Ferdinando Romano: The Legends Of Otranto

The Legends of Otranto is a suite in six movements inspired by the stories and legends surrounding Otranto, an ancient city in the Salento area of Italy, which is sometimes referred to as the heel of Italy's boot. All compositions were written and arranged by Florentine bassist Ferdinando Romano.

The music is provided by an unusual cross-cultural quartet, bringing together Finnish accordionist Veli Kujala, Estonian pianist Kirke Karja and an Italian rhythm section consisting of Romano on double bass and Ermanno Baron on drums. This innovative project emerged from a commission by AccordionFest Estonia, with the aim of creating an original composition that would expand the accordion repertoire by combining contemporary structures with free improvisation. The quartet debuted these works to critical acclaim at the Estonia Concert Hall in Tallinn in 2023, with the performance broadcast live on Estonian Radio.

Romano's previous albums, Totem (Losen Records, 2020) and Invisible Painters (Jam/UnJam Universal Music, 2023), won multiple awards in Italy. He is a regular performer, having worked with Enrico Rava, Tom Ollendorff and Ralph Alessi. In addition to his avant-garde jazz work, his classical background has seen him perform with numerous orchestras. Kujala and Karja share this background and have been honoured by numerous awards in their individual spheres.

The music presented here sits on the fringes of jazz and outside what may be considered conventional boundaries. Built on inventive interplay and a strong improvisational spirit, it may appeal to listeners who appreciate a departure from traditional musical structures. This approach is evident in the opening track, "La Torre del Serpe," where a bowed bass takes the lead in evoking the story behind the symbols on Otranto's coat of arms. The accompanying booklet offers descriptions of the inspirations behind each composition.

The 11-minute "L'Albero della Vita" stands out, with accordion and arco bass slowly evolving to an inventive accordion melody before each musician leads their own section of impressive interplay. "Le Due Sorelle" is more experimental, with Kujala coaxing some surprising sounds from the accordion. "La Cava di Bauxite" has many twists and turns as Kujala's accordion pulses and flows, Baron develops bustling rhythms, Romano is at his most agile and Karja navigates her way skilfully through the many moods and changes.

Each track on the album reveals layers of innovation, rewarding listeners with rich details. The quartet weave minimalist passages and atonal sections with multiple rhythms, probing sound experiments and melodic fragments, as the group seek to link their improvisations and soundscape to the folklore of the region. It is often complex but strongly expressive and uses its sound palette to create an intriguing musical landscape.