Armaroli - Schiaffini - Sjostrom: Duos & Trios

Italian musicians Sergio Armaroli (vibraphone) and Giancarlo Schiaffini (trombone) beckoned reputable Finland-reared Harri Sjostrom (saxophones) to join them for a session consisting of nine duos and three trios that are somewhat noteworthy due to the unconventional instrumentation. Per the album liners, the goal was to create 'events' such as "amazement, wonder or a good mood through the free formation of notes..." and so on.

The artists' notes duly resonate via the crystal-clear audio production, providing additional clarity for their dynamics and multifaceted collaborations. These meetings consist of distinct subtleties along with weaving, peppery and rebellious inferences, gushing with counterpoint and fluently moving call and response parts. And on "Duet Two," Armaroli and Sjostrom inject frantic climaxes and carefree exchanges into the mix along with prolific tonal variances. Yet "Duet 5" is a brief and quirky piece, marked by Sjostroms extended soprano sax notes and bursting breakouts, and underscored by Armaroli's undulating support, where the duo imparts staggered mini themes as they stop, go, and renew.

Duets such as #9 and #10 contain upbeat flows, circular sax phrasings, earnestness, and rugged progressions amid dense and nuanced motifs, accelerated by passages that mimic a nerve-rattling escape from captivity sequence on #10. However, one of the three trio works is the three and one-half minute "Trio Three," directed by Schiaffini's drawling lines and the saxophonist's whimsical sojourns, terse patterns, and disparate contrasts, given the instrumentation. And the final 22-minute trio piece—"Trio Two"—is where they reach for the stars, culminating a rather magnetic presentation that offers a shimmering visual experience for the mind's eye.