Recommended: Lorelei Quartet – “Seta”

There is an abiding peacefulness to the 2011 release Seta that is pretty easy to sink into and simply drift away.  The Lorelei Quartet bring together Italian folk and chamber jazz, and how they manipulate the ratios between the cheery warmth of the former and the soft tranquility of the latter is what makes the album so potent.  On accordion, Massimo Marino is a fireplace comfort of harmonies.  On vibraphone, Alberto Occhiena adds melodic textures that seem endless.  Loris Deval, in a complementary fashion, provides shape and definition to those melodies, while also adding rhythmic support.  Bassist Giorgio Fiorini is the main instigator of the tempos, but that doesn’t prevent him from yielding a melodic contribution at just the right moments.  Because this entire album is hitched to the melodies, and any rhythmic or harmonic aspect is simply the logical endpoint of the quartet’s melodic pursuits.

“Samba Fara Tine” gets the heart rate up a bit, but never once does the tempo take focus away from the crisp melody leading the way.  And “Kabul” is a rare accentuation of percussion.  But in the end, when it all shakes out, it’s melodically-focused tracks like “Andaluna” and “Seta” that represent the heart of this gorgeous recording.

Your album personnel:  Loris Deval (classical guitar), Alberto Occhiena (vibraphone), Massimo Marino (accordion), Giorgio Fiorini (double bass) and guest: Martina Mazzon (violin).

Released in 2011 on Dodicilune Records.

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

Music from Ivrea, Italy.

Available at:  Amazon