Articles by Enrico Bettinello
2020 Fano Jazz by the Sea
by Enrico Bettinello
Fano Jazz By The Sea Rocca Malatestiana Fano, Italy July 24-31, 2020 In the first half of 2020, the Italian jazz scene was heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic that so tragically hit the country. Winter and spring festivals in Bergamo, Torino, Novara, Bolzano, Vicenza, and other cities, had to be cancelled or postponed. Luckily, the flattening of the pandemic's curve and the consequent gradual social re-opening have made it possible for ...
Continue ReadingWEWANTSOUNDS: A Forgotten Don Cherry and Other Gems
by Enrico Bettinello
A forgotten gem from the extensive and multi-colored discography of Don Cherry is available again, courtesy of the French label WEWANTSOUNDS [yes, their name is uppercase only!]. Home Boy, Sister Out, produced by Ramuntcho Matta, was originally released in 1985 on Barclay Records. It was distributed in France and Germany only and was never reissued until now. Funky and fourth-world tinged, with strong influences from the new wave scene of those years, this amazing record reflects not only ...
Continue ReadingThomas Strønen: Sense of Time
by Enrico Bettinello
Time Is a Blind Guide, the ensemble led by Norwegian drummer and composer Thomas Stronen, has just released its sophomore record Lucus (ECM), three years after its eponymous debut album. With Ayumi Tanaka on piano, Håkon Aase on violin, Lucy Railton on cello and Ole Morten Vågan on double bass, Strønen has built a chamber-like ensemble that enables him to explore the details of his soundscape while keeping the music as open as possible. The mood is quiet ...
Continue ReadingDjango Bates: Delightful Piano Touch
by Enrico Bettinello
British pianist and composer Django Bates has always been a multifaceted artist. On his recent ECM release, The Study of Touch, he leads his Trio Belovèd (featuring Swedish bassist Petter Eldh and Danish drummer Peter Bruun) through a set of intriguing originals, as well as reworking the classic Charlie Parker composition “Passport." We spoke to him about his latest record and discussed some of his past projects throughout his prolific career. All About Jazz: What's the ...
Continue Reading38th International Jazzfestival Saalfelden
by Enrico Bettinello
International Jazzfestival of Saalfelden Saalfelden, AustriaAugust 24-27, 2017 Once again, set against the amazing backdrop of the Austrian Alps, the International Jazzfestival of Saalfelden offered a unique perspective on the most adventurous jazz from around the world, as it does since its inception in the 1970s. It is no coincidence that its rich programme (37 performances in 4 days), as well as the local warm hospitality, keep attracting promoters, critics and a very diverse ...
Continue ReadingForget Old Europe: 15 European Jazz Musicians You Need To Know About
by Enrico Bettinello
Since the first half of the 20th century, the Old Continent has played a pivotal role both in welcoming and supporting jazz artists from the United States. Over the following decades it has expressed generations of passionate musicians with increasingly original languages and ever greater improvisatory skills. In the 21st century there are countless excellent, professionally trained, jazz musicians all over Europe (as everywhere else in the world), ranging from the more mainstream boppers to the most radical ...
Continue Reading15 Italian Jazz Musicians You Need To Know About
by Enrico Bettinello
It is not unusual for colleagues and promoters from across Europe and the United States to ask me: “Which Italian jazz musicians should I check out?" For decades, Italy has enjoyed an increasingly prominent place in the vast landscape of European Jazz. The names of some of its most famous players, like trumpeters Enrico Rava or Paolo Fresu or pianist Enrico Pieranunzi, just to name few, are well known all around the world. But even younger artists such ...
Continue ReadingArto Lindsay: Watch Out Madames!
by Enrico Bettinello
Since his DNA and Ambitious Lovers adventures, Arto Lindsay's artistry has been defined by a tireless drive and capacity to bridge musical cultures, sounds and arts, making him one of the most intriguing musicians of our times. His new album, the first CD of new songs in over a decade, Cuidado Madame (Northern Spy Records), has just been released and so All About Jazz decided to catch up with him, in advance of his US tour, to ...
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