.

Among pianists working in the harmonic tradition of the late Bill Evans, Enrico Pieranunzi has achieved a rare individuality, bringing an unrivaled sense of line and sheer sonority to the style.

Along with the advanced harmonic language, Pieranunzi belongs to what has been described as a native bel canto tradition that extends to classical pianists as brilliant as Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and Maurizio Pollini and film composers like Nino Rota and Enrico Morricone, both of whom he has performed with on a number of well-known Italian movies.

Enrico’s teaching experience, in jazz and in classical music, is also noteworthy. He has served as a full professor of piano at the “Conservatorio di Musica” in Frosinone. His latest CD is dedicated to the music of Domenico Scarlatti, which not surprisingly combines jazz improvisation with classical music.

Thankfully, given the scope of his talent, his discography is immense which affords us the opportunity to sample his beautiful approach to Jazz in a variety of contexts.

Lately, however, Enrico has been expanding his repertoire to include more emphasis on the human voice and you can hear Pieranunzi new avenue for Jazz expression on ENRICO PIERANUNZI  My Songbook with Simona Severini [Via Veneto Jazz VVJ-106 which was released in January 2016 by Jando Music|Via Veneto Jazz.

The Jando Music|Via Veneto Jazz press release for My Songbook states that Enrico Pieranunzi’s music on it would “... surely surprise his longtime fans. The renowned Italian pianist has worked wonders on this engaging album and reveals himself as an ingenious songwriter with a deft technique and a restless imagination.

The album contains eleven of Pieranunzi’s own compositions, music and lyrics, that flow effortlessly thanks to acclaimed vocalist Simona Severini, who exudes a wonderful sensibility and interplays well with her expressive voice.  Pieranunzi and Severini started collaborating in 2012, on the occasion of the tribute record to Lucio Dalla and have continued working together since then.

The compositions are artfully arranged by Pieranunzi, in different formations ranging from duo to sextet, with an astonishing range of expression that shows off the quality of the musicians involved, among Italy’s best-known jazz players (Luca Bulgarelli, Nicola Angelucci and two guests Rosario Giuliani and Francesco Lento).

My Songbook is a fascinating listening experience made possible by Enrico Pieranunzi masterful blending of instrumental and vocal Jazz.

See what you think as the following video features Enrico as joined by  Simona Severini, voice, Francesco Lento, trumpet, Rosario Giuliani, alto sax, Luca Bulgarelli, bass and Nicola Angelucci, drums performing Pieranunzi’s original composition - Night Bird.

The CD is available via Forced Exposure via this link and as an Mp3 download or audio CD through Amazon.com.

Recent Releases by Via Veneto Jazz and Jando Music

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

Matteo Pagano is the owner-operator of Via Veneto Jazz, a Jazz record label that began operations in 1993. He works very closely with the producers at Jando Music You can locate more information about their respective backgrounds by visiting their websites - http://www.viavenetojazz.it/index.html www.jandomusic.com  

Through the medium of compact discs, Matteo, along with his colleagues at Jando Music, helps bring the work of Italian Jazz musicians to a wider audience

For Jazz labels such as Via Veneto Jazz, which is based in Rome, Italy, distribution can be a real issue, but Matteo and Jando Music have taken a number of steps to make his recordings more widely available: their  latest releases can be acquired through
http://www.forcedexposure.com/Labels/VIA.VENETO.JAZZ.ITALY.html  you can also find his music at Amazon.com both as CD’s and Mp3 downloads and through Marco Valente online retail source - www.jazzos.com. With the Euro falling back to Earth in relation to the US dollar, buying CD’s from European retailers is not the pricey proposition it once was.

The editorial staff at JazzProfiles celebrated “Via Veneto Jazz Week” in March of 2015 by posting a series of reviews and audio files of that label’s latest releases. Here’s a follow-up highlighting CD’s they have issued during the second half of 2015.

Enzo Pietropaoli

Yatra Vol. 3

Via Veneto Jazz - VVJ-100

Enzo Pietropaoli| double bass

Fulvio Sigurtà| trumpet

Julian Mazzariello | piano

Alessandro Paternesi| drums

Bassist Enzo Pietropaoli Yatra Quartet’s  latest album Yatra Vol. 3 features more music by a quartet that was formed in 2011 to play a series of concerts in India. The name “Yatra” derives from the Hindu-Urdu word  meaning “journey.”   

The group’s two previous works have earned high praise:  "Yatra" was named by the JazzIt readers  as  "Best Album of 2011", Enzo Pietropaoli "Best Bassist of 2011" and  Fulvio Sigurtà "Best New Talent of 2011" for Musica Jazz and lastly, in 2013,  Yatra Quartet was voted by Musica Jazz  - Jazz Awards as "Best Italian Group of the Year".

Yatra Vol. 3  is based on a repertoire of ten pieces with five original tracks written by Pietropaoli and five tributes to old and new musical "experiences", specifically: Stevie Wonder, Janis Joplin, Tom Waits, Blur and a song co-written by Gianni Morandi and Daniel Bacalov.

Ameen Saleem

The Groove Lab

Via Veneto Jazz - VVJ-103

Ameen Saleem | electric bass - double bass

Cyrus Chestnut|piano - rhodes – wurlitzer - organ

(David Bryant on tour)

Jeremy Clemons | drums - percussions

(Gregory Hutchinson on tour)

Stacy Dillard | tenor and soprano sax

(Marcus Strickland on tour)

Roy Hargrove|trumpet - flugelhorn

(presence on tour to be confirmed)

Gregory Hutchinson|drums

Craig Magnano| guitar

Mavis Swan Poole| vocals

Ramona Dunlop | vocals

(Mavis Swan Poole on tour)

Ameen Saleem stands out as one of the most talented bassists on the international jazz scene, widely recognized for his passionate style and unique sound. Although grounded Mainly in Jazz (Ameen is a member of the Roy Hargrove Quintet and Roy Hargrove Big Band), his music cannot be strictly defined as pertaining to a particular genre but, rather, as a uniquely personal style that spans a vast musical geography.

"The Groove Lab" explores new sonic territory,  incorporating a broad range of sounds and influences that blend to form an eclectic musical palette; a sort of neo-soul, where jazz, soul and funk come together. Ameen embarks on this musical journey with a stellar cast of musicians, all of whom are characterized by a creative, individual and expressive musical talent, stretching out beyond the boundaries of jazz.

The band includes two female vocalists with varying approaches, trumpet and flugelhorn, tenor and soprano, different pianos (acoustic piano, Wurlitzer, Rhodes, organ), guitar, electric bass and double bass, two drummers, both remarkably talented and with unique styles. The richness of colours and instruments allow Ameen and The Grove Lab band to freely glide into funk beats and jazz vibes, bluesy solos and rock electric guitar solos, bound together by remarkable empathic group interplay and innovative ways to work within jazz idiom.

Luca Nostro

Are You OK?

Via Veneto Jazz - VVJ-102

Luca Nostro|guitar and arrangements

Donny McCaslin|tenor sax

John Escreet|fender rhodes

Joe Sanders|double bass

Tyshawn Sorey|drums

Jando Music and Via Veneto Jazz present

Are you OK? was recorded by Luca Nostro in New York, together with some of the most innovative on the American and world jazz scenes: Donny McCaslin, John Escreet, Joe Sanders, Tyshawn Sorey.

The New York music scene is a constant source of inspiration for Luca, whose compositional approach focuses on building lively, flowing musical structures, interwoven with short and punchy themes, bordering on pop. The improvised performance develops from a flow of fresh and simple melodic patterns and rhythmic riffs, elaborately entwined with an exalting interplay between the musicians.

The music of Are you OK? is also inspired by works of Steve Reich, Frank Zappa, John Adams, Michele Tadini and Jacob TV, that Luca performed together with the Parco della Musica Contemporanea Ensemble (PMCE) to which he belonged for five years. Luca Nostro has also collaborated and recorded with Scott Coley, Antonio Sanchez and Mark Turner, among others.

Allesandro Galati

On A Sunny Day

Via Veneto Jazz - VVJ-105

Alessandro Galati  – Piano

Gabriele Evangelista – Double Bass

Stefano Tamborrino – Drums

On a Sunny Day, the new work by Alessandro Galati, features piano trio music that is structured around simple and melodic and singable songs. Yet, each time you listen to them, you’ll discover sensations because the melodic themes allow for an ever-changing underlying harmony.

The charm of On A sunny day" is its duality between simple and complex, between the familiar and innovative."

Michael Rosen

Sweet 17

Via Veneto Jazz - VVJ 104

Michael Rosen – Tenor Sax

Lage Lund – Guitar

Ralph Alessi - Trumpet

Domenico Sanna – Piano

Matt Penman – Double Bass

Bill Stewart – Drums

At 17, one’s dreams are alive and vivid and there’s always hope that one day these may come true, as they did for American saxophonist Michael Rosen. Rosen began studying the cello at the age of seven for two years before moving to the piano, and later at eleven he moved to the saxophone.

In the following years, he was first alto saxophone with the Middle School and High School Big Bands and received numerous state and local "best Soloist" awards. Initially, his interests lay more towards “progressive” groups such as Yes, Led Zeppelin, and Talking Heads, but when in 1985 Michael Rosen moved to Boston to study at the Berklee College of Music with renowned teachers such as Gary Burton and George Garzone, where he started to cultivate his soaring passion for the music of Charlie Parker, Joe Henderson, Miles Davis, Stan Getz and John Coltrane, and many other jazz artists who since then have been the main source of his inspiration.

Rosen has been living in Italy for almost 30 years and spends most of his time between Rome and London, highly active in the musical circles of both capital cities.

Today, after 35 years of international success with 9 CDs as a leader, over 200 as a sideman, and having collaborated with leading artists of the day such as Bobby McFerrin, Sarah Jane Morris, Mike Stern, the Orchestra della Scala, and countless other American and European musicians, the seventeen-year-old boy with long and disheveled hair, now at the height of his artistic career, returns to New York, his hometown, to record his new music together with a stellar cast of jazz musicians.

Sweet 17, as with all albums of the saxophonist/composer, leaves ample room for melodic beauty, fluidity and expressiveness, and introduces the more dynamic, modern and evolved compositions that Rosen has written so far, reflecting all the experience gained from the late 80s to date. Accompanying him on this musical experience are highly-acclaimed musicians such as: Lage Lund (guitar), Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Domenico Sanna (piano), Matt Penman (double bass) and Bill Stewart (drums).

It can be truly said that Michael Rosen’s dream, his "Sweet 17", came true and this album is the evidence.

Saxophone legend David Liebman’s comment about the CD:

“Michael Rosen has produced a very high level recording with wonderful sidemen and great tunes. The immediate feeling I got was of complete honesty and conviction, traits that we all look for in the best art. Good job!!”