Giuseppe Doronzo, Andy Moor, Frank Rosaly: Futuro Ancestrale

Within the diversity of Amsterdam's global, multi-cultural environment, Italian saxophonist & composer Giuseppe Doronzo called on the talents of UK guitarist Andy Moor and US drummer Frank Rosaly. The trio project, Futuro Ancestrale, is a collection of avant-garde improvisations marked by folkloric influences and experimentation. Three of the five compositions rose out of a request from Bimhuis, the premier jazz club in the Netherlands, to assemble a group for the Red Light Jazz Festival. Further inspiration was drawn from 'Rayuela' (Hopscotch), a literary work of Belgian novelist and poet Julio Cortazar.

"Neptune" is properly unearthly with deep gong tones and sonic pings. The piece exits in heavy, ghostly footsteps. More musical, "Hopscotch" is guided by Doronzo's serpentine baritone saxophone. Moor tangles, note for note, with the sax while Rosaly inserts just enough buffering to avoid chaos. "Magma" opens with Moor's thrashing guitar, suggesting heavy metal. The din quickly settles as an ethereal choir of effects takes center stage. Rosaly's clear-eyed rhythm contrasts with Doronzo's exotic Iranian bagpipe, a drone-less, double-melody pipe version of the traditional Turkish instrument. "Digging the Sand," is a slightly re-imagined version of a previously recorded title track from the AVA Trio (Marocco Music, 2019). Significantly extended, often minimal, Rosaly's slow, steady beat and the deep baritone saxophone are hypnotic. In places, the music sounds imbued with electronic effects. This is intentional as Doronzo notes: "Going beyond the tradition, I incorporated unconventional techniques that produce sounds reminiscent of electronic music or a synthesizer—areas of keen interest to me."

There is nothing quite comparable to Doronzo's projects and Futuro Ancestrale is no exception. Each of the pieces is a tonally different musical pilgrimage which incorporates melody, dissonance, ancient instruments and unusual techniques. Doronzo, Moor, and Rosaly share a steadfast commitment to honoring musical traditions while exploring their limits and interactions. It pays off in ear-opening, unconventional music.