Gianluigi Trovesi Ottetto: Fugace

The word "eclectic" gets batted around quite a bit to describe things that are, according to the New Mirriam-Webster Dictionary: "...made up of what seems best of varied sources."

The word fits well with the music of the Gianluigi Trovesi Octet on Fugace. The Italian reedman/bandleader is possessed of a broad array of influences: New Orleans, European classical forms, Duke Ellington (on "African Trptych"), W.C. Handy, and new millennium electronics.

The octet is an unusual formation of sounds, with a front line of trombone, trumpet, and Trovesi's reeds, with cello, two basses, and drums and percussion, bringing Ornette Colman's Free Jazz configuration to mind. It's a line-up that can weave substantial textures, aided by the occasional electronics – harpsichord and guitar sounds – that ramble from free jazz atmospheres to very tight, contemporary grooves.

The octet is very good at what it does, but this effort feels a little unfocused for this listener. They are perhaps too good at too much for one CD. A stronger outing – reviewer's bias here – might have concentrated on one aspect of their sound or another. The disparity in styles can be, for some, a bit distracting, no matter how well rendered each style.

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