| A genre is a set of tendencies, of rules within music that aren’t always followed but are always at least acknowledged by the players. So when composing for a genre that rebels against even the necessity for rules, a composer has a bewildering array of decisions to make, each of which can make or break a composition — hence the difficulty of writing avant-garde music. And yet when it works, it simply soars.
Giulio Corini (bass), Francesco Bigoni (sax), and Nelide Bandello (drums) have created a collection that takes flight early, and, with few dips, remains firmly aloft throughout the CD’s 8 tracks. Highlights include the beautifully crafted “Tari Bari,” which plays with all the eloquence of a great three-bodied animal telling a traditional hero’s tale. Starting with a unison line set against a drum part that pulses without establishing a beat, the tonal instruments wander away from each other, to suddenly find themselves face to face once again in an occasional, startling rhythmic unity.
“Habitat” is a wild space of sounds that evokes the dense, close paths of many predatory animals weaving around each other. The bass anchors the sounds in the dark, deep end of its range, while the sax plays a sinuous game with its mid-range resonance and the drums subtly but certainly regulate the tension throughout. “Gatnegher” and “Affetti” are more recognizably song-like. While “Gatnegher” emerges from a meandering bass solo with a shockingly funky groove, “Affetti” actually draws tears with its melodic beauty.
Diverse enough to hold interest for many kinds of listeners, Libero Motu delivers on its title’s promise: “free emotion”. While I can’t say that all the compositional decisions were equally good, this is music for the serious listener and offers rich rewards for those who engage in the tonal universe it creates.
by Tova Kardonne — August 2007
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