Max Ionata Special Edition: Tivoli

With more than 100 recordings to his name, including 17 as leader, Italian saxophonist Max Ionata has long been recognized as one of Europe's most distinctive and prolific players. Tivoli marks the debut of his international quartet, Max Ionata Special Edition, which has evolved from early performances in Sweden and Denmark into a tightly knit ensemble.

Ionata is one of Italy's most internationally recognized jazz artists. His numerous collaborators include Billy Hart, Joe Locke, Mike Stern and Joel Frahm. The album combines his melodic warmth with some of Northern Europe's top musicians: Swedish pianist Martin Sjöstedt and the Danish rhythm duo of bassist Jesper Bodilsen and drummer Martin Maretti Andersen. Ionata contributes three original compositions, Bodilsen one and there are four covers, all of which sit comfortably beside each other.

The album opens with "Canción Para Sara" from the Argentinian composer Sergio Ruben Aranda. Ionata's sax immediately catches the attention; warm-toned, no sharp edges and with a fluency of phrasing that marks him out from the crowd. In common with the rest of the album, there is a vintage feel to the way the instruments are positioned in the mix that harks back to jazz recordings of the 1950s and 1960s.

The vintage atmosphere continues with an elegant reading of Kenny Wheeler's "Consolation," before Bodilsen's "Det lysner" brings a more contemporary Nordic feel, with Ionata's searching saxophone improvisation over driving rhythms giving way to the composer's bass solo.

Acting as a bridge between Italian warmth and Nordic space, the classy title track, written by Ionata, links Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens and the Italian town of Tivoli. Pulsing Latin rhythms and sax motifs sway alongside creative bass and piano in a sparkling highlight.

In contrast, the pace slows for a tribute to Johnny Griffin, with a tremendous version of his standard, "When We Were One." The minor-key ballad is suited to Ionata's tone, his extended solo perfectly evoking late-night melancholy, enhanced by delicate brushwork, bending bass strings and stylish piano. Elsewhere, there is light swing and flowing piano in "Naru's Waltz," fluid, fast-moving sax in "Mr. G.T." and a breezy tribute to Cole Porter in "Everything I Love" with space for everyone to shine.

In a recording full of character and personality, Ionata is in commanding form throughout, providing mood-rich performances and receiving excellent support from Sjöstedt's creatively shaped solos. Meanwhile, Bodilsen and Andersen provide the ideal rhythmic foundation textures that make this album an easy one to enthusiastically recommend.

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