PERIGEO — Abbiamo tutti un blues da piangere (review)

PERIGEO — Abbiamo tutti un blues da piangere album cover Album · 1973 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
dreadpirateroberts
Let me begin by saying I've only owned this album for a few weeks, and there may be that first flush of excitement to keep in mind as you read. On the other hand, I purchased it within a group of seventeen albums during an overseas trip, and this is the album I keep coming back to.

Perigeo are a jazz-rock band from Rome who probably lean more toward the jazz side of things. While there is fiery electric soloing from Tony Sidney on some tracks, and some riff-work, it is more of an atmospheric rather than foot-stamping album (Although the outro to 'Rituale' cooks.) Instead, acoustic and electric piano, along with acoustic guitar, bass, sax and vocals, often create brooding soundscapes (like in opener 'Non c'é tempo da perdere') or even downright mournful moments like 'Déjà vu' - which makes highly effective use of acoustic piano.

Throughout the album 'Abbiamo tutti un blues da piangere' I hear flashes of Hot Rats, In A Silent Way and others, but find them to be suggestive rather than derivative. Even the title track brought Van Morrison's Astral Weeks to mind with the focus on band leader, singer and bassist Giovanni Tommas' soloing. Much more in line with the rock side of their sound, the rhythm instruments build 'Abbiamo...' effectively before a shrieking sax breaks in for a long solo, employing a familiar structure to rock audiences, and fusing it with the freer nature of jazz.

In general terms, parts of the album's second half are less impressive, with 'Country' and 'Nadir' coming across as a little too sparse for me. The closer, 'Vento, pioggia e sole' however, seems to fulfill the hints of 'Bitches Brew' that the album promises. Rockier than the Davis epic, it has a less shuffling and more driving rhythm beneath energetic soloing from the lead instruments, presented in a more hard bop 'trading off of solos' tradition. It's a stand out track, almost as satisfying as 'Rituale' or 'Abbiamo...' the other clear favourites.

Fans of the aforementioned albums should get definitely something out of this great record by Perigeo, which is a confident and emotive set of (mostly) instrumentals delivered with equal parts snap and subtlety. Well worth the investment, especially if you're looking to start exploring Jazz Rock.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Shapes of Silence (live) World Fusion
ALEPH QUINTET
Buy this album from MMA partners
Horizons Held Close Jazz Related Improv/Composition
TRANCE MAP (EVAN PARKER AND MATTHEW WRIGHT)
Buy this album from MMA partners
Puttin' On the Ritz Classic (1920s) Jazz
THE NEW WONDERS
Buy this album from MMA partners
異響同塵~Different echoes in the same dust~ Jazz Related Improv/Composition
TOSHI TSUCHITORI 土取利行
Buy this album from MMA partners
Brötzmann / Nilssen-Love : Butterfly Mushroom Avant-Garde Jazz
PETER BRÖTZMANN
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Puttin' On The Ritz
THE NEW WONDERS
js· 9 hours ago
Wet Weather Wet
THE WRONG OBJECT
js· 1 day ago
Michael Kiwanuka - Lowdown (parts i and ii)
MICHAEL KIWANUKA
js· 1 day ago
Who Needs You (Billie Holiday-Jeanne Burns) by Ineza with Alex Webb & The Copasetics
INEZA (INEZA KERSCHKAMP)
js· 2 days ago
Notbad
PEELA
js· 2 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed