Nearly every time I come across a contemporary jazz record coming out of Italy, I reach the same conclusion: Italian jazz is so underrated. The musicians there are so expressive, take more chances and don’t even care if their music is considered jazz or not.
The latest case in point is this assemblage of four group improvisations by a quartet collective. Le Quattro Verita (or, The Four Truths) is the output from four fearless musicians in Luca Pighi (drums), Roberto Zorzi (guitars), and not one but two electric basses (Luca Crispino, Danilo Gallo). What’s more, Crispino’s electrified bass is of the upright variety.
It’s nearly impossible to guess what music from this unusual configuration might sound like but that’s hardly the point; it’s really a reflection of the collective music personalities.
“The First Truth” is a 24-minute journey of doom-jazz, effects-drenched premonition and freely flowing melodies that aren’t really dissonant but don’t adhere to structure, either. They conjure up a riff or figure, flesh it out and move on to the next one. Think of it as a bottom-heavy, radicalized version of those Jonas Hellborg/Shawn Lane/Jeff Sipe jams.
The remaining trio of tracks run ‘only’ about half the running time. “The Second Truth” explores barren, eerie soundscapes and Crispino, Zorzi and Gallo blend in so well, it’s hard to tell them apart. Eventually though, they do settle into a nice groove and Zorzi’s guitar is an exotic blend of blues and outer space.
“The Third Truth” likewise starts slow as Gallo gets much lead bass time before inventing a repeating figure that lifts the song off the ground. A lazy, blues feel pervades “The Fourth Truth,” and as Zorzi plucks out the vamp, the two bassists engage marvelously with each other.
A lot of musicians can go on forever just jamming. Luca Crispino, Danilo Gallo, Luca Pighi and Roberto Zorzi use their considerable skill, savvy and daring to make Le Quattro Verita command your interest throughout the whole set.
Le Quattro Verita is offered by Dodicilune Records.
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