Raffaele Fiengo: Recall

Recall, from Italian alto saxophonist Raffaele Fiengo and his quartet, marks his debut as leader. Fiengo has steadily built his career, winning competitions for emerging talent in 2018 and Italian National Arts Awards in 2021. After numerous festival appearances, the group gained wider attention opening for American pianist Ethan Iverson. This marked the beginning of an intense period of work as the ensemble consolidated their sound and refined the leader's original compositions.

Fiengo's quartet, consisting of pianist Thomas Umbaca, double bassist Enrico Palmieri and drummer Antonio Marmora, blend tradition and innovation in a wide range of styles, drawing inspiration from classical composers, minimalist music and American jazz.

The ensemble open the album with the dynamic title track. Fast-moving and energetic, this contemporary piece blends rhythmic structures and improvisation into a flowing dialogue. They follow this with "Arthur," a track dedicated to the prolific 20th-century Swiss composer Arthur Honegger. His architectural style is echoed in Fiengo's composition as he builds from his repeating saxophone phrase to a rapid, driving solo over swirling backing layers.

Moving into more minimalist territory, the contemplative "Green Strawberry" finds Fiengo and Umbaca combining, before the two movements of "Fluid/Obsessive" provide one of the album's highlights, the evocative "Fluid" evolving into "Obsessive," which moves from Palmieri's fine bass solo into thoughtful piano and saxophone interplay.

"Journey Inside The Soul" marks another high point as Fiengo's atmospheric saxophone builds under Umbaca's prompting piano. Drums and bass artfully construct a rhythmic foundation before changing pace as the sax ventures further. Marmora's drums are at their subtle best on "Time Warp" as the band's interplay builds a warm, introspective opening before Fiengo veers in another direction.

"Excess," presented in both solo and quartet versions, provides freedom for all to showcase their individual musical prowess in a bright but slightly chaotic close to the album. Fiengo and his quartet reconcile diverse influences throughout, weaving minimalism, improvisational freedom and rhythmic shifts into a coherent whole. Combined with their energy, cohesion and originality, the result is an album with much to admire.