Roberto Magris: Lovely Day (s)

Veteran Italian jazz pianist Roberto Magris has enjoyed a four-decade career with the accumulation of over thirty albums as leader, in addition to appearing as a sideman on another 10 recordings. Yet, this highly versatile, creative and talented musician has never recorded a solo performance project until now. With Lovely Day(s), Magris finally keeps his promise to do so after so many solo tracks throughout his vast discography and the many times he has expressed to producers that he would go solo for an entire album. He chose the title of the set after spending two whole days at the piano, focusing on how to express the love he feels with his music.

As a leader, Magris has always been an unselfish musician, allowing his bandmates the opportunity to weigh in on their own and therefore sharing the limelight on each recording. When deciding a repertoire for his first ever documented solo recording, rather than choose to feature the entire album from his many hundreds of compositions, he only performs one of his own tunes, "Blues Clues," the only original on this recording.

Of his many musical influences throughout his career, the leader selected a spectacular line up of music from the likes of influential pianist such as Andrew Hill, Billy Gault, Thelonious Monk, Steve Kuhn as well as music from legendary composers Billy Strayhorn and conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein. Three of his favorite compositions, recorded several times on other recordings, are Strayhorn's "A Flower is a Lovesome Thing," and Bernstein's romantic "Lonely Town," sounding just as lively and lovely as when accompanied by other instruments. Hill's "Reverand Du Bop," a slightly tinged Latin piece, is the third such tune recorded on one of his JMood label releases.

Magris is a man of the world with a keen awareness of the injustice that exists. Even on this recording, the pianist cannot escape the realities of the wars in Ukraine and in Gaza, with innocent children the pawns of politicians. As he states, "This balance of unclouded realism and inspiring artistry finds its way into such song choices—the performances they yield." On this album, his feelings are expressed on "The Time of This World is at Hand," and on "Saga of Harrison Crabfeathers" once again making a social statement with his music.

In Lovely Day (s), Magris conquers the many challenges faced by every musician who attempts such a monumental task. Such an endeavor requires major adjustments. There is no one else other than the self he can rely on to produce the outcome.

He notes so eloquently, "My approach is in the direction of expanding the harmonic and rhythmic freedom of the song," and that, Roberto Magris does so well—gracefully.

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