BANI AHEAD

Since the postman left the latest SLIVOVITZ release on my door, I've been listening it constantly and can't leave it behind because it's addictive. and after several listens my first conclusion is that "Bani Ahead" is not as versatile as "Hubris", but I like the music even more, due to the amazing capacity of the band to create extremely complex music, and focus more in their strengths creating a unique sound that captures he listener from start to end.

The album starts with "Egiziaca" and it's powerful introduction that leads almost immediately to some kind of Classic Jazz, so fluid and coherent that the radical changes and dissonances seem simple and require little effort to be enjoyed. The guitar work by Marcello Gianinni blends perfectly with the style of the new trumpet player Ciro Riccardi.

"Cleopatra Through" marks a return to the style of "Hubris", being that the band creates an interesting oriental atmosphere. But what impressed me more is the amazing violin performance by Riccardo Villari in the vein of Jean-Luc Ponty, simply breathtaking.

The third track called "Fat" is one of the most nostalgic and melodic musical pieces I ever heard by a Jazz band, now with an impressive drum work by another new member called Salvatore Rainone, who manages to be subtle to avoid eclipsing the other members but at the same time strong enough to be noticed. Great team work.

"Vascello" begins with a beautiful guitar intro that creates a mysterious atmosphere soon supported by the bass and percussion, leading to another passage with oriental reminiscences and then to great blend of sounds with the band working as a well oiled machine.

"02-09" starts again with another beautiful guitar intro followed by a soft and melodic section, that goes "in crescendo" until all the instruments join into a vibrant and frantic section, one of the best musical pieces of the album.

"Opus Focus" is a beautiful and soft track that works as a reliever before the powerful and explosive "Bani Ahead", a song that satisfies both Prog and Jazz fans. Love the dramatic changes from funky to extremely Avant Garde and elaborate.

The album ends with the interesting "Pocho", not as complex as the previous, but still an excellent closer for an excellent album.

It's easy for me to give a high rating for a Symphonic Prog album, because that genre is my passion and I enjoy almost all it's expressions, but when I rate a Fusion album with 4 stars (as I'm doing with "Bani Ahead"), is because it has really impressed me, being that I have more problems enjoying some Jazz Fusion albums, but this release is so interesting, that I'm not able to remove it from my CD player sine I received it.