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Rating: Immersed in a muffled atmosphere, I look out the window, losing myself in the busy "coming and going" of people. Fortunately, today I managed to take myself out of the tyrannical routine of everyday life; I lean on the windowsill with a cigarette in hand, paradoxically happy to lose myself in my thoughts, feeling sadness and melancholy, without the obligation to do anything else. Meanwhile, in the player spins Distances by Norma Winstone.
And at a certain point, everything transforms, or rather, takes on a different shape: the world fades, loses color, becomes an old black and white movie, while Norma, the true protagonist of the work, performs pieces by authors like Cole Porter with an always alluring and warm voice, sometimes lost in almost imperceptible whispers, other times high, firm, and sensual, a sweet sensuality, as if wanting to accompany and, why not, alleviate the more or less great sufferings of each listener.
Perfect accompanists for this muse are Glauco Venier, engaged in caressing the ivory keys of a very sweet piano, and Klaus Gesing, deftly switching between the clarinet and soprano saxophone, perfectly following the mood of the moment, emphasizing the more romantic moments or inserting himself in those of greater placidity, giving himself to virtuosic ascents and descents on the musical scale or throwing himself into fascinating monologues, followed in step by the piano ("Giant's Gentle Stride"), all this without ever falling into mannerism but remaining anchored to the melancholic and muffled aura of the album. At the end, with "A Song For England," the world returns to color, thanks to a more joyful and carefree melody.
Like most releases signed by ECM, Distances is not an album that will amaze with daring and experimental compositional solutions but will be able to give strong emotions to the listeners, accompanying them in the more intimate and collected moments.
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