Pino Daniele
Schizzechea With Love

1988.

Pino Daniele has reached success thanks to the albums from the early '80s for several years now. Since 1985, he has released two records (three if we consider the mini CD soundtrack of Troisi's film) which, although very beautiful, have not brought him (and will not bring him in the future) the same acclaim as in previous years. In reality, his music has undergone significant changes in style and arrangements, and this has initiated what would become his style in subsequent albums. "Schizzechea with Love" is a mishmash like all of Pino's records, but it is less multi-ethnic than "Bonne Soiree". Essentially, what can be heard is the presence of Italian-Neapolitan melodic songs and that Mediterranean sound of his which, in this case, is more personal compared to the past as it is, as already mentioned, less contaminated by influences such as Arabic ones. Naturally, America is ever-present.

Apart from the great musicians that Pino usually surrounds himself with, in "Schizzechea with Love" we also find the presence of Steve Gadd on drums. Not that Agostino Marangolo wasn't sufficient, mind you. A wonderful guest star.

Let's now take a closer look at the songs that make up this work, moreover produced by Pino himself.

The opener is a slow song, an atypical thing for Pino Daniele and somewhat for all artists in general. It's likely that he was particularly fond of this piece. And it's believable if you listen to it. The lyrics are very poetic, the interpretation is very heartfelt, with a strong contrast between moments of calm voice and other angrier parts. The peak of this dynamic play is reached with the introduction of the special. Very touching. Naturally, the music is beautiful as well. A fade of strings and a guitar chord at the start introduce directly the singing, without the need for an introduction, which is risky in music, especially for an artist known more for his playing than his singing. Moreover, it’s a compositional choice that personally I don’t even like. But if we're talking about "Gesù Gesù", then we realize that the operation is very successful. The mood changes with "Tell me now". It’s hard to qualify it well; let’s say it could be a hybrid between a funk and a disco track. The bass and the effected guitar are beautiful. Pino’s voice isn’t what it is today. It was very powerful. The words coined by Pino are cute, which find etymological explanations in his English-Neapolitan-Italian vocabulary. The piece moves along quite well, and when the bass and drums let go, they leave a suspense that is picked up with a spectacular attack.

The "almost" title track "Schizzechea" ("drizzling" for non-Neapolitans) has a very beautiful intro with a classical arpeggio, piano high notes, and strings. The stopped bass is the backbone of the track, and the guitar arpeggio is astonishing for the way it floats around it. The piece appears slow at the beginning, but the entry of the bass gives rise to a much more engaging atmosphere. The listener almost feels like they're chasing the metronome. A mix between Latin and blues piano is the intro of "Cumbà". The guitar with a very loaded crunch is beautiful, and the solo is masterful: typical of Pino, being full of pauses interspersed with fast passages. The chorus completely changes the atmosphere of the stanza. The sax is also noteworthy, it wouldn’t be fair to forget it. It's time for "Jesce juorno", one of Pino Daniele's most touching pieces, not just from the album. Very romantic and poetic, it has a chilling bass and sax embellishments that do much of the work. The classical guitar is notable for the arpeggio, which is somewhat the riff of the piece. Great Pino. Listen to the solo. It was never seen like this before. And never will be again. But he is also a superb party entertainer, and "Tra la pazzia e il blues" amuses us greatly from its sax riff. The lyrics are also fun. Words that describe daily gestures while expressing all the emotions of a genius.

"Canzone nova" is among my favorite tracks. To be listened to in solitude, it offers dreamlike atmospheres with the embellishments of the electric guitar in the background. It talks about love like millions of other songs. But it is not the usual declaration. A mature and objective analysis of a man's sensations. Talking about Pino's lyrics sometimes may even seem reductive, given his many qualities as a musician. The umpteenth proof, for those who haven't realized it in 11 years of career is "Cry". Magnificent sounds, starting from the initial choirs and the guitar arpeggio full of chorus, then moving on to the greatness of the changes in the bridge, and ending with the structure of the piece that doesn't have a chorus. It consists of verse and bridge. They are enough and more than enough, believe me. "Me so' mbriacato 'e te forever" is a splendid love song under the guise of a rhythmic piece, with a nice guitar riff and an atmosphere that is never for salons, never for lovers embracing on a bridge, but always reminiscent of the sea and walks among the dunes. It reminds us that Pino was born by the sea and lived by the sea (now he lives in Parioli, let’s leave it at that, it’s better). The last, "Al Capone" is an indictment against the Camorra. There's a big blues riff on the guitar, but Pino doesn't settle for the big riff to make a piece. Once again, we find beautiful arrangements and incursions into other styles and atmospheres that make Pino Daniele's music unique and inimitable.