Tenor/baritone/composer Daniele Cavallanti and drummer/percussionist/composer Tiziano Tononi, from Milano, Italy, have been playing together for the last thirty years. Since 1980 have been co-leading the band Nexus. Considered an historical avant-garde Italian band, Nexus has been voted a number of times best band by critics in the annual jazz magazine Musica Jazz “Top Jazz Referendum”. They are also founding members of the celebrated Italian Instabile Orchestra. Both with Nexus and the Italian Instabile Orchestra, Cavallanti and Tononi performed all over Europe, United States, Canada and Japan and during their career they have been playing and recording with some of the most representative Italian jazz musicians such as: Enrico Rava, Gianluigi Trovesi, Giancarlo Schiaffini, Giorgio Gaslini and with a number of international jazz masters such as: Raphael Garrett, Radu Malfatti, Barre Phillips, Oliver Lake, Leroy Jenkins, Glenn Ferris, Mark Dresser, Herb Robertson, Steve Lacy, Dave Liebman, Stuart Copeland, Andrew Cyrille, Maggie Nicols, Dewey Redman, Muhal Richard Abrahms, Cecil Taylor, Anthony Braxton, Roswell Rudd, Nels Cline, Elliott Sharp, William Parker, Hamid Drake, Willem Breuker, Wolter Wierbos, Jerry Granelli, Evan Parker, Paul Lytton, Jean-Jacques Avenel, Oliver Johnson, Michel Godard.
On this brand new CD, produced by Fabrizio Perissinotto, who originally conceived and commissioned the project to the two musicians, Cavallanti and Tononi present two long and ambitious suites (“Faces” by Daniele Cavallanti and “Phases” by Tiziano Tononi) for an extraordinary high level octet that features American violin rising star Jenny Scheinman, Emanuele Parrini on viola, Achille Succi on alto saxophone and bass clarinet, Massimo Mariani on guitar, Giovanni Maier on double and electric bass and Pacho on percussion.
“Featuring Jenny Scheinman & Emmanuele Parrini on strings, Danielle Cavallanti on tenor & bari saxes & Achille Succi on bass clarinet & alto sax, Massimo Mariani on electric guitar, Giovanni Maier on double & electric bass, Pacho on percussion, gongs & congas and Tiziano Tononi on drums & percussion. Both saxist Daniele Cavallanti and drummer, Tiziano Tononi have worked together in different projects for quite a while and can be heard on discs on Splasch and Black Saint. This amazing disc came in in November and I’ve played more than a dozen times since it is just incredible and it is 80 minutes long!
‘Rings of Fire’ is broken into two suites, “Faces” by Cavallanti and “Phases” by Tononi. Each section of ‘Faces’ is named after a film director, “Cassavetes”, “Bertolucci”, “Jarmusch,” “Wenders” and “Eastwood”. Right from the opening splash of sound, we know we are in for something special. Like the best film directors, we can feel often explosive dramatic tension, the balance of beauty and fear, intensity and subtly. This music is quite cinematic without the visual stimulation necessary. I love the spooky percussion and dynamic composing/playing on “Cassavetes”. This extraordinary ensemble in an octet with two saxes, two strings, two percussionists, el. guitar and bass. Hence, this is a sort of double band in which the same instruments often shadow or accentuate one another. The two turbulent saxes on this piece swirl around another magnificently as do the percussionists and strings. “Bertolucci” has one of those sly, spy movie themes with sublime harmonies for the strings and saxes. Each piece features both inspired solos and challenging writing. Achille’s probing alto sax rides high above the swell strings on “Wenders” with an effective and unexpected noise guitar solo tossed in, that just keeps getting better as both drummers swirl powerfully around him. Giovanni Maier’s hypnotic electric bass stands out on “Eastwood” , as do the mesmerizing arrangements for the entire octet, with a perfect Trane-like solo from Cavallanti.
‘Phases’ is the second suite and it is in three parts. It is beautifully composed and played with strong solos from all. I love the churning harmonies for the saxes and strings on “”Before the Storm”. When the bass and drums lay out, we find a strong communal spirit for the strings and saxes only together. There are a series of trios and duos on the this piece, all of which are splendid, focused and always inspired. There are way too many great solos, inspired ensemble writing and playing throughout this entire epic-length disc to note here. Each time I listen to this gem, I hear so much more. 80 minutes is the most one can fit on an entire disc and considering that this disc is wonderful from the beginning to the end makes it even better. Bravo, bravo!”Tenor/baritone/composer Daniele Cavallanti and drummer/percussionist/composer Tiziano Tononi, from Milano, Italy, have been playing together for the last thirty years. Since 1980 have been co-leading the band Nexus. Considered an historical avant-garde Italian band, Nexus has been voted a number of times best band by critics in the annual jazz magazine Musica Jazz “Top Jazz Referendum”. They are also founding members of the celebrated Italian Instabile Orchestra. Both with Nexus and the Italian Instabile Orchestra, Cavallanti and Tononi performed all over Europe, United States, Canada and Japan and during their career they have been playing and recording with some of the most representative Italian jazz musicians such as: Enrico Rava, Gianluigi Trovesi, Giancarlo Schiaffini, Giorgio Gaslini and with a number of international jazz masters such as: Raphael Garrett, Radu Malfatti, Barre Phillips, Oliver Lake, Leroy Jenkins, Glenn Ferris, Mark Dresser, Herb Robertson, Steve Lacy, Dave Liebman, Stuart Copeland, Andrew Cyrille, Maggie Nicols, Dewey Redman, Muhal Richard Abrahms, Cecil Taylor, Anthony Braxton, Roswell Rudd, Nels Cline, Elliott Sharp, William Parker, Hamid Drake, Willem Breuker, Wolter Wierbos, Jerry Granelli, Evan Parker, Paul Lytton, Jean-Jacques Avenel, Oliver Johnson, Michel Godard.
On this brand new CD, produced by Fabrizio Perissinotto, who originally conceived and commissioned the project to the two musicians, Cavallanti and Tononi present two long and ambitious suites (“Faces” by Daniele Cavallanti and “Phases” by Tiziano Tononi) for an extraordinary high level octet that features American violin rising star Jenny Scheinman, Emanuele Parrini on viola, Achille Succi on alto saxophone and bass clarinet, Massimo Mariani on guitar, Giovanni Maier on double and electric bass and Pacho on percussion.
“Featuring Jenny Scheinman & Emmanuele Parrini on strings, Danielle Cavallanti on tenor & bari saxes & Achille Succi on bass clarinet & alto sax, Massimo Mariani on electric guitar, Giovanni Maier on double & electric bass, Pacho on percussion, gongs & congas and Tiziano Tononi on drums & percussion. Both saxist Daniele Cavallanti and drummer, Tiziano Tononi have worked together in different projects for quite a while and can be heard on discs on Splasch and Black Saint. This amazing disc came in in November and I’ve played more than a dozen times since it is just incredible and it is 80 minutes long!
‘Rings of Fire’ is broken into two suites, “Faces” by Cavallanti and “Phases” by Tononi. Each section of ‘Faces’ is named after a film director, “Cassavetes”, “Bertolucci”, “Jarmusch,” “Wenders” and “Eastwood”. Right from the opening splash of sound, we know we are in for something special. Like the best film directors, we can feel often explosive dramatic tension, the balance of beauty and fear, intensity and subtly. This music is quite cinematic without the visual stimulation necessary. I love the spooky percussion and dynamic composing/playing on “Cassavetes”. This extraordinary ensemble in an octet with two saxes, two strings, two percussionists, el. guitar and bass. Hence, this is a sort of double band in which the same instruments often shadow or accentuate one another. The two turbulent saxes on this piece swirl around another magnificently as do the percussionists and strings. “Bertolucci” has one of those sly, spy movie themes with sublime harmonies for the strings and saxes. Each piece features both inspired solos and challenging writing. Achille’s probing alto sax rides high above the swell strings on “Wenders” with an effective and unexpected noise guitar solo tossed in, that just keeps getting better as both drummers swirl powerfully around him. Giovanni Maier’s hypnotic electric bass stands out on “Eastwood” , as do the mesmerizing arrangements for the entire octet, with a perfect Trane-like solo from Cavallanti.
‘Phases’ is the second suite and it is in three parts. It is beautifully composed and played with strong solos from all. I love the churning harmonies for the saxes and strings on “”Before the Storm”. When the bass and drums lay out, we find a strong communal spirit for the strings and saxes only together. There are a series of trios and duos on the this piece, all of which are splendid, focused and always inspired. There are way too many great solos, inspired ensemble writing and playing throughout this entire epic-length disc to note here. Each time I listen to this gem, I hear so much more. 80 minutes is the most one can fit on an entire disc and considering that this disc is wonderful from the beginning to the end makes it even better. Bravo, bravo!”

Nel febbraio 2007 cadeva il 25° anniversario della scomparsa di Thelonius Monk. Tra i pochi tributi alla sua grandezza realizzati in quell’occasione, c’è Plays Monk, pubblicato proprio alla fine dell’anno scorso, anche se registrato nel novembre 2004.
Certo, Monk è stato oggetto nel tempo di omaggi memorabili, oltre che della viscerale attenzione riservatagli da molti grandi, inoltre le sue composizioni costituiscono uno tra i repertori jazzistici più battuti e riproposti. Eppure la piccola dedica di questo trio californiano si fa notare, perchè è resa accattivante oltre che dalla luce riflessa dei capolavori anche da alcune particolarità.
Innanzitutto i pezzi selezionati sembrano voler mettere in luce fino in fondo l’elemento più destrutturante della scrittura monkiana. Poi c’è la costruzione progettata dal trio clarinetto, contrabbasso e batteria. L’architrave di questa formazione è senza dubbio l’ancia di Goldberg (che già si era ampiamente ammirata nella formazione e nel disco New Monastery del chitarrista Nels Cline, dedicata a Andrew Hill) che ripropone intatte tutte le geometriche melodie, riuscendo a mantenere in un equilibrio perfetto quell’elemento arcaico e allo stesso tempo profondamente innovativo che c’è in ogni pezzo di Monk.
Basso e batteria giocano invece a tutto campo con il tempo e introducono nuovi interventi, assoli o punti di chiaroscuro in ognuna delle dieci composizioni.
Si ascoltino a questo proposito “Boo Boo’s Birthday” o la bella versione di “Little Rootie Tootie”. Quest’ultima la si confronti con la celebre incisione di Monk del 15 ottobre 1952 in trio con Art Blakey e Gary Mapp: l’effetto sorprendente del cubismo monkiano è intatto nell’opalescenza del tema, ma il portamento di basso e batteria sono completamente stravolti, senza denigrare per questo l’originale.
Se dunque è indiscutibile che al confronto con il triplo di Von Schlippenbach Monk’s Casino (Intakt) questo CD sia poca cosa, d’altra parte l’ascolto riserva qualche sorpresa, per la ricchezza di momenti musicalmente molto felici e per lo sguardo inedito sul pianeta Monk.Nel febbraio 2007 cadeva il 25° anniversario della scomparsa di Thelonius Monk. Tra i pochi tributi alla sua grandezza realizzati in quell’occasione, c’è Plays Monk, pubblicato proprio alla fine dell’anno scorso, anche se registrato nel novembre 2004.
Certo, Monk è stato oggetto nel tempo di omaggi memorabili, oltre che della viscerale attenzione riservatagli da molti grandi, inoltre le sue composizioni costituiscono uno tra i repertori jazzistici più battuti e riproposti. Eppure la piccola dedica di questo trio californiano si fa notare, perchè è resa accattivante oltre che dalla luce riflessa dei capolavori anche da alcune particolarità.
Innanzitutto i pezzi selezionati sembrano voler mettere in luce fino in fondo l’elemento più destrutturante della scrittura monkiana. Poi c’è la costruzione progettata dal trio clarinetto, contrabbasso e batteria. L’architrave di questa formazione è senza dubbio l’ancia di Goldberg (che già si era ampiamente ammirata nella formazione e nel disco New Monastery del chitarrista Nels Cline, dedicata a Andrew Hill) che ripropone intatte tutte le geometriche melodie, riuscendo a mantenere in un equilibrio perfetto quell’elemento arcaico e allo stesso tempo profondamente innovativo che c’è in ogni pezzo di Monk.
Basso e batteria giocano invece a tutto campo con il tempo e introducono nuovi interventi, assoli o punti di chiaroscuro in ognuna delle dieci composizioni.
Si ascoltino a questo proposito “Boo Boo’s Birthday” o la bella versione di “Little Rootie Tootie”. Quest’ultima la si confronti con la celebre incisione di Monk del 15 ottobre 1952 in trio con Art Blakey e Gary Mapp: l’effetto sorprendente del cubismo monkiano è intatto nell’opalescenza del tema, ma il portamento di basso e batteria sono completamente stravolti, senza denigrare per questo l’originale.
Se dunque è indiscutibile che al confronto con il triplo di Von Schlippenbach Monk’s Casino (Intakt) questo CD sia poca cosa, d’altra parte l’ascolto riserva qualche sorpresa, per la ricchezza di momenti musicalmente molto felici e per lo sguardo inedito sul pianeta Monk.

Funziona benissimo il sodalizio fra il nostro Simone Massaron (certamente il chitarrista più interessante fra quelli emersi recentemente nel panorama italiano) e la cantante americana Carla Bozulich, compagna di avventura e di vita di Nels Cline. Una proposta matura e coerente, degna di ben figurare nel panorama internazionale.
L’atmosfera è magicamente sospesa fra blues, folk, rock e jazz d’avanguardia e la voce piena di fumo e di sensazioni notturne di Carla Bozulich è il giusto catalizzatore per fare emergere l’oro dall’intruglio misterioso, come se fosse una sorta di moderna pietra filosofale che prende una ballata popolare e la trasforma in una canzone stralunata fuori dal tempo. Un po’ quello che succedeva nei primi album di Captain Beefheart o in alcune sperimentazioni dei Grateful Dead più lisergici.
Quello che ascoltiamo sono nove brani (scritti da Massaron con la collaborazione di Carla Bozulich per i testi e con l’eccezione di “The Getaway Man” scritta invece dal produttore Fabrizio Perissinotto) che potrebbero tranquillamente fornire l’ossatura per un album di Tom Waits, anche se la voce della Bozulich è decisamente meno abrasiva di quella del cantautore americano, senza che questo particolare le faccia perdere un solo grammo di espressività.
La chitarra di Massaron profuma di zolfo e di lava incandescente. Rugosa e generosa, a volte vicina alla tradizione, a volte immersa con decisione nell’avanguardia. Senza farsi mancare nulla di tutto quello che sta in mezzo. La batteria di Zeno De Rossi è perfettamente calibrata per fornire spunti, sollecitazioni e non si vergogna di diventare puro e semplice accompagnamento all’occorrenza. Anche gli altri musicisti coinvolti nel progetto sono ottimi interpreti di questo clima peculiare che si trascina nella middle America per poi sbucare sui Navigli.Funziona benissimo il sodalizio fra il nostro Simone Massaron (certamente il chitarrista più interessante fra quelli emersi recentemente nel panorama italiano) e la cantante americana Carla Bozulich, compagna di avventura e di vita di Nels Cline. Una proposta matura e coerente, degna di ben figurare nel panorama internazionale.
L’atmosfera è magicamente sospesa fra blues, folk, rock e jazz d’avanguardia e la voce piena di fumo e di sensazioni notturne di Carla Bozulich è il giusto catalizzatore per fare emergere l’oro dall’intruglio misterioso, come se fosse una sorta di moderna pietra filosofale che prende una ballata popolare e la trasforma in una canzone stralunata fuori dal tempo. Un po’ quello che succedeva nei primi album di Captain Beefheart o in alcune sperimentazioni dei Grateful Dead più lisergici.
Quello che ascoltiamo sono nove brani (scritti da Massaron con la collaborazione di Carla Bozulich per i testi e con l’eccezione di “The Getaway Man” scritta invece dal produttore Fabrizio Perissinotto) che potrebbero tranquillamente fornire l’ossatura per un album di Tom Waits, anche se la voce della Bozulich è decisamente meno abrasiva di quella del cantautore americano, senza che questo particolare le faccia perdere un solo grammo di espressività.
La chitarra di Massaron profuma di zolfo e di lava incandescente. Rugosa e generosa, a volte vicina alla tradizione, a volte immersa con decisione nell’avanguardia. Senza farsi mancare nulla di tutto quello che sta in mezzo. La batteria di Zeno De Rossi è perfettamente calibrata per fornire spunti, sollecitazioni e non si vergogna di diventare puro e semplice accompagnamento all’occorrenza. Anche gli altri musicisti coinvolti nel progetto sono ottimi interpreti di questo clima peculiare che si trascina nella middle America per poi sbucare sui Navigli.

Like many performers of the fusion/free jazz ilk, The Daniele Cavallanti Electric Unit composes music that enables them to indulge in their personalized idioms and individually carved fragments. The Unit recorded the tracks on their latest album Smoke Inside from April 30th, 2006 to May 1st, 2006. It was a 24-hour buzz that they needed to get out of their systems and they did it in one jam session. Their energies expelled music ideas that created contrasting tones, frills and twirls with uneven levels of inertia and polyrhythmic movements that cause many aspects of the music to sound jumbled and radical.
Literally, each player moves to the beat of a different drummer and yet the players still resonate with a common syncopation that engages the listener into the musicians charming play. There are some performers who use their music to express serious moods and then there are those like The Daniele Cavallanti Electric Unit who show a lot of frolicking play and inventive doodling with jazz and blues overtones in their music. The object is not to let the music make you go insane with all the lines streaming chaotically into each other, but to hear where they are coming from and when they come into the picture. The music is like a conversation with multiple voices surrounding you.
The opening number “Cline’s Line” sprouts a bouquet of frilly guitar bows performed by Nels Cline. The guitar is soon combined with cooling saxophone rings played by Daniele Cavallanti and thrusting drum strikes by Tiziano Tononi. Coming into the fold periodically are keyboardist Ivano Borgazzi, bass player Giovanni Maier, guitarist Simone Massaron and percussionist Pacho. The music takes on an eerie, sci-fi dimension on “Lonesome Drive” providing cavernous echoes, then turning the tables and making the music a session of twisted metal pinned by dysfunctional phrasing with “Fabrizio’s Mood.” The blues revival of Ahima’s subdivision “Long Song Blues” is shaped from bluesy organs and upright bass tugs barbed by sultry saxophone lines that produce a strip-tease atmospherics.
The track “Moods For Dewey” is a tribute to their beloved friend Dewey Redman. The Unit covers the melody in laid-back urban grooves of the ‘70s pumping out funky bass and percussion lines as the saxophone phrases twirl vivaciously with the beating heart of someone who celebrates the joyful memories of the past. The final track “Go On Moses” is dripping in warm saxophone tones and peaceful keys. It is the most melodic tune on the album and rich in bluesy fibers.
Produced by Fabrizio Perissinotto, Smoke Inside is true to many fusion/free jazz ideals which allows each player to keep his own individual style while being meshed into others. The solos are sparse, but when they are done, the other players pause in reverence. The Unit’s intermingling of electric and acoustic instruments is exceptionally skillful, layering the parts to enhance the multiple dimensions in the music. I dare to say that The Daniele Cavallanti Electric Unit falls into that old cliché “Italians do it better.”Like many performers of the fusion/free jazz ilk, The Daniele Cavallanti Electric Unit composes music that enables them to indulge in their personalized idioms and individually carved fragments. The Unit recorded the tracks on their latest album Smoke Inside from April 30th, 2006 to May 1st, 2006. It was a 24-hour buzz that they needed to get out of their systems and they did it in one jam session. Their energies expelled music ideas that created contrasting tones, frills and twirls with uneven levels of inertia and polyrhythmic movements that cause many aspects of the music to sound jumbled and radical.
Literally, each player moves to the beat of a different drummer and yet the players still resonate with a common syncopation that engages the listener into the musicians charming play. There are some performers who use their music to express serious moods and then there are those like The Daniele Cavallanti Electric Unit who show a lot of frolicking play and inventive doodling with jazz and blues overtones in their music. The object is not to let the music make you go insane with all the lines streaming chaotically into each other, but to hear where they are coming from and when they come into the picture. The music is like a conversation with multiple voices surrounding you.
The opening number “Cline’s Line” sprouts a bouquet of frilly guitar bows performed by Nels Cline. The guitar is soon combined with cooling saxophone rings played by Daniele Cavallanti and thrusting drum strikes by Tiziano Tononi. Coming into the fold periodically are keyboardist Ivano Borgazzi, bass player Giovanni Maier, guitarist Simone Massaron and percussionist Pacho. The music takes on an eerie, sci-fi dimension on “Lonesome Drive” providing cavernous echoes, then turning the tables and making the music a session of twisted metal pinned by dysfunctional phrasing with “Fabrizio’s Mood.” The blues revival of Ahima’s subdivision “Long Song Blues” is shaped from bluesy organs and upright bass tugs barbed by sultry saxophone lines that produce a strip-tease atmospherics.
The track “Moods For Dewey” is a tribute to their beloved friend Dewey Redman. The Unit covers the melody in laid-back urban grooves of the ‘70s pumping out funky bass and percussion lines as the saxophone phrases twirl vivaciously with the beating heart of someone who celebrates the joyful memories of the past. The final track “Go On Moses” is dripping in warm saxophone tones and peaceful keys. It is the most melodic tune on the album and rich in bluesy fibers.
Produced by Fabrizio Perissinotto, Smoke Inside is true to many fusion/free jazz ideals which allows each player to keep his own individual style while being meshed into others. The solos are sparse, but when they are done, the other players pause in reverence. The Unit’s intermingling of electric and acoustic instruments is exceptionally skillful, layering the parts to enhance the multiple dimensions in the music. I dare to say that The Daniele Cavallanti Electric Unit falls into that old cliché “Italians do it better.”