Tommaso Starace Quartet – Italian Short Stories
Tommaso Starace Quartet – Italian Short Stories: Recollection; The Bubble Vendor; Motion in Stillness; Ravel’s Waltz; Let The Magic Begin; Olivetti’s Touch;"Jamme!"; Interius Tranquillitas; Nothing Must Change; The Amused Gypsy Girl; Sensually Deranged; Adigio Assai from Piano Concerto in G Major; Back to My Roots; Echos of Naples
Personnel: Tommaso Starace: Soprano and Alto Saxophones; Michele Di Toro: Piano; Attilio Zanchi: Bass; Tommy Bradascio: Drums; Special Guest: Paolo Fresu: Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Tommaso Starace Quartet – Italian Short Stories was produced by Tommaso Starace and was released on the Universal Music Italia label. This is the second release from Tommaso Starace that was inspired by photographs of a famous artist. The release Italian Short Stories is comprised of fourteen (14) original tracks that were inspired by fourteen (14) black and white photographs from the Italian internationally renowned artist Gianni Berengo Gardin. Other releases from Tommaso Starace that were reviewed by Luxury Experience in the Music Scene section include: Tommaso Starace – Plays the Photos of Elliott Erwitt, Tommaso Starace Quartet – Don’t Forget, Tommaso Starace Quartet – Blood and Champagne, Tommaso Starace – Simply Marvellous.
The tracks on Italian Short Stories were not only inspired by the photographs of Gianni Berengo Gardin, but each track was named after the corresponding photograph.
The release opens with the track Recollection, which was inspired by a 1958 photograph that depicts a young couple dancing outdoors to music coming from an old wind up victrola. Capturing the sound of the victrola, the track begins with a scratchy recording of a male voice singing, which leads into the soft sound of the piano followed by Tommaso’s sultry saxophone and then an engaging snare drum to create an enchanting love song.
The Bubble Vendor (photo 1960) depicts a gentleman blowing endless bubbles as a crowd of people walk right by him without a glance. The music is fanciful and complements the man having fun blowing bubbles outdoors in the midst of a busy area. Tommaso’s saxophone is playful and "bubbly" as is the melody carried by the piano segments.
Motion in Stillness (photo 1950) is a contrast of a man dressed in black standing motionless while some children are a blur as they spin on a small playground merry-go-round. The contrast is caught in the music with an intro of a fast paced series of saxophone chords joined in by the upright bass and drums. There is no slowing down as the music spins "out of control" in an improvisation format as the high notes of enjoyment can be heard.
Ravel’s Waltz (photo 1959) is a photograph shot through a long tunnel with a couple embracing in what looks to be a feeble attempt to clutch each other, reminiscent of a slow dance, as they say good-bye. The track is somber and poignant and is the perfect slow dance song for the couple to emotionally embrace.
Olivetti’s Touch (photo 1974) shows three children with animal masks looking out and touching a series of windows as though they are waving or gesturing to something or someone. The music carries a rag-time beat with a circus pump organ type melody; the children [band] are having fun.
"Jamme!" (Photo 1997) has two guys on a mid-sized motorcycle cruising through Naples, Italy and the track is improvisational jazz all the way. A wailing saxophone, driving baseline, and a pulsating keyboard carry the two guys through their journey.
Nothing Must Change (photo 2002) captures a quiet time along an ocean breaker with a couple of people off in the distance enjoying the solitude of the soft waves as sunset approaches. Running chords on the piano coupled with a subtle saxophone background "describes" that special moment that you never want to end, but when it does it will play out in your mind forever.
All the tracks on the release are polished and fined tuned to the photograph that they were influenced by. The ability to see beyond the one dimensional image of the photograph and craft a sound that raises the image to entice all your senses is an art form in itself, and the Tommaso Starace Quartet are the maestros on the musical canvas.
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