Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi reveals that he played on many recordings of Ennio Morricone’s celebrated film music as a session player in the 1970’s and 1980’s. This project is an altogether deeper investigation of the composer’s work, in which Piernanuzi and his collaborators, bassist Marc Johnson and drummer Joey Baron, dig beneath the surface of the music in exemplary fashion. The trio has worked together in the past, and has the kind of finely-honed understanding and musical empathy which makes a trio an organic unit. Each of the players has a full part in making the music come alive in the course of this beautifully played and recorded disc. The pianist has selected some less obvious examples of Morricone’s art, ranging in time from 1962 through to 1993, and in style from lovely slow meditations to sparkling uptempo explorations. He rounds out the set with one of his own compositions, ‘Just Beyond the Horizon’, which sounds very much like a homage to the composer. - Kenny Mathieson
Tracks
01. Addio Fratello Crudele
02. Mio Caro Dottor Gräsler
03. La Voglia Matta
04. Just Beyond the Horizon
05. Incontro
06. Jona Che Vissa Nella Balena
07. Le Mani Sporche
08. ...Correva L'anno Di Grazia
09. Escalation
10. Stanno Tutti Bene
11. Hidden Song
ENRICO PIERANUNZIpiano
MARC JOHNSONbass
JOEY BARONdrums
All music composed by Ennio Morricone, except (4) by Enrico Pieranunzi
All arrangements by Enrico Pieranunzi
Recorded on 15 and 16 February 2001 in Rome at Sonic Recording Studios
CamJazz CAMJ 7750 - 2