Alessandro Bianchini - 10/5 •Reference Master Tape Copy• + CD

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 that allows his compositions to be identified.
When asked about his music he says:
‘The choice of timbre of the 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 recognisable 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 which is the basis of improvisation and interplay: timing. It is precisely timing that has allowed me to create a natural sound, an almost instinctive feeling 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 the desire to include rhythmic and timbral elements of one of the most significant pieces of 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 contemporary, 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 between the trio musicians. From the very first notes, one immediately perceives the contamination of percussive, almost prehistoric, tribal music.

‘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. In the piece, the melodic lines are undoubtedly influenced by another composer who has been and still is very important in my musical aesthetics, Johann Sebastian Bach.

‘Mud for Bud’ 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 but 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 track 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 metrics that guide 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.

‘Alice’ dedicated to my wife, is a traditional ballad with post-bop tension interference. This track features the extraordinary participation of Beatrice Sberna on vocals.
 
‘Bud Powell’ This jazz standard captures two of my great passions. The bebop language and the compositional mastery of one of my favourite contemporary jazz pianists, Chick Corea. The song is dedicated to Bud Powell, for me an infinite artist, and is contained in an album entirely dedicated to the pianist who died prematurely, entitled ‘Remember Bud Powell’ (Stretch label 1997).
 
 ‘Grazie Armando’ is a piece conceived for and dedicated to Chick Corea and is steeped in the typical timbres and grooves of the Latin jazz repertoire. The dynamism of the composition is given by the alternating 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 stark contrast to 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.

Il disco è fortemente permeato dagli stilemi tipici del jazz tradizionale ed è il risultato di un linguaggio musicale e di un'estetica maturati negli anni dal vibrafonista.

Analogue tape offers the optimum opportunity to produce high-definition masters with exceptional sound. They were used to record famous albums that made history in world discography, as this type of technology introduces artefacts and distortions that are pleasant and enhance the music.
A professional analogue tape recording adds just the right amount of punch, warmth, fuzziness and roundness.

‘With reel-to-reel tape, the range of sound and the sense of width and depth of the soundstage are different. Noise is barely audible unless you try to listen to it. The realistic sound provides very realistic dynamics. ’
It's a sound you can hold in your hand but only with tapes copied directly from the original master tapes.’
Reference Master Tape Copy numbered edition, in elegant luxury box with Velcro closure with CD.
Inside our Luxury Box you will find:
our SM900 RTM tape with NAB metal flange and convenient tape stop bow to prevent the tape from unwinding from the reel.
certificate of authenticity
album cover in 25x25 format with photo inserts, on Fedrigoni premium paper - Splendorgel Extra White (FSC) grammage 160 grams
registration credits
CD