His album Neapolis shows a mature and uncompromised artist with clear musical purpose. The album has been produced by the emerging UK label Red Kite Records (recently involved with artistes as diverse as Trilok Gurtu, Antonio Forcione and others after more than 20 years collaborating with Andrew Lloyd Webber for Broadway productions) and is receiving overwhelming appreciation by the media in the UK and overseas (BBC Radio, Jazz Journal International, Jazz UK, Jazz It, etc.).
Luciano refuses to stick labels to his music and perhaps this is one of the reasons why his sound is so unique and distinctive. We can surely say that one can hear in his compositions all the different kinds of music he loves from classical (Stravinsky, Debussy, Poulenc, Vivaldi, etc.) to jazz (Coltrane, Parker, Michael Brecker, Chick Corea, David Liebman, etc.) with some hints of folk and a typical Neapolitan melodic sense.
The album includes only originals organized in two suites: one for clarinet and pianoforte and the other for clarinet trio/quartet. Within the suites there is an alternation of small “fragments" and “sketches" and seven “main" compositions. There is also the alternation of more powerful, idiosyncratic tracks with chromatic approaches to improvisation ("Pazzo Luciano", “The Mock Trumpet" and “Neapolis" that also features a “Tarantella" intro and a waltze as a finale) and more intimate ones with atmosphere that recall the music of the late 19th/early 20th century also with some chromatic chords and a touchful melodic sense.
A really interesting album which will should satisfy those seeking something really original and different from what the market generally offers.
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