Aldo Romano's Ritual has both an Italian connection and a French connection -- French because the post-bop CD was recorded in Paris for a French company (Owl Records), Italian in that all of the musicians are Italian (including drummer Romano, trumpeter/flugelhornist Paolo Fresu, pianist Franco D'Andrea, and bassist Furio Di Castri). If a person could only own one of Romano's Owl releases, To Be Ornette to Be would be the logical choice -- that excellent Ornette Coleman tribute is the best thing he recorded for Owl. But Ritual isn't bad. Although not as essential as To Be Ornette to Be, this is a decent post-bop outing that finds Romano performing his own compositions exclusively. The drummer doesn't embrace any overdone Tin Pan Alley warhorses on this 1988 session; everything on Ritual is a Romano original. Fresu adds electric keyboard touches to some of the material, but overall, Ritual has an acoustic-oriented outlook -- and when all is said and done, this is essentially a straight-ahead (as opposed to fusion) date. Although Romano is capable of outside/avant-garde playing, his quartet pretty much sticks to inside improvisation on Ritual. Some of the writing brings to mind Wayne Shorter, and some of it recalls Miles Davis' post-bop recordings of the early to mid-'60s. Fresu's playing, in fact, has a strong Davis influence (with some acknowledgment of Chet Baker as well). Fresu is mindful of Davis whether he is on trumpet or flugelhorn; he obviously admires Davis' use of subtlety and restraint. Again, Ritual falls short of essential, but it's a decent effort that Romano's hardcore fans will appreciate. - Alex Henderson
Tracks
1. Magic of Tomo
2. Woman's Touch
3. Ritual
4. 9th
5. Fragments
6. Absence
7. Fernando
8. Anny's Lullaby
FURIO DI CASTRI bass
ALDO ROMANO drums
FRANCO D'ANDREA piano
PAOLO FRESU trumpets, flugelhorn, effects
All music composed by Aldo Romano
Recorded February 15 & 16, 1988 at Ferber Studio
Owl Records - OWL050CD