Slivovitz
Bani Ahead

Napoli as a crossroads of a thousand different cultures, the sacred blending with the profane. Bring together 7 highly skilled musicians from the most diverse influences, who met right in this unique atmosphere... and you get Slivovitz. Something that could hardly have been born elsewhere in the world.

A pure distillation of prog-rock, jazz, ethnic music, Gypsy and Neapolitan musical tradition; they are the offspring of James Senese, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, as well as Goran Bregovic, Frank Zappa... yet their sound is not something already heard, but rather a unique and original elaboration.

Bani Ahead was released at the end of the summer of 2011, but in reality, it is a timeless album that could have been released in 1970 or 2040; it's the second with Moonjune records, two years after "Hubris". 8 tracks to listen to all in one go for an hour of music that cannot leave you indifferent. Every note seems to be there in the right place, although inspired by improvisation, to drag you into a whirlwind marked by odd time signatures and enveloping violins. The guitar deftly handles distorted riffs and delicate arpeggios, finding the right blend with the sax or trumpets ("Cleopatra Through" above all). Tracks like "Fat" are simply gems that you would never tire of listening to, and "Vascello" is capable of hypnotizing the listener for ten minutes, taking them from a warm New York jazz club to a storm on the high seas.

The Balkans meet the alleys of the Spanish Quarters, with an African desert as the backdrop under a sky that gleams with clear notes of jazz.

It is not us who are listening to the album, but the songs that work their way into us, some sweetly, others forcefully; the melodic phrases remain well etched, often catchy and enjoyable from the very first listen, but never predictable.

Samples can be found here.