Jazz Articles about Pago Libre

Pago Libre: John Wolf Brennan - Tscho Theissing - Daniele Patumi - Arkady Shilkloper: Pago Libre

by Glenn Astarita
December 5, 2002

Pago Libre is one of the finest bands in the biz. This is a reissue of their original 1995 recording for the Germany-based "Bellaphon" label. Essentially, little or nothing is out of this band’s overall scope of capabilities. They commence the festivities with a toe-tapping groove, via bassist Daniele Patumi’s expressive walking bass lines during the opener “Rochade.” Moreover, the quartet systematically integrates subtle variations of the primary theme in concert with unassuming accents and contrasting tonal characteristics.

Pago Libre: Wake Up Call - Live in Italy

by Glenn Astarita
January 1, 2000

With their 3rd and first “live” recording, the European band, “Pago Libre” shine once again, as they seemingly thrill the Italian audience on Wake Up Call - Live In Italy. Here, the Quartet serve up a freewheeling, enthusiastic and altogether multifarious set featuring memorably melodic compositions along with generous doses of furious improvisation.

This band swings remarkably hard as a drummer-less Quartet, which is evident from the opening moments of Tscho Theissing’s composition titled, “Wake Up Call”. On this piece, ...

Pago Libre: Wake Up Call: Live in Italy

by Robert Spencer
November 1, 1999

Pago Libre is a highly accomplished quartet consisting of the master pianist John Wolf Brennan with Arkady Shilkloper (french horn, flugelhorn), Tscho Theissing (violin, voice), and Daniele Patumi (double bass). As may be expected from the instrumentation, there is a good bit of classicism in the sound of this group. Take “Toccattacca," for example. Although Brennan thanks Olivier Messiaen for the derivation of one chord (perhaps with a nod toward reviewers who see influences behind every green tree), this sprawling ...