Saturnino
Testa Di Basso

"Hi Enrì"
"Hi Satu"
"Oh, they're already trying"
"Ah well, I'll go right away"
(short pause, footsteps are heard), time to sling on the instrument and go... the groove of the bass starts accompanied by the drums.

Thus begins this enjoyable record by Saturnino Celani, better known as the bassist for Lorenzo "Jovanotti" Cherubini (but he also boasts collaborations with Franco Battiato) rather than for his solo work. Although his collaboration with Lorenzo was a great springboard for him, his skill with the instrument is beyond question, and the fact that he has produced decent works cannot be disputed.
The concept of "Testa di basso" (Bass Head) in his solo debut fully suggests what kind of album and what kind of musician one is dealing with: one who loves his instrument, making it the master of every piece he composes, all clearly in support of a musical genre highly predisposed to a certain type of timbre, namely: primarily funky, jazz/fusion and blues in the background, with splashings of groove everywhere. If you add to all this that typical metropolitan sound where trumpets do the rest, you will have (so to speak) an album of this genre.

A master of the instrument, I recall a concert I attended almost by chance, as my sister was a fan of the aforementioned Jovanotti, Saturnino shocked me because he is capable of playing any bass, 4, 5, or 6 strings, fretless, it makes no difference, and beyond great rhythm he can also produce true solos, so much so that in the concert he overshadowed the only guitar present, producing a really delightful show, and compared to the guitarist he indulged in long solo improvisations reaching almost impossible heights on the fretboard of his bass. But, an artist's skills are not only technical, and in his specific case, the main characteristic is that he has always given a certain imprint to the music he was involved in, and even in collaborations as a session man he has never lost his musical identity.

In this record, you'll find love for funk backed by love for the choice of an instrument that is too often undervalued (in other contexts) but evidently has a lot to say. The compositions draw inspiration from everywhere, from the pure virtuosity of "153 battute" to the typical city sound ("Folk metropolitano") to straightforward funk without frills ("Problemi di parcheggio", "Testa di basso"), also touching on unusual territories like the romantic, with "Te lo dico cosi'", which is one big bass solo with very soft and calm sounds.
Clearly, man does not live by bass alone, so there is also room for good arrangements with brass sections, drums, piano, and guitar, which in some pieces really excel in their rhythmic accompaniment role.

Ultimately, if you are looking for something beautiful (even if not groundbreaking), made in Italy, that can make you realize that often behind the shadows of the greats (purely referring to fame) there is always some solid pillar, this record might appeal to you.