A newcomer to Leo Records catalogue, the Italian Enrico Fazio (bass), calls
his concept for this recording a "recycling project." He has taken hundreds
of musical excerpts from many styles of music and re-used them out of
context while preserving his own musical style and his identity.He has
worked on this project for a long time following his personal research into
the balance between composition and improvisation. The CD is a purely
Italian affair, it could not have been conceived anywhere else. And Enrico's
band, which is creme de la creme o f the Italian new music scene, does rise
to the occasion. Total duration: 75'37
Zapping! (a recycling project)
Usually I don't like to explain music, but may be this time some explanation
is necessary to understand the project.
In a very fast world, this music wants to be listened to without any rush
and with maximum relaxation.But don't worry! The way of composing these
tunes is very precise, like the work of a d.j., or a sampling, or a
video-cutting. I have taken hundreds of musical excerpts from many styles of
music and re-used them out of context, like a musical zapping. At the same
time I tried to preserve my personal style and the project's unity. I have
worked on it for a long time following my personal research into the balance
between composition and improvisation.
Sette, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 is a short theme written with block chords
technique, using fragments of baroque music with a flavour of modal jazz and
old radio jingle on the solos.
Wake up! is the sudden alarm clock during a reassuring dream, but like a
positive and energetic shock. Behind me there is my youth of a rock fan, and
in front of me something special, I hope... A cocktail of rock, jazz, and
Balkan music.
The title Walkabout is borrowed from the Chatwin's book "The songlines". I
was fascinated by the story of the Australian natives following the
ancestors' dream-ways through the desert. There is Monk and Coltrane, and
film music. But especially Nino Rota: his music perfectly represents
Fellini's crazy dreams.
Ciao Jack! is a re-harmonization of a famous traditional children song. The
ending theme is in block style and the solo is played with the same harmony
in arpeggio style, creating a classical atmosphere. This is for Diego Cugia.
Kitsch. My first idea was to write a composition based on two very kitschy,
exaggerated elements which made the Italian opera great: the honey-sweet and
the rhythmic and ostinato crescendo. So this tune is in two parts: in the
first part there is a lot of Italian opera colours, but also Shubert,
Strauss, Mingus, Altena, and more; the second part uses the same elements in
a frenetic way, ending with Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf".
Igor starts with the trombone playing the same Prokofiev's theme, but with a
different rhythmic articulation. The atmosphere is somewhere between
Stravinsky and Scott Joplin, but especially close to the October feast in
Monaco...
A friend asked me to write something about the sense of flying. Aria Pura is
how I feel about it. I mixed here Bach and film music during the theme and
changed to an afro atmosphere during collective solo.
Libellula Obesa (obese dragonfly) is dedicated to Gianpiero who really plays
his tuba with lightness and fantasy. It is a funny tune, like cartoon music.
In Vino Veritas (from Latin: in wine there is the truth) is a very long and
complex compisition mainly based on the rhythm. This tune is a kind of
summary of this recycling project. There are many different trips: a
geographical one, from Africa to America via Europe; a trip through the
times and musical styles jumping between Ravel, Mussorgsky, Bizet,
Morricone, Lucio Dalla, Harry Belafonte, traditional music and almost all
the jazz tradition... A trip in my memory through some soundtracks of my
life. But especially there is a trip in a very good wine (red wine!). In the
end everything is mixed and shaken in a pleasant way, full of happy dreams
for the future...
Many thanks to Fiorenzo, Carlo, Cecco, Gianpiero, Alberto, Angelina and
Fabrizio: with their mastery and feeling they have transformed my musical
madness and emotions into reality. Thanks to Massimo for the good studio
work and to Tiziana for the nice artwork.
Enrico Fazio
