Italy, Hawaii and Chicago. The work of pianist/composer/arranger Fransesco Crosara melds on Colors, his Southport Records debut.
Crosara, the son of famed Italian vocalist Lilian Terry, calls Chicago home, but the music of his world travels paints a pastel portrait vivid with colors. In his youth spent in Italy, Crosara had the rare opportunity to attend exclusive after-concert parties and meet such jazz greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach. These experiences inspired in the youth a need to perform and create.
Colors reflects a complex blend of two-handed piano styles. Crosara calls Chick Corea one of his main influences but traces of Tommy Flanagan, McCoy Tyner and Herbie Hancock can be heard, and the CD opens with Hancock's "Dolphin Dance". Crosara gently toys with the mature melody, paving the way for his ensemble's entrance and setting the stage for Von Freeman - Chicago's own world famous tenor master.
The meeting of Crosara and Von Freeman is like that of thouse who encounter each other in the middle of a long journey. Their friendship, through their music, can be felt in the warmth of his recording date.
