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Quadricromia – 'Quadricromia'

DDE Records EYS 020

Gianni Verone, soprano and tenor saxes; Claudio Filippini, piano; Davide Liberti, bass; Mattia Barbieri, drums and percussion

Recorded December 2004 to February 2005

Quadricromia is a quartet of young (early 20s) Italian musicians who play their own compositions. The term ‘quadricromia’ – literally, ‘four colours’ – is borrowed from the world of graphic reproduction and is here used, I believe, to suggest that the music itself is method rather than object, contributing to an inventive process to which all can contribute. So the four musicians explore ways in which single colours, duotones or whatever combinations of interactions can be exploited to generate the overall image.

Although there are four tracks penned by Gianni and two by Filippini, the four tracks Quadricromia 1, 2, 3 and 4, all collective improvisations, are truly remarkable. They explore myriad forces, passions and patterns in depth, sometimes basic, charming or quite ferocious.

Throughout the album, the interaction is constant and consistent, as all four take a lead on initiating individual developments and each already has his personal, musical accent. The drumming is melodious and largely utilises counterpoint, out-of-time, to emphasise its rhythmical outline. Each musician in fact explores the resonance of his instrument, to better exploit the colours he will lay under or over those spawned by his colleagues.

This is a really skilled album, undeniably persuasive and thoroughly modern jazz.

Reviewed by
ken cheetham
May 2006