Last year I reviewed the album Esagerato by the group Camera Soul. This group was founded by the Italian brothers Piero and Pippo Lombardo. Another formation in which these brothers are active is the group Marchio Bossa. The brothers have used the time of the pandemic to produce Pippo Lombardo's second solo album Railway Station (2022).

Hailing from Bari both have devoted their passion for jazz, Bossa Nova and Samba. On this album Pippo plays the Farina grand piano. Further involved are the musicians Guiseppe Bassi (double bass), Beppe Sequestro (bass), Fabio Delle Foglie (drums), Elie Arcieri and Piero Dotti (vocals), Leo Gadaleta (strings and string arrangements) and Piero Lombardi (guitar).

The album opens with Railway Station. A multitude of strings carry Pippo's lilting and graceful glide over the keys of his piano. While the melody seems to dominate on the surface, Pippo's real supremacy is revealed in the almost indulgently sprawling jazz improvisation. This is how he spans the grandiose arc to Lyle May's legacy. With the beige vocals, it also spreads a little Italian flair.

Pat-Taya is a title that doesn't want to fit at all to what Pippo serves us. The slightly alienated resemblance of the infamous city in Thailand is there, perhaps also the quirkiness. Parallel Dreams dives into the endless expanses of melodies carried by strings and piano. The Sing Sang, which we already know from the melodies of the 50s from Italy, probably won't let go of the Italians.

Pas Vrai means "Not true" in French. The piece is characterized by a waltzesque buoyancy that slides into a lush improvisation on the piano. This is followed by a solo on the standing bass before the piece returns to the main melody.

The reasons that led to the title Low Priority are not clear to me. Is it perhaps an expression of understatement? The piece struck me with its expressiveness and is for me the Italian answer to Spyro Gyra's Morning Dance.

The slowly flowing river is reflected in the almost weightless sounding On The River. Every keystroke of the piano has its immutable meaning. The performance is beautifully underpinned by the sonorous bass, while the drums rhythmically assign it.

What On The River brings across pointedly, Luce Diffusa celebrates with a different approach. This piece brings everything up to volume. Full orchestra, wide piano attack and background with lots of strings and chorus. Andaloose is the relaxed Italian interpretation of southern Spanish style.

Falso Nueve stands for "false nine" in the Spanish language. In soccer, this is the position of a player who has to perform many tactical tasks. Translated into the international language of music, it is understood as the Italian variant of cheerfulness in a wide instrumental spectrum.

Generally, the blue is considered the color of jazz. So Blue is therefore the Italian acquisition of this musical style.

Compared to other jazz albums of Italian provenance, Pippo Lombardo's Railway Station definitely has moments that take it beyond the realm of pure jazz, that make it accessible to a wider audience.

 

 

Website

Buy the album at bandcamp.

Album Information

Title: Railway Station
Artist: Pippo Lombardo
Year: 2022
Genre: Smooth Jazz
Label: Azzura Music

1) Railway Station (5:05)
2) Pat-Taya (4:22)
3) Parallel Dreams (4:22)
4) Pas Vrai (4:38)
5) Low Priority (4:20)
6) On The River (5:30)
7) Luce Diffusa (5:07)
8) Andaloose (5:35)
9) Falso Nueve (3:21)
10) So Blue (5:38)