Chat Noir
Decoupage

Whoever says black cats bring bad luck has probably never crossed paths with the music of Chat Noir. If they had, perhaps they would have already changed their mind, recognizing in the black cat other qualities, such as its ability to blend skillfully with the night, in which it shows us only the fascinating and unsettling reflection of its eyes. And indeed, the night seems to be the most suitable moment to listen to the music of this Italian trio composed of Michele Cavallari (piano), Luca Fogagnolo (double bass and electric bass), Giuliano Ferrari (drums). A young group that brings a breath of fresh air to the Italian jazz scene, showcasing varied musical influences, from the gray jazz atmospheres of Northern Europe to Italian singer-songwriters, not excluding both the rock of the '70s and contemporary rock.

"Decoupage" (Universal - 2007) is their second studio work, which differs partially from their debut album "Adoration" (Splasc(h) - 2004). Indeed, in this CD, the trio slightly enriches their music by experimenting with the use of isolated touches of electronics and vocals. Listening to it suggests a deliberate and conscious search for an original path unbound by preconceived patterns. From this perspective, their music, while not entirely classifiable as jazz, nevertheless reflects the spirit of freedom and exploration characteristic of jazz, displaying not insignificant touches of refinement and elegance. The absence of standards and the proposal, therefore, of original tracks is an additional element that confirms these intentions of the group. The approach to presenting musical themes is also unique, almost always occurring in a unified manner among the members, thus rejecting the division between soloist and accompaniment.

Sometimes melancholic, other times engaging, always nocturnal, their music, alongside a particular attention to melody, possesses a great evocative capacity, especially when it tries to connect with other contexts. This happens, for example, in the track "Trilogy", inspired by the famous The New York Trilogy by writer Paul Auster. A suite divided into three parts ("Private eye", "Colours", "Closed Room") that attempts and succeeds in evoking the mysteries, obsessions, labyrinths, tension, and enveloping pathos of the American writer's words. Quite different is the atmosphere offered by the reinterpretation of "Via del campo" by De André, which turns out to be fairly linear, at least until it merges - somehow, but seamlessly - with the melancholic lightheartedness of the famous theme "Cam Camin" from the film Mary Poppins, thus outlining, even with non-original tracks, the trio's very spontaneous approach to making music.

In "L'elefante nel negozio di cocci", on the other hand, the group seems to almost want to evoke the fragility and clumsiness expressed by the image in the title, with music that moves in images, initially almost languidly before gradually rising, showing a hinted and suspended tension that only releases at the end. Listening carefully to the sounds of "Chat Noir", moreover, from the apparent and rarefied calm, it is sometimes possible to transition into unease, where shadows and mysteries linger ("Soft Focus"). But more generally, there are many snippets that make up - more or less neatly - the picture of this music, which, though perfectible, promises a lot for the future of this group, capable of enchanting even those who consider themselves distant from jazz.