Luca Dell'Anna: Tactile

Italian pianist and composer Luca Dell'Anna draws from a rich tapestry of musical traditions. His earliest influences came from his grandfather, whose accordion playing was rooted in Italian folk music. At home, his father's diverse record collection introduced him to the works of Nat King Cole, Ray Charles and Johann Sebastian Bach. As Dell'Anna developed his own musical identity, he cultivated a deep-seated appreciation for Cuban and African musical traditions and Gonzalo Rubalcaba in particular.

This cultural mix permeates Dell'Anna's release, Tactile. Unlike his previous album, Human See, Human Do (UR Records, 2018), which featured a quartet, Dell'Anna now performs in a piano trio setting alongside drummer Luca Colussi and Alessandro Fedrigo on fretless bass. The album is produced by Grammy-nominated engineer Stefano Amerio, perhaps best known for his work on ECM recordings. Beyond his leadership role, Dell'Anna has built an impressive career as a sideman, collaborating with diverse artists including trumpeter Adam Rapa, flautist Jorge Pardo and avant-garde trumpeter Steven Bernstein, broadening his musical vocabulary across genres.

Opener "Wormhole" offers an ideal introduction to the trio's distinctive style. From gentle beginnings, Fedrigo and Colussi set up a lively groove with Dell'Anna setting up the melody before moving into an impressive improvisation with rapid, precise single-note runs. The music shifts unpredictably, rarely settling on a single idea, eventually resolving into a propulsive close.

"Is It Morning Yet" highlights Dell'Anna's quick, intricate passagework; he weaves melodic fragments through his improvisation, complemented by a fluid bass solo. The slower tempo of "The Horseman and the Tree" takes a new direction. With bass and drums taking a back seat, Dell'Anna reveals his strong classical influences as he explores the dark melody. That classical touch remains in the strong theme of "System Thaw," but here it is lighter with a delicacy of touch alongside another fine solo from Fedrigo.

The trio give an inventive reading of Peter Gabriel's superb composition "Playing For Time." Its mellow gospel feel allows plenty of space in before increasing in pace. The driving title track opens with chimes before Dell'Anna's flowing improv goes in one direction and then surprises by diverting on another path. Colussi excels at setting up the tight Haitian rhythm on Frantz Casseus' "Merci Bon Dieu;" made famous by Harry Belafonte, the song allows ample opportunity for the pianist to move through his melodic twists and turns.

Dell'Anna has absorbed much from his influences and his global touring; it emerges in a constant and versatile flow of musical ideas. Nothing lasts too long before he is led by the strength of the melody on to the next mix of chords and harmonies. His playing flows powerfully, underpinned by his knowledge of Cuban Rhythms as he blends jazz trio tradition and contemporary expression in a highly entertaining way.