Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Gianluca Petrella: Indigo4

130

Gianluca Petrella: Indigo4

By

Sign in to view read count
Gianluca Petrella: Indigo4
Indigo4 is one enjoyable morsel drawn from what has become a very broad Italian jazz landscape. Trombonist Gianluca Petrella, who routinely plays with trumpeter Enrico Rava's internationally known band, has assembled a quartet that includes bassist Paolino Dalla Porta, the young and sizzling drummer Fabio Accardi, reedman Francesco Bearzatti, and the judicious use of what amounts to a fifth member: live electronics and samples. The result is a creative excursion through Monk, Ellington and original pieces.

Whatever label you want to apply to Indigo4, it must reflect the bright quirkiness with which Petrella infuses each of these tracks. Among the features that unite to make this a fun-filled session are quick tempo changes that both Dalla Porta and Accardi effortlessly fire off, a use of electronics that doesn't overshadow the acoustic playing, and the synergy between Petrella's t-bone and Bearzatti's reeds.

Smack dab in the middle is Ellington's "Mood Indigo, which begins free, with barely a waft of the original, until a tempo change allows the melody to break through. Petrella's trombone is deliciously vocal and Bearzatti is a wild man on clarinet, turning this classic inside out.

The originals are most daring and range from "The Middleman, an electrified trombone/drum duet, to the soulful bone/tenor exploration of "Sacred Whale and the superbly bass-led opus "Stockholm 64. Monk is reborn through a remix treatment of his "Trinkle, Tinkle," Duke's "I Got it Bad is morphed into a bass/bone tease, and things close out as all go in search of Sun Ra, finding him surprisingly in "A Relaxing Place on Venus.

Track Listing

Trinkle, Tinkle; The Middleman; Lazy Moon; Mr. Wolf; Sacred Whale; I Got it Bad; Mood Indigo; Two in a Hole; There Comes a Time; Stockholm 64; I.S.T.R.; A Relaxing Place on Venus.

Personnel

Gianluca Petrella: trombone; Francesco Bearzatti: tenor saxophone, clarinet; Dalla Porta: bass; Francesco Accardi: drums.

Album information

Title: Indigo4 | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Blue Note Records

Comments

Tags

Concerts


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
View events near New York City
Jazz Near New York City
Events Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses | More...

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.