Bignami Veltri Jazz Ensemble: Non-Places

Non-Places is a large ensemble project from the Bignami Veltri Jazz Ensemble, led by Italian composers Anna Bignami and Laura Veltri. Their nonet, consisting of six horns and a piano trio, brings together some of the leading musicians from the Danish jazz scene. Blending composition, improvisation and slight electronic elements, the group takes influences ranging from contemporary jazz to experimental music.

The album takes its title from the concept introduced by French anthropologist Marc Augé, who described "non-places" as the transient spaces of modern life, such as airports, shopping malls and railway stations, where people remain anonymous and lonely.

Based in Copenhagen, Bignami studied jazz guitar at Dublin University before completing a Master's in Rhythmic Composition at the Royal Academy of Music Aarhus. Projects such as Epitaphs from the Hill (Self-Produced, 2023) marked the beginning of her collaboration with Veltri. Also a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music Aarhus, Veltri earned a Master's in Jazz Composition and has since written film scores and worked with orchestras across Germany, Italy and France.

The recording consists of four compositions by Bignami, three by Veltri and one cover version. The group open the album with Bignami's composition "Excess: A Critique of Super Modernism." The engaging piece features bright swirling horns alongside solos from pianist Sebastian Zawadzki, tenor saxophonist Niels Vincentz and drummer Daniel Sommer.

Veltri's gift for storytelling is particularly evident on "Attesa Sospesa," where Jacob Rønne Danielsen musically portrays a traveler in the non-place of a railway station attempting to connect with those around him. His performance shifts from bass clarinet to baritone saxophone as the narrative unfolds, while the evocative arrangement carries a subtle hint of Henry Mancini.

The choice to reinterpret Soundgarden's 1994 worldwide hit "Black Hole Sun" is an inspired one. Veltri's sophisticated and imaginative arrangement transforms the song without losing its identity, allowing it to sit naturally within the album's overall concept.

Among the other highlights is the splendidly arranged "The Path of the Non-Conformist," which features outstanding soprano saxophone from Aske Drasbaek alongside commanding bass work from Mariusz Praśniewski as the track shifts in mood and direction. "The Third Place" is equally impressive, with Bignami and Veltri's dramatic arrangement providing the perfect backdrop for an excellent trombone solo from Peter Dahlgren.

The only slight disappointment is the 12-minute "Reconstruction Of A Memory." Despite strong ensemble interplay and an engaging soprano saxophone solo, the piece feels less focused than the rest of the album and never quite sustains its momentum.

Even so, this is a remarkably assured debut. Throughout Non-Places, Bignami and Veltri consistently favor invention over convention, creating imaginative compositions and richly detailed arrangements whose orchestral colors offer a fresh and sophisticated take on the musical world of large ensembles.