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Rating: From your correspondent Jake Chambers - vol. 1
The November appointment of the Padova Porsche Jazz Festival, under the artistic direction of saxophonist Claudio Fasoli, has become an unmissable event for jazz enthusiasts throughout Veneto. While it's true that the festival's sponsor is not exactly "popular" and might raise some eyebrows, it's equally true that most of the concerts are free, offering the audience the opportunity to get close to genuine stars of both local and international jazz. Such is the case with this "delicious morsel," the new quintet by Giovanni Tommaso called Apogeo, hosted at the auditorium of the Civic Conservatory "Cesare Pollini".
After an unpleasant wait due to various mix-ups and delays (it seems the musicians even got lost along the way), we are finally led into the spacious auditorium, boasting truly exceptional acoustics. Fasoli personally takes on the task of introducing his old friend, his former bandleader, from what was the most influential and well-known Italian jazz-rock group: Perigeo. According to Fasoli (and also Tommaso), the Apogeo project was born, more than thirty years after the successes of that historic band, from the need to revisit that language, updating it and presenting it in a supposedly classical form, stripped of the electric sound (barring the guitar).
Giovanni Tommaso's collaborations with global jazz giants are countless, and his influence at the national level has been enormous. From a purely technical standpoint, Tommaso is a master of his instrument. He possesses a powerful quietude in walking, but he also knows how to draw out delicate nuances by playing with a bow (which is by no means a given for a jazz double bassist). In solo, he is one of my favorite bassists: with a full, rounded sound and fretboard speed always at the service of great expressiveness, he knows how to make the bass "sing" like few others can.
The bassist has reached a stage in his career that allows him to use his great authority and artistic "nose" to present young, deserving musicians to the public, essentially being a kind of Art Blakey of the situation. All relatively new names in this unprecedented quintet of his.
The pianist Claudio Filippini appears like a youngster one might see outside an internet point while handling a new-generation Nokia, but when placed in front of the keyboard, he exhibits an impressive technical mastery, even if not yet sublimated into a personal "voice" – but he has all the time he wants to elaborate his own style, as he is so very young...
The New York drummer Anthony Pinciotti delivered an incandescent solo moment that fetched the longest applause of the night from the audience. The saxophonist (tenor and soprano) Max Ionata seemed to me the least talented of the group, although honestly, he wasn't given much opportunity to stand out during the evening. He, however, took part in a brief, "Coltranesque" duet with Pinciotti, which bodes well for the future.
The revelation of the concert is the guitarist from Cagliari, Bebo Ferra (already a collaborator with Fresu) who, as announced by the leader, will be getting married on Saturday the 22nd, so congratulations and best wishes! I knew Ferra as a convincing emulator of Ralph Towner, but never before tonight did he appear to be such a complete musician, so aware of his expressive means. He comfortably spans from bebop to rock to fusion, exhibits a strong command of effects and feedback, showcases a phrasing that in some parts recalls Metheny, but supporting it with a more "hard" and rocking sound, especially in the piece "Tempi Duri", introduced by an overwhelming bass-guitar unison.
Tommaso, an old stage fox as he is, converses amiably with the spectators, introduces his musicians, tells anecdotes while occasionally slipping into his "toscanaccio" accent, describes the compositions (all his own) that the group will perform. In no time, he has the entire audience on his side...
And the compositions are truly magnificent. We understand what Fasoli was referring to when he drew a parallel with Perigeo: there's an overriding sense of relaxation and expressive freedom, a desire to explore very different situations and impressions in an informal atmosphere, draped in melodiousness – after all, the piano-guitar combination enriches the harmonic structure, enhancing the ease of listening. Funk and rock influences blend perfectly with tradition, allowing room for languid ballads ("Girovagando", highlighted by Ionata's twisted soprano sax) and more aggressive moments full of rhythmic euphoria. There's also an excellent 11/4, "Men at Work", where our musicians pull off an impressive array of tricks, moving with great naturalness between composed and improvised parts.
The evening closes with the most traditional piece of the set, titled "Maestrada". Once again, Ferra "changes skins" and crafts a solo in pure bop style. Truly an excellent guitarist to keep an eye on in the future.
Pleasant encore: Tommaso manages to drag his old friend Fasoli onto the stage, a soprano sax jumps out from who knows where... And there we go with a jam session! I don't know how much of the scene was pre-arranged, but the fact remains that the old Perigeo saxophonist makes his mark with authority, in a solo that – it must be said for the sake of accuracy – outshines the talented Ionata.
The Lucca bassist, when introducing his partners, described them as "A gift from heaven." I agree, and I add that the greatest gift is indeed him, Giovanni Tommaso, an artist who has traversed forty years of Italian jazz history, marking a career dotted with gems, of which Apogeo Quintet is just the latest in chronological order.
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