Thursday, February 10, 2011, at 9 PM
Jazz Evening: PAOLO FRESU DEVIL QUARTET
The magic of Paolo Fresu lies primarily in the spontaneity of a man who, like few others, has managed to convey the deep spirit of his country in the most liberated of arts. At this stage of the jazzman’s career, there is no longer a need to list all the records he has recorded or to recount the awards and experiences that have elevated him to the rank of an international star, encouraging all music lovers to love his music. In his trumpet flows the same sap that has given prestige and glamour to the new wave of European jazz.
Highly prominent on the European jazz scene, Paolo Fresu, a lyrical and inventive trumpeter in the tradition of Miles Davis, returns with his new quartet Devil 4t, whose name humorously refers to the previous Angel 4t and marks the beginning of a new musical adventure. The repertoire is a genuine cornucopia of original compositions and revisited standards, played with the refinement and musical philosophy of Paolo Fresu and his collaborators.
The musicians:
Paolo Fresu – trumpet, flugelhorn
Bebo Ferra – guitar
Paolino Dalla Porta – double bass
Stefano Bagnoli – drums
Friday, February 18, 2011, at 9 PM
PUNK JAZZ EVENING: GET THE BLESSING
When two members of the group Portishead delve into jazz, it can produce, as one might expect, some surprising results. This debut album from Get The Blessing, produced by the bassist of the English pop group, bears the mark of a music that constantly walks on its two legs—jazz and ternary improvisation on one side, and English pop with its heavy and noisy rhythm on the other.
Get The Blessing is, above all, the presence of Jim Barr and Clive Deamer, the rhythm section of Portishead, one of the most interesting trip-hop groups of the past twenty years. This English quartet born in Bristol, which defines itself as the quirky synthesis of punk and jazz, deserves to be listened to without mandatory reference to Beth Gibbons’ group and its international success.
Accompanied by trumpeter Pete Judge and saxophonist Jake MacMurchie, the rhythm pair showcases power yet does not abandon the solid binary beat that gives them confidence.
Sounds of 80s lounge jazz mixed with noise explorations, drenched in stylistic elegance, well-measured improvisations, and an impressive rhythm group: Get The Blessing makes jazz in pop terms.
