Idea 6 -- Metropoli

[JSngry]

Sayeth Da'Bastids:

A brilliant session of Italian jazz -- recorded with the depth and spirit of some of the classics that were reissued years ago by the Right Tempo label, and soaring with that uniquely tight sound that was bubbling on the Italian scene of the 60s and early 70s! The groove here is a mix of modal and hardbop influences -- played by a sextet that includes Gianni Basso on saxes, Dino Piana on trombone, Guido Pistocchi on trumpet, and Andrea Pozza on piano. All tracks are originals -- and all are wonderfully fresh -- bristling with the kind of electricity that makes us love some of our favorite Blue Note albums of the 60s, especially work from Hank Mobley and Lee Morgan! CD features10 tracks in all -- including "Train Up", "Minor Mood", "Metropoli", "New Born", "Autumn In Milano", "Pittura", "Vivacita", and "Windy Coast".

Well, "brilliant" is a bit of a stretch, and it reminds me more of those hip early-60s combo sides albums where Thad Jones and/or Ton McIntosh were contributing the material, but yeah, this is some nice, if "non-challenging", stuff. Nobody sounds blatantly "imitative" (at least not any more than any number of more-celebrated Americans...), the material is conservative but hip, and the swing is on. Basso is the least "modern" sounding of the group, but he sounds like Ike Quebec did in the early-60s, which is to say that although his "style" his perhaps dated, his feel isn't, not in the least, and more's the better.

"Recommended" is a bit strong, but to those who like this basic genre of jazz enough to "dig deep" into it w/o expectations of "revelation" every time out, yeah - recommended, and unconditionally so.

Edited November 26, 2005 by JSngry

[JSngry]

Up for just a little bit more air.

This is a good set, y'all. If you like the "hard bop" more than anything else, you'll dig it.

[Stereojack]

Isn't that Louis Bellson on the cover?

[JSngry]

Looks more like Friendly Bob Adams...

[Man with the Golden Arm]

While looking at the DejaVu myspace I had a chance to sample this one having encountered some remixed cuts from it here and there - could be tossed on as some bonus revamp of the 61 Messengers.

I now see dem bastidd$ have a new version from the east w/ this description: Japanese version features different mastering -- with a bit more of a "60s" feel! whaddya make of that?

[Dave James]

I've got this one and I would agree that it's a good, solid, if not great recording. The usual kudos to Dusty for going off the charts in their effusive support for this and any other CD they put up for sale. That aside, I also agree that there is a bit of a different feel to European jazz. While not hugely divergent from its stateside equivalent, it demonstrates some of the same differential shadings that used to, at least in theory, separate West and East Coast jazz. I am a big fan of Gianni Basso and Oscar Valdambrini, so I've tended to get ahold of as much of their music as I can whether they are playing together or separately. I just broke my short lived boycott of da bastids last night by ordering two more of their quintet and sextet sessions. My bad.

Up over and out.

[Man with the Golden Arm]

I am a big fan of Gianni Basso and Oscar Valdambrini, so I've tended to get ahold of as much of their music as I can whether they are playing together or separately. I just broke my short lived boycott of da bastids last night by ordering two more of their quintet and sextet sessions. My bad.

Up over and out.

I saw those but luckily the fingers were frozen from too much shoveling and sledding. please let us know how those are ... I believe you began a B V thread a few months back ... I've been wanting to get that "Blues For Gassman" title but it seems mostly unavailable.