Francesco Amenta - Midtown Walk

Francesco Amenta - Midtown Walk -Amenta Music International

Tenor saxophonist-composer Francesco Amenta is an Italian expatriate who has been living in New York since 2017. He started studying privately in Italy with American artists living in the city before attending a Jazz Conservatory in Bologna. Amenta studied at other institutions with Barry Harris, Johnny Griffith, Charles Lloyd, and others before setting his home base in the Netherlands and playing throughout Europe for ten years. He released his first album while living in the Netherlands. After a visit to New York in 2015, Amenta returned in 2017 for what was supposed to be a three-month visit. After meeting the woman who became his wife, he applied for a work permit and has been a resident ever since.

"Midtown Walk" is his second album and has him accompanied by a quartet of the noted pianist Cyrus Chestnut, and two Greek expatriates, bassist Kimon Karoutzos and drummer Gary Kerezou. John Lee, Dizzy Gillespie's long-time bassist, produced this recording. Amenta wrote seven of the eight selections performed. The other selection is from Duke Ellington.

"Dancing" opens this album and is a gently rhythmic composition that showcases Amenta's robust tone and fluid attack. "Home" is as much a showcase for the marvelous Chestnut as Amenta. Karoutzos' lengthy bass solo opens the funky "Bunch of Time," with Chestnut displaying his elegant, thoughtful relaxed accompaniment behind the leader's dynamic solo. "Number 9" is a modal composition inspired by McCoy Tyner. Noteworthy is Kerezou's dynamic drumming supporting Amenta's fiery playing Amenta and Chestnut's dazzling solo. She and bassist Karoutzos certainly are names to keep an eye on. 

Armenta's lyricism and warmth might be best exhibited on the lovely ballad, "06-22," with exquisite backing from Chestnut and the rhythm section. Even better is Amenta's rendition of Duke Ellington's "Come Sunday," with exquisite interplay by him and Chestnut, along with the thoughtful, carefully sculptured solos. It may be the highlight of this consistently outstanding recording. 

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is an earlier performance (from 2016) by Francesco Amenta of "Come Sunday."

Troy Roberts & Tim Jago - Best Buddies

Troy Roberts & Tim Jago - Best Buddies - Toy Robot Music

This writer was impressed at the end of 2019 by Troy Roberts' album "Days Like These." Saxophonist Roberts was, at the time, a member of Joey DeFrancesco's group, and before that, he was a member of the Jeff' Tain' Watts Quartet. In that review, I observed that "With superlative backing, Roberts shows he can play tough and tenor with a big sound in the manner of Gene Ammons, Stanley Turrentine … and Houston Person." On this recording, he shares the limelight with guitarist Tim Jago who, as the album title states, is a close friend of Roberts. The two were born and raised in Australia, and both initially re-located to the US to undertake graduate studies at The University of Miami Frost School of Music. 

The present album was recorded in Australia with fellow Australians Karl Florisson on acoustic bass and Ben Vanderwal on drums. The recording took place because of the fortuitous circumstance of all of them being in the same place in July 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdown. It captures four similar attuned musicians putting together some marvelous performances. The album is in a post-bop style, with the theme being the performance of contrafacts (a new melody composed over the existing harmonic structure of various well-known jazz standards).

Like Roberts' prior recording, this is a hard-swinging recording that opens with a take-off on "I Got Rhythm," "Chythm Ranges." Both play with authority on this barn burner performance, and Jago's horn-like single note runs complement Roberts, robust, fiery lines. The title track is an appealing number inspired by Benny Golson's "Stablemates." It is played at a lazy tempo, with Roberts further showcasing his big sound, set against Jago's comping.

The quartet explores "A New Porpoise," a contrafact of "Green Dolphin Street. Bassist Florisson lays down the foundation for this track with Jago displaying his technical facility and invention in his solo. "Pho Twenny" is derived from "I'll Remember April" and a showcase for Roberts' exquisite ballad playing. Based on "My Heart Belongs To Daddy," "King of Hearts" is a jazz waltz with a Coltrane-esque feel with its groove with Vanderwal's channeling Elvin Jones. There is a fugue-like quality in the interplay between Roberts and Jago throughout "Halfway House In C Major," which is derived from Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love." 

A heated "Overlook," a contrafact of "My Shining Hour," closes this album. Roberts develops a thematic improvisation over the rhythm section's blistering tempo, followed by concise solos from Jago, Florisson, and Vanderwal. It is another first-rate performance. The other tracks are of a similarly high standard. With inspired compositions and superb playing, "Best Buddies" is simply an outstanding recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a video for "Best Buddies."

Anne Mette Iversen Celebrates Jazz & Motherhood

Bassist-composer Anne Mette Iversen is among the jazz artists associated with the Brooklyn Jazz Underground and the associated BJU records has just issued Milo Songs. Performed by her Quartet with her on bass, John Ellis on tenor sax and clarinet, Danny Grissett on piano and Otis Brown III on drums, the seven compositions on this album grew from a melody her son made up at the age of 2, and the recording is an affirmation and her celebration of her successfully juggling motherhood and being a professional jazz musician. She explains that the titles of her compositions indicate her intent that each tells stories of a child’s life such as the turbulence of a new sibling in the home, the ability to focus on something seemingly unimportant to others, the fantasy world, dreams shared with mom in the morning and more.

Whatever the particular employment of Milo’s song in a specific composition, the seven years of having played together is reflected in the interplay among the quartet. The performances flow organically as on the opening The Terrace, on which Ellis displays a full tenor sound as Grissett dances around him, while Brown adds percussive accents and Iversen anchors the quartet before Grissett takes a strong solo. From the somewhat romantic feel of The Terrace the mood shifts on the The Storm. This opens as a heated dialogue between Ellis and Grissett before Brown and Iversen join in to vigorously frame the pair’s call and response with each other. Then Grissett launches into his high energy solo followed by some vigorous tenor sax.
 
Drum Dreams, with Ellis on clarinet, has a meditative tone to it and both Grissett and Ellis display restraint while Iversen’s bass provides a strong axis for the performance. Brown takes a solo here that is an extension of the performance. There is a playful lyricism displayed on Trains & Chocolate, and a latin tinge to the animated Milo’s Brother. Child’s Worlds with Iversen taking a solo might be the highpoint of this excellent set with Grissett and Ellis shining as well and Brown being terrifiic in pushing this performance forward.

For more information on this excellent recording (including ordering information), check out the BJU Records website, www.bjurecords.com and Anne Mette Iversen’s own website, www.annemetteiversen.com.


As I write this I note that the Anne Mette Iversen Quartet is scheduled to celebrate the release of this at An Die Musik in Baltimore on Friday, June 24 and at Twin’s Jazz in Washington DC on Wednesday June 29.

I received this from a publicist for this release.