Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Andrea Centazzo: The Soul in the Mist

206

Andrea Centazzo: The Soul in the Mist

By

Sign in to view read count
Andrea Centazzo: The Soul in the Mist
The music from Soul in the Mist was taken from two live performances towards the end of 2006. Having heard most of this music performed at the Rubin Museum as part of its Harlem in the Himalayas program, I can say that the quality of the earlier performances and their recording was very high indeed.

Andrea Centazzo is an outstanding percussionist, both naturally and electronically processed. Thirty years ago, his independent label, Ictus Records, was in the forefront of the European free jazz scene, and much of this extraordinary music has been collected in the 30th Anniversary Collection (Ictus Records, 2006). This release is a part of the renaissance of both the label and Centazzo's activities in creative improvised music.

Part of the experience at the Rubin Museum was the enormous drum/electronics set that Centazzo played, which included multiple sets of small, stacked cymbals that resembled pagodas, and which took up a good portion of the stage. Pianist Nobu Stowe was on the left while clarinetist Perry Robinson stood, totally exposed, in front of both of them.

Hearing this music disembodied, so to speak, is a different thing. That which could be considered a distraction, such as the amount of movement by Centazzo, is not there, allowing the almost mystical emotions and images produced to come solely from the music.

One of the first things that will be noticed is the highly tonal and melodic playing of Stowe and how it collides and interacts with the free rhythms of Centazzo. The music almost never has a clear pulse, and yet the figures Stowe plays can be felt to be within time. As he demonstrated on the Moments recordings (Konnex, 2006), Stowe is an improviser who likes to live within the tonal/melodic and free/arrhythmic worlds simultaneously. How he reacts with Centazzo's percussion and electronically-produced notes is fascinating, and produces much of feel of the music.

Robinson's clarinet is the obvious "lead" instrument, and he shows himself to be always listening to the atmosphere that is set up behind him; he might play a perfectly formed melody, or screech and wail. His sound, being made by breath, is naturally the closest to humanity, and his playing, within the framework set up by Centazzo and Stowe, is amazing to hear as he pours himself out.

While each track digs deeply within the emotional space it creates, the first three—"The Soul in the Mist," "Another Situation" and "The Cry"—astound for the twenty minutes they encompass. Huge spaces are created, and their darkness and shadows become filled with light. The listener might almost feel as if he is looking down on creation happening in the moment and be filled with joy, anguish or wonder.

The Soul in the Mist is a magnificent creative work by this trio of musicians, and will repay close listening many times over.

Track Listing

The Soul in the Mist; Another Situation; The Cry; Twenty Years Later; Last Song; Pan Dance; A Foggy Day in Philadelphia; The Voices.

Personnel

Andrea Centazzo
percussion

Andrea Centazzo: percussion, Mallet Kat keyboards, sampling; Perry Robinson: clarinet; Nobu Stowe: piano.

Album information

Title: The Soul in the Mist | Year Released: 2007 | Record Label: Ictus Records

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.