A little more than twenty years after a memorable album with his friend Jean-François Jenny-Clark and a certain Michel Petrucciani, Maître Aldo offers us a new trio album with Danilo Rea on piano, Rémi Vignolo on double bass and compositions that he signed.
Threesome comes at the right time to prove the jury of the Jazzpar Prize, awarded on April 23 to Aldo Romano, because let's say it straight away: this album is remarkable! Superb melodies, very free improvisations, a varied rhythmic palette, humor... and great overall coherence. All served by musicians in perfect harmony.
On the banks of the Rubicon we no longer present Danilo Rea, first known with the famous Trio di Roma and who after having accompanied most of the stars from Chet Baker to Joe Lovano via Lee Konitz, John Scofield etc., collects the distinctions with Doctor 3, his latest trio. On the banks of the Seine, we no longer present Rémi Vignolo, eclectic double bassist, who played yesterday with Mark Turner, plays today with Toots Thielemans and will play tomorrow with Richard Galliano. Finally, there is no need to introduce Aldo Romano, who everyone knows from the banks of the Rubicon and those of the Seine...
In Threesome, Aldo Romano once again lives up to his reputation as a fine melodist. We of course find these beautiful, falsely romantic ballads for which he has the secret, like “Abruzzi”, “Murmur” or the two themes taken from the Corners album, “Sapore di Si Minore”, renamed “Manda”, and the superb “Song for Elis.” To which are added “Paradise for Mickey”, a little nursery rhyme that doesn’t stay that way for long, “Touched!! », a theme in the be-bop lineage, “Threesome”, “Ghost Spell” and “Fleeting” in a more free spirit, or the very “Ellingtonian” and magnificent homage “Blues for Nougaro”.
The title Threesome fits this album like a glove because it is indeed a game in which the three musicians constantly pass the buck. Danilo Rea alternates melodious delicacy, free flights and big rhythmic playing, a tasty mix between Ahmad Jamal and Keith Jarrett. It also recalls another prodigy of the current scene: Bojan Z. “Ghost Spell” is also quite close to “Set it Up” by Transpacifik. Rémi Vignolo is a free double bassist who goes from walking bass to contagious swing in “Touched!! » to an introduction full of effects and humor in “Fleeting”, while taking solos, each more melodious than the other, for example in “Murmur” and “Blues for Nougaro”. Apart from “Threesome”, which he introduces with a monumental solo, Aldo Romano speaks little, but dialogues subtly with his two partners, as in “Paradise for Mickey”. We also feel the influence of the drummer in the numerous changes of rhythm which spice up the pieces, like “Abruzzi” or “Fleeting”.
Three strands that are knit together to form an end: the illustration on the record cover wonderfully symbolizes this trio freely united... or united in freedom. Hats off, Master Romano! - Bob Hatteau
Tracks
01. Abruzzi
02. Ghost Spell
03. Fleeting
04. Blues For Nougaro
05. Manda
06. Murmur
07. Threesome
08. Paradise For Mickey
09. Touched!!
10. Song For Elis
ALDO ROMANO drums
RÉMI VIGNOLA double bass
DANILO REA piano
Music composed by Aldo romano
Recorded November 21-22, 2003 at Artesuono Recording Studio, Undine, Italy
EmArcy - 981 773-5 (France)