Alessandro Bianchini | 10/5

10/5 is the result of a contamination between different genres and styles, reflecting Alessandro Bianchini's musical training: from the academicism typical of classical music to improvisation, through the sounds of traditional jazz.
These elements indelibly mark the vibraphonist's aesthetics and musical language, which are then embellished by a constant and meticulous search for detail, such that his compositions can be identified.
When asked about his music he says:
"The timbral choice of drumsticks that change according to the piece, the idea of putting vibraphone and marimba together, and the almost maniacal emphasis on dynamics are the elements that, in my opinion, give the record a jazz sound, with important notes and recognizable deliberately refined elements. Another aspect is certainly evident to listeners and that is the presence of an element that I personally always put in the foreground and that is the basis of improvisation and interplay: timing. It is precisely the timing that allowed me to create a natural sound , feeling almost instinctive with the other members of the group: Marco Micheli on double bass and Simone Brilli on drums."

Brief description of the songs:
"Invitation" The choice to arrange this jazz standard stems from a desire to include rhythmic and timbral elements of one of the most significant songs in the bop repertoire. This standard was composed by Kaper, a prominent composer of the 20th century American jazz scene. Despite being a piece from 1952, it immediately struck me as very current, almost as if it were a contemporary composition. The arrangement creates free moments in the Intro and Outro, which encourage musical exploration and lend spontaneity to improvisation and interaction among the trio musicians. From the first notes, the contaminations of percussive, almost prehistoric, tribal music are immediately perceived.

"Song for peace," Classic jazz waltz,inspired by the sounds and interplay typical of Bill Evans' early piano trio, with Scott LaFaro on double bass and Paul Motian on drums. Also, in the piece, the melodic lines are undoubtedly influenced by another composer who has had and still has much importance in my musical aesthetic, Johann Sebastian Bach.
 
"Mud for Bud" It is in its essence a tribute to the two musicians who marked my studies of the bebop repertoire-Charlie Parker and Bud Powell. The former a saxophonist, the latter a pianist. The harmonic structure and form are nothing more than a counterfeit of "Donna Lee," one of the manifesto songs of the bebop era, with a deliberate departure from the original tone. "Mud for Bud" is in Mib Maj as opposed to Donna Lee which is in Ab Maj. In the last solo vibraphone refrain, part of the original theme of the song made famous by Bird is quoted.

"10/5 "is the song that gives the album its name, drawing inspiration from the repertoire of Egberto Gismonti, a composer who inspired me. The title is given by the metric that drives the music, in the sense that it can be counted and interpreted in either 5/4 or 10/16. In my opinion it is the most intense composition, being the result of a melodic line created on a 5/4 clave, which is always present as a groove in the development of both themes and improvisation. Compositionally, section A differs from section B only in a change of harmonic rhythm, while keeping the thematic line unchanged.

"Bud Powell" This jazz standard captures two of my great passions. The bebop language and the compositional mastery of one of my favorite contemporary jazz pianists, Chick Corea. The song is dedicated to Bud Powell, for me an infinite artist, and is encapsulated in an album entirely dedicated to the pianist who died prematurely, entitled "Remember Bud Powell" (Stretch label 1997).
 
"Grazie Armando "is a piece thought of and dedicated to Chick Corea and is steeped in timbres and grooves typical of the Latin jazz repertoire. The dynamism of the composition is given by the alternation in the themes of the two instruments: the vibraphone and the marimba. The introduction is played on the vibraphone and then switches to the marimba, where the theme is played in the lower register of the instrument. This creates a sharp contrast with the vibraphone solo, making for a smooth but at the same time dynamic listening experience.

Five of the seven tracks were composed and arranged by Alessandro Bianchini, while the first and sixth tracks on the disc are two jazz standards rearranged for the trio formation: vibraphone/marimba, double bass and drums.

The record is strongly permeated by the typical stylistic features of traditional jazz and is the result of a musical language and aesthetic matured over the years by the vibraphonist.


 
"Alice," dedicated to my wife, is a traditional ballad with interferences of post-bop tension. This track features the extraordinary participation of Beatrice Sberna on vocals.

 
Master Tape reviews by Claus Müller
Master Tape reviews by BlueMoonHouse-Sophos