Deca
Impressioni e improvvisazioni

The quality of Deca's piano performances has elevated over time, as evidenced by this almost impromptu concert at the Feltrinelli in Piazza Duomo, Milan. Here, the Ligurian composer presented an hour of "solo piano," captivating the audience with his intimate and evocative pieces, mastering the keyboard with a highly expressive touch, showing that he has nothing to envy of the latest phenomena in the Italian music market (see Einaudi, Allevi, etc.). In fact, to compare Deca to the latter would undermine the stylistic value of his music, considering it is more related to artists of the caliber of Satie, Mertens, Glass.

An hour of great music, then, partly from his 2017 album "Invisible Islands," partly unreleased, and partly entirely improvised (as the title of the performance suggests). Agile with his hands, humble in his approach with the audience, the pianist enchants with expressive depth, offering impressionist vignettes that are small narratives - sometimes less than two minutes long - or small dreamlike flights. A cascade of notes and chords that fill the challenging space of the grand Milanese bookstore, certainly not the perfect place to maintain concentration. Classics like "Penombre" and "Primo preludio" are romantically alternated with pieces that touch on psychedelic, yet also jazz hints; proving once again how eclectic, versatile, and skilled this musician is.

In the end, he greets, thanks in his modest manner, like someone who is there by chance and hopes not to have disappointed expectations. Sincere applause and spectators approach with moist eyes to pay him compliments.

Much has been written about Deca's long and diverse electronic and experimental discography, his cross-genre soundtracks. Certainly, his piano vein is unknown to most and has only revealed itself to the public in the past year with a great album and a series of concerts throughout the peninsula. Surely it is more difficult to distinguish his skill here because the piano has that sound that is the same for everyone. But those who have ears to hear can notice the nuances, the touch, the depth of the ideas, the rich cultural background of this local artist. And so they go to listen to Deca, not Einaudi.