Stefano Travaglini/Achille Succi: Book Of Innocence

Book Of Innocence, an album from pianist Stefano Travaglini and reedist Achille Succi, opens with a tune entitled "Rothko," taking inspiration from the Russian-born abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko. The music is an edgy, frenetic romp. It sounds like a near out-of-control roll by a pair of skateboarders careening down a steep and winding mountain road, without the benefit of any type of braking mechanisms, the riders (the instrumentalists) weaving back and forth into and out of each others paths with abandon, no collisions, no falls.

Travaglini is best known for his piano solo work, on albums like Ellipse (2017) and Monk—Fifteen Piano Reflections (2020), both on the Natomi Jazz label. His stated interest is in "The fascinating world of improvisation." The Book Of Innocence, with its improvisatory mode, explores the world of interplay inspired by the visual arts, literature, and more. "Bauci" is an auditory translation of the 1972 novel Invisible Cities (1972) by Italian author Italo Calvino, a tune laid down in a place beyond time.

"Silent Moon" evokes a lonely walk at the edge of town, the stroller lost in contemplation, in a reverie tinged with sadness, and maybe regret, while the title tune brings us back to the visual arts—inspired by Henri Matisse's 1911 creation, The Red Studio, a painting that depicts numerous previous works by the artist. Travaglini and Succi take a tour of Matisse's studio and the works therein featured in the painting. The duo shifts from one work within the painting to another with a fluid grace and an approachable cerebralism, on a beautiful highlight of a set of vivid sound paintings.