UK based Slam Records continues to release material that is adventurous and improvisational. Here are three exciting new forays.
Lucia Ianniello play C trumpet along with ”objects” leading a creative and melodic team of Diana Torti/voc, Andrea Polinilli/ss-as-fl, Paolo Tombolesi/key and Cristina Patrizi/eb through a wondrous concert in Italy. Ianniello’s tone is warm, whether open as on the floating “Our Summer” iwht Polinelli’s flute a=or the free bopping “Eternal Egypt Suite” with Tombolesi’s exotic piano, or muted as on her dreamy “Other” with Torti’s voice serving up a modern madrigal. A pair of Horace Tapscott pieces, the lyrical “Little Africa” and bluesy “Ballad For Samuel” display the melodic flexibility of the band, with Torti’s voice creating rich textures with the leader’s horn. Glowing embers of sound.
Anatma consists of sitarist Rohan Dasgupta, pianist Luigi Di Chiappari, bassist Riccardo Di Fiandra and drummer Daniele Di Pentima for pieces that are all claimed to be “spontaneous” but gratefully avoid the usually associated cacophony. There is one long 27 minute jam, “Raga Lalit” which includes free association with piano a drums along with a pulating sitar, while “Lalita” has a rich bluesy hue with clever sitar tunings. Di Chiappari is featured on the lonely and lovely “Lacrimosa” while the pics “Raga Zila Kafi” and “Kolkatay Stomp” feature gentle rivulets along with changing landscapes, withpiano and sitar weaving ni and out of the intoxicating cadences. Fragrant.
The trio of Dave Fowler/dr, Ivor Kallin/voc-b and Jerry Wigens make up Glowering Figs, and this album consists of 11 “live” improvisations. The moods range from a whacka wooka Shaft-like guitar riff on “A Plethora of Flowering Wigs” to 60s psychedelia of “07:17 Delayed.” Some fake language that is incoherent are pieced together on the grooving “Wrongie Bongje” whle guitar twangs and pickings bounce back and forth between cymbals and piano pounces on “Gaggling and Giggling” and “Trauchling to Dunoonn.” Some things stick to the walls, others fall into the pot.