Sylvia Bolognesi: Jungle Duke

Silvia Bolognesi, the accomplished Italian double bassist with deep roots in Siena Jazz and Chicago's improvisational scene, leads a dynamic septet through her album, Jungle Duke. This recording offers a spirited and highly successful reworking of Duke Ellington's iconic 1920s "Jungle" era classics, celebrating the centennial of those innovations and the 50th anniversary of the composer's death. Bolognesi intersperses intriguing archival audio clips of Ellington with fresh arrangements that deftly blend historical swing with the band's occasional free jazz explorations. The 44-minute program projects colorful timbres and an undeniably enthusiastic homage, making it a compelling and essential listen for Ellington fans.

The project grew naturally from informal Ellington workshops, eventually incorporating Chicago alto saxophonist Nick Mazzarella. His presence proved catalytic, providing lithe, probing lines that anchor the ensemble's essential American inflection and create vibrant interplay with the Italian musicians. The album opens convincingly with "Black and Tan Fantasy," featuring Emanuele Marsico's threading muted trumpet sighs and a radiant spin on the melody, aided by Guglielmo Santimone's enlivening chordal passages. The energy continues to build in the bustling "Ko-Ko," where Mazzarella's darting phrases clash effectively with Tony Cattano's growling trombone and Emanuele Parrini's skittering violin, creating genuine and powerful contrapuntal tension.

While the album is remarkably solid, Bolognesi's approach is one of deep respect, meaning the work leans slightly toward celebrating the source material rather than fully challenging it, resulting in arrangements that are more reverent than revolutionary. The structural decisions, such as bookending the set with three distinct versions of "The Mooche" and interspersing three short, free-leaning improvisations, are executed with skill and provide textural variety; they merely serve to momentarily shift the listener's focus from the driving swing sections, rather than derail the performance.

Ultimately, Jungle Duke successfully stalks Ellington's shadows with fresh, admiring eyes, and Mazzarella's bridging energy is a definitive highlight. It stands as a successful, festive excavation that will appeal strongly to fans of creative large-ensemble jazz and thoughtful historical tributes.