Hailing
from Rome, Italy trombonist Dino and flugel horn player Franco
Piana are founder of the Dino & Franco Piana Ensemble. In
addition to the namesakes, the ensemble currently consists of
the musicians Stefania Tallini (piano), Dario Deidda (bass),
Roberto Gatto (drums), Lorenzo Corsi (flute), Ferrucio Corsi
(sax) and the B.i.m. Orchestra.
The new album Reflections, released in 2021 on the label Alfa Music, contains a total of 10 tracks. Six were composed by Franco Piana, two others are covers and another two were contributed by members of the ensemble. The CD is accompanied by a richly illustrated booklet with a foreword by Franco Piana and a detailed review by jazz publicist Adriano Mazzoletti in Italian and English language.
The album lives from the peculiarity that each piece was recorded with different performers. Already by this varying instrumentation and the participating musical natures a lively overall result is created. The album opens with a rendition of Skylark, a tune composed by Hoagy Carmichael in 1941. Actually a hussar piece, because Dino interprets the richly orchestrated original alone on the valve trombone, making the melody shine like a piece of pure gold.
D and F are the are the initials of Dino and Franco, for which the Bebop piece is designed. A tour de force of all involved in this track. I was particularly impressed by the pianist Stefania Tallini, whose virtuoso playing also elicits raves from the author Adriano Mazzoletti in the accompanying text.
I Think Of You is a jazzy love ballad in which Stefania Tallini exhausts the melodic side of her piano in wide runs and Franco on flugelhorn harks back to the days of Romeo and Juliet wonderfully framed by the unnamed string quartet.
The Days At Home recalls the time of the pandemic outbreak, when creativity was forced to unfold within one's own four walls. Dusk is written by flutist Lorenzo Corsi, who, along with Franco, also takes the lead role in almost classic garb.
Speedy is committed to the virtuosity in which Franco, Dino and Dario spend themselves. Piana's Mood sets a counterpoint of slow tranquility to the previous piece in the sense of the natural balance of Ying and Yang.
Latin Groove is the aptly title of the horn powered section in the Bossa Nova style. Some Italian flair of the 50s comes up with the swinging Stella Marina. A throwback to the great era of jazz, as it also dominated in Italy. The album closes with the romantic Embraceable You, a soulful interpretation of George Gershwin's jazz standard.
The Italian masters of jazz Dino and Franco Piana have once again laid down a shining testimony of their creative power with Reflections, which should not be missing in any collection.
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Album Information
Title: Reflections Credits:
Artist: Dino & Franco Piana Ensemble
Year: 2021
Genre: Jazz
Label:
Alfa Music
1) Skylark (3:29)
2) D and F (6:40)
3) I Think of You (5:37)
4) The Days at Home (5:57)
5) Dusk (3:05)
6) Speedy (3:25)
7) Piana's Mood (5:43)
8) Latin Groove (6:40)
9) Stella
Marina (4:19)
10) Embraceable You (3:09)
The B.i.m.
Orchestra (String quintet):
Marcello Sirignano: violin
Andrea Cortesi: violin
Mario Gentili: violin
Fabrizio De Melis: viola
Giuseppe Tortora: cello
Further Review:
Open Spaces