adEIdJ – Associazione delle Etichette Indipendenti di Jazz

Press Release

It is not common (or perhaps it has never happened), at least in jazz, for a pianist to commission compositions that he will then interpret himself, from his colleagues, who in this case are also friends. This happened a few years ago when Michele Francesconi (Faenza, 1975) asked Marco Ponchiroli, Stefano Travaglini, and Luca Dell’Anna – all of whom, like him, are renowned Italian jazz pianists – to write three suites inspired by the cycle of the seasons. Three different approaches to the theme, which Francesconi’s original and mature pianistic style then tried to unify, adapting them to his unique sensitivity, beautifully supported by a solid and close–knit rhythm section that is both imaginative and creative, formed by the double bass player Giulio Corini, from Brescia, and the Friulian drummer Luca Colussi. In Ponchiroli's poetics there is a pre–Romantic character reminding us of Mendelssohn in the linearity of certain melodies; his five pieces have no titles but only tempo indications, as is usually the case in classical music. Instead, in the music composed by Travaglini there is a predominance of dark colors and the harmonic language is more complex. The third suite in order of listening, composed by Dell'Anna, is developed in different areas that he ideally lead back to the four primary elements: fire, air, water and earth. After several arrangement rehearsals and the addition of improvised parts, the result is what you listen to on «Seasons».

Track List

01. Allegro
02. Moderato, Andante
03. Choro
04. Calmo
05. Presto
Music by Marco Ponchiroli

06. The Room Before
07. Migrations
08. The Sun Comes to Me
09. Skvala
Music by Stefano Travaglini

10. Fire
11. Air
12. Water
13. Earth
Music by Luca Dell'Anna

Personnel

Michele Francesconi (piano)
Giulio Corini (double bass)
Luca Colussi (drums) 

Recording Data