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Jazzin' Around Europe
Barga Jazz Festival 2003
Francesco Martinelli
Italian writer, educator and general provocateur...The band was conducted by Bruno Tommaso: this amazing versatile bassist who can play equally at ease in straight ahead groups and free improvisation (and had a career in ancient music playing gamba after finishing his studies) is now one of the most sought-after directors for jazz orchestras, and in fact he in July led the European Youth Jazz Orchestra, an EU-sponsored unit organized by Danish musician and bandleader Erik Moseholm, through a month full of concerts all over Europe (http://www.swinging-europe.com). In the band, some new faces and some old friends: drummer Alessandro Fabbri, trumpet player Marco Bartalini and trombonist Nicolao Valiensi were in it since the first edition, and brought the weight of their collective experience; the saxophone section featured the talents of Rossano Emili, very popular baritone saxophonist, Nico Gori, alto and clarinet wizard, Vittorio Alinari, known for his study of arcane reeds like contrabass clarinet, Dimitri Grechi Espinosa on tenor, inspired improviser, music therapist and all out swinger when needed, and Alessandro Rizzardi, scion of the festival’s founder Giancarlo and well able to hold his own in such distinguished company. Among the brasses, Andrea Tofanelli for his high register work is the closest approximation to Maynard Ferguson that Italy produced, but he’s also a sensitive soloist who displayed his talents on fluegelhorn in a quartet intermission set over a lovely original. The rhythm section, completed by Stefano Onorati on piano, Mirko Ambrogini on bass and Andrea Gusella on vibes, was busy keeping the band together and didn’t have much solo space, while guitarist Roberto Cecchetto did very well playing Billy Bauer to Lee Konitz.
The winners of the July contest for young groups also performed in the final days of the festival: Cuban violinist Ruben Chaviano Fabian, now living in Florence, was impressive for energy and swing, while the Art Jazz Quartet’s set was plagued by a series of problems (one member of the groups was missing, the PA wasn’t set up properly) so it didn’t properly showcase their abilities. In the section C of the contest only one piece was accepted, a new arrangement of Dexter Gordon’s Fenja by Duccio Bertini; the jury deemed the piece worthy of the prize allotted to that section. In section D, original compositions, first prize to Labyrinth by Vladimir Nikolov from Skoplje, while Deep by the well known Italian drummer Roberto Gatto came out second. In the A section, after musch debate, Thingin’ arranged by Corrado Guarino and Kary’s Trance arranged by G. Tagliazucchi shared the first place while Konitz’s improvised Rebecca (originally a duet with Billy Bauer on the harmonies of My Old Flame) arranged by Pietro Paolo Mannelli, saxophonist from nearby Castelnuovo, and co-founder of Barga Jazz, was awarded the second prize.
All in all a well successful edition for this special festival in extraordinary context, well worth the visit.
