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BELLA BANDBella BandJazz Rock/Fusion3.82 | 46 ratings |
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BrufordFreak
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An Italian band from Firenza that uses sophisticated, multi-part compositions with all of the bells and wihstles that the
late 70s offers in terms of electronic gear and effects; drummer Mauro Sarti used to be in popular RPI band CAMPI DI
MARTE. 1. "Fairadiesis" (6:45) the very tight, well-disciplined rhythm section sounds a lot like that of JEAN-LUC PONTY around this time. The whole song is based upon a very catchy melodic hook--one that sounds quite familiar from the world of pop music or cinema. Excellent! (13.75/15) 2. "Promenade" (10:45) a slow, almost B-movie cinematic start with Fender Rhodes chords and saxophone gives way to ANT PHILLIPS-like arpeggiated electric guitar chords at the end of the first minute. This guitar-dominated motif continues for while the Fender Rhodes, gentle cymbal play, and saxophone make subtle contributions in the background. Then, at the 2:15 mark everybody kicks into a melodic two chord motif with chunky bass and full drums jumping into the fore. This is kind of NOVA Vimana-like. At the end of the fifth minute the music suddenly switches into a more Latin/Caribbean-flavored movement with lots of fast moving staccato parts. The music almost enters the area of rock/rockabilly before finally slowing down to create a new, more somber and rich keyboard and sax-filled theme in which bass and guitar have some solo exposure. The final two minutes, then, show the band backing off into just Fender Rhodes for a bit before restarting a variation on the arpeggiated guitar-with-saxophone motif from the beginning. Interesting and very pleasant song to experience. (17.875/20) 3. "Porotopostrippa Sul Pero" (8:50) fast opening with sax, bass, guitar and keys all jumping in full volume before settling back into a jerky groove in support of keyboardist Riccardo Cioni's keyboard play--and I do mean play! The dude jumps around from keyboard to keyboard for a it before settling on an unusual synth sound for a good minute. Then the full band jumps back into a whole-band pastiche with guitars and saxes (multiple tracks, each) competing for lead until finally a clarinet is left to occupy the spotlight. Very interesting solo over some nice funk. (The bass and drums are definitely in The Zone!) Guitar and bass take the next leads, in tandem for the bit in which the guitarist takes to establish himself. Then there is another lull while Luigi Fiorentino preps himself mentally for an extended electric guitar solo--here using a heavily-processed sound for his axemanship. It's a very nice rock solo in the vein of Hiram Bullock or David Sancious. (17.75/20) 4. "Cipresso Violento" (5:20) Fender Rhodes and sax interplay on this spacious, slow-to-develop-and-define-itself Smooth Jazz song. At times it has a very distinctive STEELY DAN Aja ("Aja") sound and feel. After over two minutes of feeling their way around, the band finally settles into a very RTF "Duel of the Jester and the Tyrant"-like motif with heavy bass chords and repetition of a two chord form. The heavy speeding down the highway only lasts a minute or so before the song regresses to its patchy, pastoral exploratory style of the opening two minutes and then eventually closes. All in all, it's a nice song, with lots of very rich, pleasant, and engaging sounds, I just wish it would/could have established a little more structure and rhythm for a longer portion of its five-and-a-half minutes. (8.75/10) Total Time: 31:40 A very interesting and engaging display of creativity and skill coupled with the melodic sensibilities and influx of electronic effects and sounds of the late 70s. B+/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of sophisticated Jazz-Rock Fusion that is definitely serving to help usher in the Smooth Jazz era.
BrufordFreak |
4/5 |
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