Enrico Pieranunzi: New Spring - Live At The Village Vanguard
Thus, New Spring, recorded over two nights in April, 2015 (in the 80th anniversary year of the club), closes a circle for Pieranunzi, who is the only Italian to have played three times as a leader at the Vanguard, while he continues to explore new vistas with American jazz musicians.
Needless to say, there is always something special about a well-recorded live jazz album, and this album most definitely has that exciting sense of participating in the in-the-moment creation of fantastic music, as audience applause can be heard after solos and the end of a tune.
These tunes are mostly originals by Pieranunzi, with one by bassist Scott Colley and one standard, "I Hear A Rhapsody" (see this version by John Coltrane on Lush Life (Prestige, 1961)), which is given a marvelously unorthodox treatment.
Pieranunzi's musical world embraces American jazz that is deeply colored by the lushness of Italian Romanticism along with tonalities and voicings of classical Impressionist composers channeled through his embrace of Bill Evans. Each track has a grand architectural feel with a good dose of drama added, while the structure of his tunes lend themselves to the extended treatment that fits naturally with the group.
Pieranunzi obviously likes McCaslin's tone, which is slightly on the acidic side and acts as a contrast to Pieranunzi's lushness. Within the structure of the tune, McCaslin plays with freedom and drive, which is supported and enhanced by Clarence Penn's dynamic drumming and Colley's pulsing, melodic base, but also by Pieranunzi always interesting accompaniment.
What is particularly interesting is that while this music is solidly in the mainstream, it sounds very fresh, and not a little experimental somehow. The quartet is extremely tight, playing as a unit, while each individual's part is clear and distinct, and yet the feel of taking chances is very strong.
New Spring rises above any stylistic labels, becoming "pure" jazz that is distinctly Pieranunzi and completely engrossing.
Track Listing
Amsterdam Avenue; New Spring; Out Of The Void; Permutation; Loveward; I Hear A Rhapsody; The Waver.
Personnel
Enrico Pieranunzi: piano; Donny McCaslin: tenor saxophone; Scott Colley: bass; Clarence Penn: drums.
Album information
Title: New Spring - Live At The Village Vanguard | Year Released: 2016 | Record Label: CAM Jazz
Post a comment about this album
FOR THE LOVE OF JAZZ
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.
WE NEED YOUR 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.
About Enrico Pieranunzi
Instrument: Piano
Article Coverage | Calendar | Albums | Photos | Similar ArtistsTags
Contest Giveaway
