Recommended: Francesco Chiapperini’s InSight – “Paradigm Shift”

Paradigm Shift is the pattern of sharp images melting into alien shapes, and then reuniting again as something no less vivid, no less stunning than before, and also still vaguely familiar.  Guitarist Simone Lobina drives the scorched earth melody of “France Mon Amour,” etching it onto the face of the tune, and even after he blurs its surface with a rambling solo, that melodic focus re-emerges when bass clarinetist Francesco Chiapperini picks up where it left off and carries it into new, unexpected directions.  It’s a similar approach but a far more startling effect on “Promenade” when pianist Simone Quatrana‘s opening vision is spread out like moonlight across the floor when Chaipperini, switching over to soprano clarinet, guides it to a full bloom.  That he cedes the development to Quatrana’s exquisite disassembly is just the prelude for when a similar, yet brand new vision manifests with echoes of that original melody.

Francesco Chiapperini’s InSight trio repeats this process over the course of seven pieces, and not one of them fails to achieve jaw-dropping moments of beauty.  Paradigm Shift hit the shelves back in September of 2016, and had it been on my radar back then, there’s no doubt it would have earned a slot on that year’s Best Of list.  It’s that good.

Your album personnel:  Francesco Chiapperini (bass & soprano clarinets), Simone Lobina (electric guitar, effects) and Simone Quatrana (piano, electric piano).

Released on Aut Records.

Listen to more of the album at the label’s Bandcamp page.

Music from Milan, Italy.

Available at:  Bandcamp | Amazon | eMusic