Enrico Pieranunzi is among the top echelon of European jazz pianists. For this session he plays his originals with veteran bassist Scott Colley and the rising young drummer Antonio Sanchez. "Strangest Consequences" is a tense post-bop opener with terrific interplay by the trio. "Critical Path" alters between a jaunty, playful air and intricate bop, showcasing Sanchez's considerable chops as a soloist. The pianist's "Permutation" has the vibe of a busy urban setting, with Colley laying down an infectious groove. Pieranunzi is at his most lyrical in the bittersweet ballad "Distance from Departure," with spacious playing and terrific, sensitive support by his sidemen. The pianist's breezy, lighthearted "Every Smile of Yours" suggests a clear spring day, played as a brisk waltz. The lonely air of the ballad "Within the House of Night" couldn't be more direct, conveying its sense of longing without a lyric. Enrico Pieranunzi is long overdue to be recognized among the jazz greats of his generation on a worldwide basis. Permutation provides ample justification for his inclusion. - Ken Dryden
Italy's jazz piano poet, Enrico Pieranunzi, records with his "American Trio"—bassist Scott Colley and drummer Antonio Sanchez—on Permutation, a collection of original Pieranunzi compositions that concentrate on percussive motifs and rhythmic variations. Pieranunzi's résumé is long and varied, and Permutation shows the pianist has no plans in slowing down his musical explorations.
For all of the impressive composition on the disc, it is Pieranunzi's evening ballad, "Within the House of Night," that illustrates the composer's firm grasp of the simple and elegant. Its theme is a pretty ascending pattern that the pianist resolves properly, but not before adding the slightest bit of tension to the mix. Colley echoes the theme pizzicato, while Sanchez remains quite inconspicuous until the third variation, when he lightly brushes his snare drum, accenting with the cymbals.
"Within the House of Night" is a bit of romance among a crowd of muscular invention. - Michael Bailey
Tracks
1. Strangest Consequences
2. Critical Path
3. Permutation
4. Distance From Departure
5. Horizontes Finales
6. Every Smile Of Yours
7. Within The House Of Night
8. The Point At Issue
9. A Different Breath
ENRICO PIERANUNZI piano
SCOTT COLLEY bass
ANTONIO SANCHEZ drums
All music composed by Enrico Pieranunzi
Recorded November 2009 at Bauer Studios, Ludwigsburg
C.A.M. Jazz – CAMJ 7845-2 (Italy)