|
|
Supported by a Lottery grant from The Arts Council of Wales. (See menu for sponsor details) |
Presenting live music at CaféJAZZ,
|
|
This free script provided by |
_____________________________ |
Views expressed in reviews |
_____________________________ |
Photographs © Richard Hoad |
_____________________________ |
www.cardiffjazz.org |
| ||||
Francesco Cafiso Quartet – 'Happy Time'CamJazz Records CAMJ 7782-2
Francesco Cafiso, alto sax; Riccardo Arrighini, piano; Aldo Zunino, bass; Stefano Bagnoli, drums. Original recording 31 October/1 November 2005, Cavallico All eight tracks of this hour-long album are Francesco’s own compositions, quite an accomplishment for a young man just approaching 17 as I write this. It is not too surprising perhaps for a musician who won the National Massimo Urbani Award, as well as first prize in the International Eurojazz Competition, at the age of twelve. At fifteen he took first prize in London from amongst 50 entrants to the third White Foundation World Saxophone Competition, open to players up to the age of thirty. He sounds like a veteran from the very first note of the opening track, albeit a veteran who hasn’t much progressed beyond a fairly constrained, modern mainstream. You might justly say on hearing this music that he is doing nothing at all new and I will echo that sentiment, but I will also temper it by adding that I’m not too surprised, for at still sixteen, he has a lot of feet to find. It is clear that he is in possession of an inherent musical character; this collection of works, as all his own, is a larger step forward than many tyros could achieve. Let us hope that the interest in him shown by Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Centre Jazz Orchestra will not lock him into a false sense of achievement so that he loses the path. He might well be open to better things. The best example for me of this perceived focus on mainstream is ‘Blues for Angel’. It actually sounds moribund and wrongly, for a blues, its content is its style: bathos that should be pathos. The best track on the album is the first, ‘Louisiana’. It exhibits an understanding of Charlie Parker by referring to him rather than directly quoting from him. The track carries a flame and the duet between alto and drums is a real treat, one I was compelled to return to after hearing the rest through. Francesco has a long way to go, but he has started well. Let’s hope it is not spoiled for us.
Reviewed by | ||||