Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Simone Guiducci Gramelot Ensemble: Dancin' Roots

111

Simone Guiducci Gramelot Ensemble: Dancin' Roots

By

Sign in to view read count
Simone Guiducci Gramelot Ensemble: Dancin' Roots
With consistently compelling releases from labels like EGEA and CAM Jazz, the vibrancy of the Italian jazz scene is becoming more and more recognized by a larger international audience. Increasingly self-evident is that the Italian jazz community encompasses both the broader improvising tradition of American jazz and the intrinsic ethnicity of its own rich musical history. But while much of EGEA's music has a distinctive coastal Mediterranean flavour, and CAM Jazz, by focusing to some extent on the vivid legacy of Italian film composers like Nino Rota, leans towards a more cosmopolitan aesthetic, what of the folkloric roots of rural Italy?

Acoustic guitarist Simone Guiducci's Gramelot Ensemble, with Fausto Beccalossi, clarinetist Achille Succi, percussionist Roberto Dani, and bassist Salvatore Maiore, has remained intact since its first recording, 2000's Cantador . The group continues to explore the juncture between modern improvisation and traditional Italian folk music on its latest release, Dancin' Roots. Augmenting the core quintet with guests Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Don Byron on clarinet and, on one track, pianist Andy Milne, Guiducci and the ensemble evoke images of country roads and small villages—a far cry from the more urban sound of Enrico Pieranunzi's FelliniJazz or the warm coastal breeze of Trasnoche . Instead, pieces like the joyous and dancing "La Tur dal Sucar" feel more part of small-town celebration than upscale urban festivity.

The authenticity of the instrumentation is part of what lends the group its ethnic flavor. With the exception of Dani's drum kit, Gramelot Ensemble feels, at times, like the kind of street group one might encounter busking in a piazza under a hot sun.

And yet, for all the ethnic veracity of songs like "Maestro dei Sogni," which bookends the disc as a brief fanfare of an introduction and a more complete reading at the end, this is unquestionably an improvising group. "Gramelot Dance" may have a certain air of classical counterpoint, albeit in an irregular meter, but when the ensemble breaks down into smaller subsets—Beccalossi soloing over Maiore and Dani's lithe rhythms, and later, Byron interacting with Dani and Guiducci in a more open context—it becomes clear that for all their apparent knowledge of preserved traditions, they have a larger agenda at hand. Sometimes reminiscent of French clarinetist Louis Sclavis' recent Napoli's Walls project but smoother and less extreme, this set of original compositions range from the soft lyricism of "Canzone per Miranda" and "Chorale n.2" to the more propulsive "Come Dici" and breezy ambience of "Nedah."

Dancin' Roots proves, unequivocally, that one need not ignore one's past to create music that is contemporary; and that as much as American folkloric roots inform its version of the jazz tradition, viewing them as the only wellspring is to prejudicially deny the endless possibilities available from broader cultural sources.

Visit Simone Guiducci on the web.

Track Listing

1. Maestro dei Sogni (intro) 2. Gramelot Dance 3. Canzone per Miranda 4. La Tur dal Sucar 5. Chorale n.2 6. Come Dici 7. Irony 8. Blanc 9. Nedah 10. Maestro dei Sogni

Personnel

Simone Guiducci
guitar, acoustic

Simone Guiducci: acoustic guitar; Fausto Beccalossi: accordion; Ralph Alessi: trumpet; Achille Succi: bass clarinet, clarinet; Don Byron: clarinet; Roberto Dani: drums, percussion; Salvatore Maiore: acoustic bass; Andy Milne: piano (#5 only)

Album information

Title: Dancin' Roots | Year Released: 2005 | Record Label: Felmay

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.