CRISTIANO ARCELLI
SOLARIS

ARCELLI'S PIANO-LESS TRIO for a contemporary jazz of great depth

Some references are important for this album. Firstly, the title, taken from the science fiction novel by Stanislaw Lem and cited in at least three tracks. And then, the unusual formation chosen by Arcelli, that of the piano-less trio, namely alto sax, double bass, and drums, whose previous references, Ornette Coleman and Lee Konitz, are expressly mentioned in the accompanying booklet.

A challenging comparison that the good Arcelli faces without fear, managing to transform "the memories" of those seemingly divergent experiences into his own contemporary sonic testimony. The references to one and the other (for example: «Thanks For Your Kind Attention» more bluesy and vivid for Ornette, and instead «Artificial Florist» or even «R» - more icy and intellectual - for Konitz) chase and overlap without conflicts throughout the album, giving us a work that is overall coherent and well-constructed, without virtuosity or unnecessary dispersions.

Credit to Arcelli, who, in the absence of the traditional harmonic support of the piano, necessarily plays the lead role with great interpretative finesse. And credit also to the other two partners: Stefano Senni, double bass, and the young Bernardo Guerra, drums, who ensure a constant and flexible drive both in ballad pieces and in more stressed and improvised ones, all written by Arcelli. My favorite track: the intense «S» slow and introspective with all musicians prominently featured. Production by Roberto Lioli (very Bollani and Rava in his repertoire).

The graphics are sober and the cardboard CD edition suits it well. The deliberately naive illustration on the cover (by Emiliano Ponzi) candidly refers to flying saucers and never mind if they don't have much to do with Lem's book, and in turn, what his Solaris has to do with Arcelli's music, I couldn't say: the privilege of the artist. What remains for us is the pleasure of listening to a work of great depth and maturity.