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Gianluca Petrella’s X-Ray was where it all began. Trombonist Petrella, who would later become a prominent player on other releases by the label, offers his own brand of swinging avant-garde. Building on the legacy of Grachan Moncur III, Petrella combines hard grooves, free form experimentalism and lyrical thoughtfulness. His quartet consisting of baritone saxophonist Javier Girotto, bassist Paul Rogers and drummer Francesco Sotgiu explores a wide range of textures. The circular, tight-knitted groove of “Crunch,” penned by Rogers, finds the quartet on fire with Girotto delivering a particularly inspired solo.
Elsewhere, the delicately intertwined horn lines on “Double Fin” creates an appealing polyphony that is both intellectual and energetic, whereas “Improvisi-zation” is more loose and relaxed with Petrella exploring the different sounds of his instrument, all the while keeping the sense of abstract swing that makes the music speak to both body and soul, head and heart. The tune “Araucanos,” where Girotto changes from the raspy sound of the baritone to a soaring soprano, brings the album to a conclusion with a sense of elevation, which is characteristic of Petrella’s quartet: it has a sound that goes deep under the skin, right down to the driving pulse of the body. For those who think avant-garde music can’t swing, X-Ray offers proof of the opposite.
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10th anniversary
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