Jon Di Fiore: Yellow Petals

The attraction of a flower is more than its appearance at first sight. Each petal in a flower represents a nuance that adds to the fascination of the flower as a whole and so it is with drummer Jon DiFiore's album Petals.

Every composition on the album is penned by DI Fiore and reveals different aspects of his artistry and taken as whole they form an organic unity. Fiore finds inspiration from many sources: classical music, architecture, the music of Spain and Africa and the life of his mother. All these sources are filtered through his music and bassist Adrian Moring and pianist Billy Test add their own personal expression.

A particular artist, Argentinian pianist and composer Guillermo Klein, receives his own homage on "Inkleined." It says a great deal about Di Fiore as a composer that he chooses to pay tribute to Klein and not a fellow instrumentalist. While the drumming is rich and the rhythms often complex, the compositions are written as melodies for a group and not as vehicles for drum solos. Fiore is interested in colors, strong melodies, harmonies and the dynamic shift of rhythms and that is why Klein's sophisticated approach to composing fits his own music perfectly.

While Di Fiore brings strong material to the table, the success of the album also relies on the empathic interplay of the trio. The sparkling piano of Test, the strong grooves of Moring and Di Fiore's melodic sense of rhythm all add to the beauty of the musical flower that is Yellow Petals.