ENG Jazz Weekly, Ken Waxman (jun.2003)

[....] A similar mixture of primitive and modern impulses appears on “Araucanos”, X-Ray’s last track. Written by Argentian-Italian woodwind player Javier Girotto, it features the piping sound of the quena, a traditional flute of the Andes. When trombonist Petrella picks out the theme the quena whistles on top of it for a time, until Girotto switches to soprano to better blend tones and offer a surface for overblowing. He holds one long note until the conclusion, as the trombone rhythmically fills the rest of the aural space.
X-Ray is an enhanced CD with embedded photos and two video tracks from the studio. Plus Girotto isn’t the only sideman who impresses.
Drummer Francesco Sotgiu, who has also played with the likes of Rava, multi-reedman Gianluigi Trovesi and American pianist Mal Waldron, is both powerful and inventive, not letting the time-keeping need mute his freedom to invent new patterns and rhythms. His barn-burning work on Rogers’ “Crunch”, the “jazziest” tune on the disc, also finds the bass man speedily brandishing his five-string, standup axe like a bass guitar. An extended bari buzz constitutes the coda.
On the title track conversely, Girotto appears to be playing “The Volga Boatman” at half speed while Petrella produces slurry chromatic breaks and Rogers decorates their work with chordal accompaniment. Clinking tones, then fingerpicking, characterize the bassist’s work on Girotto’s “Grandes Amigos”, which is obviously titled in Spanish, not Italian. Playing the hard-boppish line in lockstep, the two horns then split apart with the baritonist providing the basso continuum and the trombonist wiggling out some grace notes.
The most overtly outside piece is Rogers’ “Ra,” which may or may not be named for the Arkestra leader. Almost a dirge, it features odd squeaking sounds from bassist as he slides up and down his fretboard, asymmetric drum beats, percussive key pops from the saxist and unconnected trombone pulses. This suggests that the composition should be dedicated to Saturn’s most famous musician even if that wasn’t the original idea.
Forget commercial labeling, this is real contemporary jazz.