Ilario Ferrari Trio: Above the Clouds

Ilario Ferrari is certainly a busy man. A highly accomplished pianist and vocalist, he is also adept on the guitar. He has been involved with an array of diverse music projects for various ensembles from the world of pop and rock to add to his orchestral collaborations and arrangements. Ferrari is a UK resident of Italian origin who has released three albums as a leader. He also leads the Ilario Ferrari Trio, with Above the Clouds being their second release, following on from Childhood Memories (Gearbox Music, 2021).

Joining Ferrari in the trio is bassist and vocalist Charlie Pyne, who has collaborated with a host of leading musicians, including Yazz Ahmed, Zoe Rahman and Nikki Iles. Pyne released her second album, Nature Is A Mother (33 Jazz Records), in 2024. The drummer on that album was Katie Patterson. Born in Nova Scotia and now resident in the UK, Pyne completes the trio here and provides vocals. Their empathy and shared musical experience are keys to the success of the trio.

The album title expresses the theme behind many of the songs, which explore our relationship with the planet, often from an aerial perspective. Pyne's bass leads us into the opener, "Earthrise." She is joined by a swell of voices and radio bursts from NASA's Voyager space mission, which take us into Ferrari's melodic piano exploration and a drum and bass conversation. This culminates in a rousing finish with a chorus of voices and Patterson's driving drums, along with further radio announcements.

Ferrari composed all of the music and lyrics for the nine tracks except for one, which has lyrics from Pyne. The trio have developed a distinctive style that combines a contemporary piano trio sound with tight vocal harmonies. They appear to be having a great time, and that happiness flows into their music. The gently swaying "Walking On The Yellow Lines" features some fine soulful vocals from Ferrari. He is supported by Pyne's scat before they all build into a series of neat vocal choruses.

Pulsing bass leads into the catchy piano melody of the instrumental highlight, "Beyond The Horizon." Ferrari's piano is inventive, often exploring the higher registers before the trio increases the intensity. Ferrari's vocals and keyboard work are on top form in the well-constructed title track, where the trio are joined by the Soli Strings Quartet. The entertaining "Earth Odyssey" features a driving piano motif that moves into improvisation, together with urgent vocal choruses and excellent bass and drum solos. The gentle piano exploration and quiet shuffle of "Leah Meets Laika" surprises as it moves into an unexpected wordless vocal from the trio and the Children's Choir.

The album closes with "Summer Lullaby." Composed and warmly sung by Pyne, this has bluesy piano over light funk rhythms. Their instrumental strength and rich vocal harmonies and combinations make them a versatile trio, able to cross several fresh and innovative musical terrains distinctively, making this a captivating and entertaining album.

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