Carlos Actis Dato & Enzo Rocco (Splasc: Paella & Norimaki

Not unlike a pair of rambunctious school chums exploring life’s offerings, the duo demonstrates willful, good-natured fun on works such as “Keffah”, where Dato’s often-audacious bass clarinet lines and Rocco’s blazing chord progressions coalesce for a motif that also draws similarities to Italian wedding music. Essentially, the musicians provide the listener with a series of rhythmically based works amid alternating dialogue and superb soloing. Throughout, the duo uncorks a multitude of polychromatic yet well organized sequences as they wittily cross genres whether pursuing Mexican-style serenades, flamenco, or two-step waltzes. However, the musicians’ rapidly executed unison choruses and fervent improvisational speak, equates to a modern jazz outing of the highest order.

With the piece titled, “Mondo Giusto”, the musicians introduce a spaghetti western-like theme along with brief incantations and intuitive interplay atop shrewd deconstruction of the primary melody while Dato hammers his baritone sax into submission. Overall, Paella & Norimaki is an appetizing feast for the aural senses! Recommended.

Enzo Rocco website

Carlo Actis Dato website

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