•
Rating:
Sardinia is not an island, it is a continent. Vast, rugged, sparsely populated territories. Not only the famous white beaches: but also canyons and streams, forests and cliffs, immense ponds, and karst caves. The silences of Gennargentu, the Lanaittu Valley, and the Supramonte of Oliena, the closest contact with Divinity.
An archaic language, rocky, close to the Latin spoken by ancient Romans: a language, not a dialect. Millennial traditions, pride brought to the limits of self-harm. A geographical diversity that leads to the fragmentation of language into a thousand dialects, of common customs into a thousand local variants and nuances.
A rich musical tradition, and original instruments: the dark and frightening tamburi di Gavoi; the launeddas, a polyphonic instrument that fascinated even Ornette Coleman, whose sound resembles that of bagpipes: but, unlike the latter, they do not have an external air reservoir, so the sound must be sustained with a circular breathing technique akin to that used by some jazz saxophonists. The strongly rhythmic way of playing the accordion, to accompany the typical dance. Not to mention the canto "A Tenores", a gem that delights musicians and musicologists worldwide, a mixture of vocal virtuosity and ancient African polyrhythm.
Saxophonist Enzo Favata, from Alghero, succeeds in this album in blending the many souls of his peculiar musical culture, made of jazz, Sardinian music, and much more… To achieve this, he brings together a group of distinguished musicians, notably the imaginative pianist/accordionist Daniele di Bonaventura and Marcello Peghin, a virtuoso guitarist with a classical background, alongside a large number of local musicians and singers; the acclaimed Tenores Di Bitti are part of the ensemble, as well as the equally talented group Concordu Di Castelsardo.
Many traditional pieces rearranged by the saxophonist, and many original compositions that marry a pronounced and joyful rhythm with an open, light, and melodic sound. A sense of "journey", of movement between real and imaginary geographies, from the solemn sacredness of "Processione", to the lyrical hymn "Isola", preceded by a launeddas introduction, with a poignant accordion solo by Bonaventura. Ample space for the canto a Tenores, and in general for the Sardinian language, with Favata and his group improvising over the spoken parts, as happens in "Sa Bella Su Mondu", extracting music from the syncopated rhythms of "sa limba". Intense instrumental moments, as in "Las Plassas (Dance For Ralph)", where Peghin delights us with a beautiful acoustic guitar solo.
If we're to find coordinates, one might say that we remain in the airy and lyrical singing of Garbarek and the Oregon, or the more accessible works of Ralph Towner. But the ethnic component, in its deepest sense of "music of a people" is so rooted as to imprint an unmistakable mark on the entire work.
Loading comments slowly
