Tiny Reviews: Federico Casagrande, Tyson Naylor, and Fulvio Sigurtà & Claudio Filippini

Tiny Reviews, featuring Federico Casagrande Battle of the Invisible, Tyson Naylor Trio Kosmonauten, and Fulvio Sigurtà & Claudio Filippini Through the Journey.

*****

Federico Casagrande – The Ancient Battle of the Invisible

The guitar of Federico Casagrande likes to ride the crests of waves rather than dive down and swim furiously beneath the water’s surface.  On vibes, Jeff Davis works wonders as Casagrande’s counterpart, keeping a furious pace yet never stepping over anybody’s toes.  Plenty of heat, but it’s the serene interludes that make the session.  Two feet in modern jazz territory, though I would find it unsurprising to learn they listen to Radiohead on the car stereo.  There’s a sensibility on this album for moody ambiance without letting up on the gas pedal that reminds me of some of the better Indie-rock acts.  This album creates an environment from the first notes and keeps the listener there until the last note is played.  Very highly recommended.

Your album personnel: Federico Casagrande (guitar), Jeff Davis (vibes), Simon Tailleu (bass), and Gautier Garrigue (drums).

No audio to embed, but you can stream the entire album on the label’s artist page.

Released on the Cam Jazz label.

Available on eMusic.

Tyson Naylor Trio – Kosmonauten

Pianist Tyson Naylor offers up a piano trio album that suffers from occasional bouts of schizophrenia.  Sometimes it’s the catchy hop of Vince Guaraldi, sometimes it’s a prepared piano in a sea of dissonance, sometimes it hears voices in its head that tells it to play melodica, and sometimes a voice drops in that sounds like clarinet.  And, somehow, it all works.  Nothing boring here, and, thankfully, it doesn’t get so complex as to render it unlistenable.  Nifty stuff.

Your album personnel:  Tyson Naylor (piano), Skye Brooks (drums), Russell Sholberg (bass), and guest:  François Houle (clarinet).

You can stream the entire album on Naylor’s bandcamp page.

Released on the Songlines Recordings label.   Available on eMusic.

Fulvio Sigurtà & Claudio Filippini – Through the Journey

Beautiful duo recording of trumpet and piano. One pretty tune after the other, unblemished even when they mix it up a bit. Sparse and serene in that ECM sort of way, but none of the ambient/new age leanings.  Jazz, with a modern classical touch here and there, a hint of an inclination to get a little free, but more often than not, keeping things tranquil.  Utilitarian use of space and silence; just enough to make their point without it impeding the essential engagement with one another.  Quiet late nights or rainy afternoons, this is the album you want to be playing through the speakers.

Your album personnel:  Fulvio Sigurtà (trumpet) and Claudio Filippini (piano).

No audio to embed, but you can stream the entire album on the label’s artist page.

Released on the Cam Jazz label.

Available on eMusic.

*****

Portions of the reviews were originally used in my Jazz Picks weekly article for eMusic, so here’s some language protecting their rights as the one to hire me to write about new jazz arrivals to their site…

“New Arrivals Jazz Picks“ and “New Arrivals Jazz Picks“, reprints courtesy of eMusic.com, Inc.
© 2012  eMusic.com, Inc.

As always, my sincere thanks to eMusic for the gig.  Cheers.