Riccardo Talamazzi ReMusic

20/09/2024

Available for streaming on Qobuz (24-bit/44kHz) and Tidal (up to 24-bit/192kHz)

Following the intimate, almost confessional tones of his previous album Magellano (2015), 63 year-old saxophonist Gianni Savelli embarks on a bold new artistic endeavour with Alisei, a collection of expansive compositions inspired by the duality of air and water.

Since the time of Ulysses, the Anemoi have governed the seas. Among them, the Alisei (trade winds) blow steadily westward—a fitting metaphor for the perseverance and constancy that define Savelli’s artistic personality. Now at his fourth discographic release, the Naples-born, Rome-adopted musician boasts an impressive career shaped by years in popular music and a deep engagement with various artistic disciplines, including cinema and theater. Yet, it was within large jazz ensembles—most notably the legendary Saint Louis Big Band led by Bruno Biriaco and, more recently, the Parco della Musica Jazz Orchestra under Maurizio Giammarco—that Savelli truly evolved as a jazz musician. One might wonder whether these experiences in broad musical contexts led him to develop such a precise stylistic approach to orchestration. While Savelli excels in the cohesive, measured interplay within his quintet Media Res, what surprised me was his brilliant handling of orchestration—skilfully organising an intricate 17-piece arrangement around two of the six tracks that make up this latest album.

Despite my personal preference for smaller ensembles, I have always admired orchestral work, recognising the challenges of composition and the inherent complexity of blending multiple instruments. Savelli’s natural inclination toward orchestration is evident even in the quintet-only passages, where the interplay between his tenor saxophone and Fulvio Sigurtà’s trumpet often creates the illusion of a larger brass section. Modern orchestral jazz is frequently and perhaps too quickly compared to Gil Evans, a ubiquitous reference in these discussions. However, in this case, I find a more fitting parallel in the work of Italian maestro Dino Betti van der Noot, with whom Savelli shares an elegant and finely measured approach to arrangement. This overarching vision seamlessly weaves together multiple elements with perfect harmonic balance.

The jazz of Alisei—a title that already carries a poetic resonance—is a refined, European-influenced form of contemporary music: resolutely tonal, devoid of dissociative moments, and free from gratuitous displays of virtuosity. There is no self-indulgence or dominant ego; the album is built upon synthesising various musical elements that gradually unfold with each successive listen. Alisei is not an album of immediate assimilation. It resembles an abstract painting, where a more profound understanding of its structure and nuances emerges only through contemplation. This meditative quality—imbued with a profound sense of serenity—is one of the defining aspects of Alisei. The album does not rely on simple, easily recognizable melodies; instead, it presents refined motifs, interwoven sonic fragments linked together like polymer chains, forming an intricate yet transparent musical tapestry.

The Media Res quintet consists of Savelli on tenor saxophone, the velvety trumpet of Fulvio Sigurtà, the piano of Enrico Zanisi, and a rhythm section featuring Luca Pirozzi on electric bass and Alessandro Marzi on drums. The names of the 17 orchestral musicians are listed at the end of this review.

The album opens with Melodia Sottomarina, performed entirely by the quintet. A percussive framework sets the stage for sax and trumpet, which initially move in unison, gently propelling the main theme like a steady and tranquil breeze. Pirozzi’s enveloping bass pulses like a steady heartbeat, while Zanisi’s piano interjects exploratory chords, almost hinting at a swing feel. Sometimes, the sax and trumpet break their synchrony to engage in counterpoint until Savelli takes a brief, lyrical solo, followed by Sigurtà’s trumpet. The two voices proceed unhurriedly, conversing freely before returning to the main theme just before the closing. More than evoking the depths of the sea, as the title might suggest, the piece unfolds with ample breathing room, flowing effortlessly along the interface between wind and water.

Next comes Naufragar m’è dolce in questo mar—a title inspired by Giacomo Leopardi’s famous verse—which introduces the orchestral ensemble for the first time. The saxophone and piano initially outline the theme, joined shortly after by Pirozzi’s electric bass. The orchestration then emerges delicately, ebbing and flowing around Savelli’s saxophone, which breathes freely, suspended in a serene atmosphere. The trumpet soon follows, taking center stage in the sonic landscape. Throughout, pauses and reflections accentuate the panoramic role of the orchestration, which remains subtly in the background, like a luminous, shifting backdrop. As the piece unfolds, the additional instrumental layers become more pronounced, assertive yet never overwhelming, their harmonic movement gently oscillating within a single-tone interval. Marzi’s drums momentarily hint at swing before the piece fades into a melancholic twilight, led by the soft, dusky tones of Zanisi’s piano and the orchestra’s diminishing volume.

Gorghi—a title suggesting dynamic shifts—returns to the quintet format, with sax and trumpet intertwining over a robust rhythmic foundation, punctuated by Zanisi’s cadenced piano. The piece features a refined and luminous piano solo before the brass theme resurfaces. Funk-inflected bass lines introduce Savelli’s saxophone solo, which is strikingly clean in phrasing, never aggressive, but infused with an enviable inner tranquility.

Gianni Savelli Media Res presents a style of jazz that is both precise and unembellished, resulting from meticulous compositional craftsmanship and—perhaps even more notably—an exceptional command of orchestral arrangement. I have always admired musicians who refrain from technical excess, who do not expand their performance merely to gratify their own ego, and who, with humility and full awareness of their abilities, offer thoughtfully constructed and elegantly executed music. Alisei demands the attention it deserves—not only for its aesthetic and emotional qualities but also for the depth of its craftsmanship, which becomes increasingly evident upon more profound listening.

Orchestral Ensemble:

Matteo Costanzi – trumpet

Roman Villanueva – trumpet

Danilo Bughetti – trumpet, flugelhorn

Francesco Marsigliese – trumpet, flugelhorn

Remo Izzi – French horn

Enzo De Rosa – trombone

Walter Fantozzi – trombone

Eugenio Renzetti – trombone

Roberto Pecorelli – bass trombone

Andrea Pace – soprano saxophone

Ferruccio Corsini – alto saxophone

Franco Marinacci – baritone saxophone