Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Monome: Monome

6

Monome: Monome

By

Sign in to view read count
Monome: Monome
The Italian innovative jazz group Monome (not the be confused with Spanish rock band The Monomes) makes a reserved yet vigorous statement with its eponymous debut. The session comprises of seven, modal and atmospheric tracks that have strong, western classical influences.

The collaborative trio opens the disc with "Scales"; an almost theatrical piece that sets the theme for the rest of the disc. After Piergiorgio Pirro's brief sonata fragment, Gianpaolo Camplese's fervent drums and Matteo Anelli's angular bass join his delightfully atonal piano. The music transforms into a spirited, free-flowing three- way conversation that borrows equally from free jazz and classical heritages. The "second act" is equally stimulating and also replete with muted tonal colors. Tempo, however, becomes contemplative and the mood expectant, as Pirro's melancholic lines shimmer in silence, punctuated by pizzicato bass and brushed cymbals.

The closing "Inverno" continues the pensive mien expressed in "Scales," but is cooler and more relaxed. Lilting piano, lyrical bass and melodic percussion infuse the air with a palpable nostalgia.

The remainder of the tracks, sandwiched, between the above, include Berlin native Peter Ehwald's smoky tenor saxophone that transforms the ensemble into a quartet. The tight thematic unity, however, is not affected.

"Organ" is reminiscent of art house film soundtracks. Ehwald goes from fast, furious staccato improvisations, urged on by Camplese's polyphony, to longing and meandering notes that flow over Pirro's mellifluous keys.

On the somber "Catville," Anelli's thrums and Camplese's thuds create the feel of empty city streets sprinkled with the rain from Pirro's edgy piano, while Ehwald's breathy tenor blows like a gentle wind. Pirro's intricate solo progresses from modernistic variations to a jazzier, intimate late night musings.

This close sympathy among the musicians is a defining trait of the recording. On the wistful "Southbound," Pirro's ebbing explorations lead to Anelli's heady and sweet bass strings, thick with expression and emotion, while Camplese's enigmatic, rolling drums underscore Ehwald's eloquent embellishments of the melody.

This Pisa/Berlin based outfit has produced a unique work with Monome, an ambient disc, to be sure, but one that does not lack substance. Its intriguing compositions, the high caliber musicianship of the instrumentalists, and their exemplary camaraderie, make the record simultaneously accessible and thought-provoking.

Track Listing

Scales; Organ; Southbound; Anthem; Koshigaya; Catville; Inverno.

Personnel

Piergiorgio Pirro: piano; Matteo Anelli: double bass; Gianpaolo Camplese: drums; Peter Ehwald: tenor saxophone (2-6).

Album information

Title: Monome | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Konnex Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.