ANDREA MORELLI — Both People (review)

ANDREA MORELLI — Both People album cover Album · 2019 · Eclectic Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
snobb
You don't need to speak Italian to understand what Both People album's opener is about. "La danza dell'elefante" composed by sax player Andrea Morelli and played with lot of enthusiasm by this Sardinian quintet will make dancing even elephants.

Three sax players (alto,soprano/tenor and baritone)plus muscular rhythm section consisting of electric bassist and rock-heavy drummer just released an excellent album covering some jazz epochs, from free-bop to eclectic crossover of avant-garde jazz and rock of nowadays.

Already mentioned above "Elephant Dance" is catchy tuneful song where three saxists playing unison push music ahead as if they are trying to bypass groovy rhythm section. Perfectly recorded,with crispy and spacey warm sound, this composition is a real hit and I am sure it will stay in your head for the rest of the day.

"Rhythm no changes" changes the intensity of sound towards more loose and relaxed modern free-bop where three saxes soloing against each other build beautiful and surprisingly accessible sound castles over anchoring bassist and drummer interplay.

"Playing is a little bit like fishing" sounds as partially dreamy (but way not sleepy) collective improvisation where is enough space not only for reedists' but for drummer and bassist soloing as well. Still it's a groovy bass which controls the music from being chaotic or loose. As a result we got quite a graceful composition of fragile beauty - really not very casual case speaking about free improvisations.

"Spring time" demonstrates more complex structure with regular rhythm changes and lot of sax free soloing, probably first albums song dedicated more to listener's head than his heart.

"Host ones" is a shortest album's composition and it fits well to be paired with the opener as "elephant ballet" second action's possible soundtrack.

Alto sax player Fabio Delvò another album's composition (after "Spring Time") - "Flying over the ocean" - is down tempo complex structure's one, with lot of space for soloing of each quintet member.

"Amazing (Sahel's crossing)" - a collective improvisation which closes the album - it's a down tempo composition with touch of sadness and North African scent from last few seconds soloing bass.It's understandable final - whole album is announced as "a recording project against the rampant racism of this historical period", and the Sahel is a transition zone between Sudan and Arabic Africa, former French colonies and one of the hot areas in Africa.

Add excellent sound recording and mix plus CD's box paper cover's high quality of printing, voilà - you have a great album, another good example of what is known as "best from Italy".
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