Francesco Cataldo Verrina - Doppio Jazz

27/11/2024

Sometimes, drawing inspiration from the wind could result in something ephemeral, elusive, intangible, and difficult to contain. Yet, in mythology, the god Aeolus kept the winds sealed within leather bags, releasing them only as needed, according to circumstances. Metaphorically, Gianni Savelli—an artist of protean versatility and boundless ingenuity—has encapsulated the winds that propel his creative spirit within an album infused with contemporary jazz, rich in poetic textures and imbued with an intense lyricism that speaks to both the material world and the essence of life itself.

For Savelli, these external and internal winds are the Alisei, the trade winds that once enabled sailors to circumnavigate the world, always guided westward. This dialogue between nature’s forces and the pursuit of creative momentum drives the musician and the man, compelling Savelli to explore uncharted sonic and emotional landscapes, the gravitational core of his artistic vision.

A Jazz Voyage Suspended Between Land and Sky

Alisei, the latest album by Gianni Savelli Media Res, released by Alfa Music, is a work of expansive breadth—suspended between land and sky, sea and nature, dreams and passions. The six original compositions unfold through a jazz vernacular infused with Indo-European sensibilities, at times steering northward, at others looking toward the Mediterranean, without ever losing sight of the many cardinal points of music itself.

The album presents a direct yet richly tonal soundscape, avoiding intellectualized ornamentation or abrupt thematic departures into the unreal. Savelli’s extensive musical knowledge and background led him to entrust the performance of specific pieces to a larger ensemble. In addition to his quintet—featuring Fulvio Sigurtà on trumpet, Enrico Zanisi on piano, Luca Pirozzi on electric bass, and Alessandro Marzi on drums and percussion—he expands his sonic palette with a seventeen-piece big band.

This orchestral inclination is deeply rooted in Savelli’s early formation as a jazz musician, shaped by his experience with ensembles such as Bruno Biriaco’s Saint Louis Big Band and the Parco della Musica Jazz Orchestra, led by Maurizio Giammarco. As one listens to the album’s tracks, it becomes evident how masterfully and thoughtfully Savelli has composed and arranged each piece, achieving a delicate balance between intricate writing and organic spontaneity, whether for a compact combo or a grand ensemble.

The Art of Narration Through Music

The Latin term Media Res means “at the center of things,” a literary device used to start a narrative mid-action rather than building it from gradual exposition—much like specific film screenplays, where the central plot expands outward in multiple directions, akin to Pascal’s Principle, a law of physics that also finds its reflection in Savelli’s musical approach. Here, jazz harmonies seamlessly intertwine with the natural world’s equilibrium, enhancing the expressive and performative dynamics of the album.

The journey begins with “Melodia Sottomarina,” performed by the quintet, which plunges into deep sonic waters, gradually resurfacing from the abyss of the soul through a delicate inductive melody woven by Savelli and Sigurtà in a mutualistic symbiosis. The rhythm section maintains a slow, subdued pulse, with instruments exploring their lower registers as if seeking to be heard without disrupting the stillness of the waters. Meanwhile, the trumpet and saxophone exchange eternal promises, moving forward at a cruising speed.

Similarly, “Naufragar m’è dolce in questo mar” evokes a tranquil voyage, at least in its opening section, steering northward as Savelli channels a Jan Garbarek-esque expressiveness, supported by Zanisi’s piano before the full orchestral force sweeps the composition into new sonic territories, blending Euro-classical accents with a melancholic Mediterranean glow.

With “Gorghi,” the route shifts again, introducing a groove-infused, urban atmosphere featuring subtle funk elements that define the quintet’s dynamic interplay.

However, the album’s emotional heart resides in “Delicati Effendi (In Memory of Aldo Bassi),” a poignant tribute to the first trumpeter of Media Res, who passed away in 2020. Rather than yielding to sorrow, the entire orchestra offers a vibrant and crystalline tribute, rich in shifting chromatic textures and expressive nuances. Over ten minutes, this musical odyssey paints images, thoughts, words, and emotions like a film score telling an evocative story.

Next comes “Nebulas,” a dusky, twilight ballad that evokes a sea veiled in mist, allowing Savelli and Sigurtà to shine as masterful balladeers, while the rhythm section occasionally disperses the haze with subtle harmonic movement.

Closing the album is the title track, “Alisei,” perhaps the most effortlessly captivating composition, where a mercurial tempo and fluid instrumentation intertwine seamlessly. The harmonic-rhythmic foundation supports a melody of instant appeal that seduces and captivates in the blink of an eye.

A Timeless Work, Rooted in Emotion Rather Than Experimentation

Alisei is not an album that seeks to revolutionize jazz, nor does it force itself into experimental excesses or jarring genre fusions merely for a surprise. Instead, it is an authentic and continuous source of emotion, navigating calm waters guided by a friendly and familiar wind.

This should not be mistaken as a diminished artistic ambition—far from the reckless pursuits of those who challenge the storm only to scatter wreckage across the musical landscape. On the contrary, Alisei is a masterfully crafted journey where jazz becomes a vessel for pure, unfiltered sentiment, inviting the listener to embark on a voyage of discovery guided by external and internal winds.