Naples' pianist Dino Massa and American saxophonist Christopher Burnett may at first seem like an unlikely pairing. Burnett played in the NATO Jazz band which was stationed in Naples. The two met in a local jazz club and from there started gigging together and formed a relationship that would last to present day. They lost touch for a few years but recently got together to produce their first joint release Echoes Of Europe. The album is released on the ARC (Artists Recording Collective) label which was cofounded by Burnett. In the band are Dino Massa (piano), Christopher Burnett (alto saxophone, clarinet), Charles Gatschet (guitar), Andrew W. Stinson (bass) and Clarence Smith (drums, percussion).
Those initial gigs must have been inspiring given the quality of this disc. There are seven tracks all over six minutes in length so you can well imagine there is plenty of room for the band to explore. This is top quality jazz beginning with "Alone" where swinging sax and flute play off snappy percussion and a crisp beat before slowing down with some delightful saxophone ultimately giving way to Massa's thoughtful piano work. The title track begins with a slightly somber piano melody, quite moody in nature before saxophone adds a bit of romanticism. The piano solo ending the track is riveting. "Imagine" is somewhat lighter and a little more playful with a delightful flugelhorn melody, splashes of piano and another wonderfully melodic solo from Massa as the tempo builds with urgency. Really, any one of these tunes deserves high praise. The swirling piano motifs and exceptional winds and brass in "Notos" are also worthy of your attention.
Indeed, 2016 has seen a high number of quality jazz albums and Echoes Of Europe is not an anomaly in that respect and comes highly recommended for both traditional and modern jazz fans.
Track Listing:
1. Alone (6:03)
2. Echoes Of Europe (6:32)
3. Imagine (6:08)
4. Notos (6:10)
5. Paris (6:41)
6. Remembering (7:16)
7. Tarantella (8:52)
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Naples' pianist Dino Massa and American saxophonist Christopher Burnett may at first seem like an unlikely pairing. Burnett played in the NATO Jazz band which was stationed in Naples. The two met in a local jazz club and from there started gigging together and formed a relationship that would last to present day. They lost touch for a few years but recently got together to produce their first joint release Echoes Of Europe. The album is released on the ARC (Artists Recording Collective) label which was cofounded by Burnett. In the band are Dino Massa (piano), Christopher Burnett (alto saxophone, clarinet), Charles Gatschet (guitar), Andrew W. Stinson (bass) and Clarence Smith (drums, percussion).
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