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Roberto Bonati Trio: Bianco il vestito nel buio
ByWith a classical background clearly underscoring his improvisational approach, Bonati describes the formation of this trio "with the idea of looking at the trio format in a new perspective; considering the three musicians as soloists in a chamber trio." It's no surprise, then, that for the most part Bianco il vestito nel buio's seven Bonati compositions provide plenty of solo spacea cappella, in duo subsets and as a clearly cohesive trio. The music is often rubato, sometimes whisper quiet and, while possessed of gentle melodies that stay in the mind long after the performance, travels to more completely free terrain, albeit always with the unerring guidance of Bonati's structural roadmaps. Dani's work with Battaglialike Bonati, a musician for whom free playing always possesses a sense of purposemakes him an ideal foil here, while Tacchini's largely soft touch recalls American pianist Marc Copland but whose underlying approach comes, like Bonati, from a combination of classical upbringing, cultural concerns and hints of the American tradition so largely subsumed as to be less than discretely identifiable.
All of this and more is revealed in the opening "Tacea la notte placida," Tacchini beginning so quietly as to be barely audible; when Bonati and Dani enter, it's still pianissimo, but just as its core structure is revealed more forcefully, things quickly dissolve to a drum solo redolent of rich textural explorations and no small attention to melody. When the rest of the trio reenters, it's to reiterate Bonati's compositional foundation and, at the same time, interpret it freely. Bonati's pizzicato is warm, yet there's clear definition to his notes, irrespective of register. Elsewhere, his arco is equally appealing on "Miserere II," another composition covering substantial ground, from its strong thematic beginning to a freer midsection, where the trio turns as expressionistic as it ever gets, its tremendous dynamic control rendering even the smallest shift dramatic and meaningful.
Two years on, the clear chemistry of Bianco il vestito nel buio and Bonati's success in forming a chamber trio with multiple improvisational possibilities suggests a follow-up would be in order. As 2014 begins with a new Bonati recording planned, one can only hope.
Track Listing
Tacea la notte placida; Miserere II; End of March; Settembre; Blanco il vestito nel buio; Early Morning; Lacrymosa.
Personnel
Roberto Bonati
composer / conductorAlberto Tacchini: piano; Robert Bonati: acoustic bass; Roberto Dani: drums.
Album information
Title: Bianco il vestito nel buio | Year Released: 2014 | Record Label: Parmafrontiere
Comments
About Roberto Bonati
Instrument: Composer / conductor
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