NEW CD
CUBAN FIRES
An imaginary journey into the various styles and traditions of Cuban music.
NEW CD
CUBAN FIRES
An imaginary journey into the various styles and traditions of Cuban music.
THE GIFT: Music for Strings
"The Gift" is a sonic journey spanning thirty years of composition.
"𝑁𝑜𝑡 𝑎 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛
𝐹𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑠
𝑂𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛
𝐻𝑎𝑠 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑔𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑖𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑚𝑒
𝐴𝑠 𝑎 𝑔𝑖𝑓𝑡
𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑘𝑦"
Adriano Clemente, Seggiano, 2019
These verses, accompany the opening track and define the spirit of the entire project: twenty compositions for strings, harp, flute, and piano, conceived over three decades and now gathered into a single, organic work. From intimate pieces like the "Eight Miniatures for Cello" to wide-ranging works such as "The Gift" - written in four movements during two weeks of continuous rain on Mount Amiata - and "Who Draws Clouds in the Sky," inspired by a traditional Tibetan chant; it is an album that gathers cherished voices: the memory of Tibetologist Elio Guarisco in "Elegy For Elio," the sweetness of "Lullaby for an Unborn Child," and the light of "Glad Day," inspired by William Blake.
performed by David Murray, TENOR SAX
AKASHMANI ENSEMBLE
Adriano Clemente, COMPOSITIONS, MUSICAL DIRECTION, PIANO, TRUMPET, HARP, KUNDI, KALIMBA, BALAFON, FLUTE, SHAWM, SOPRANO/ALTO SAXES, BOWED CÜMBÜS
Marco Guidolotti, BARITONE/TENOR SAX, CLARINET, BASS CLARINET
Daniele Tittarelli, ALTO SAX
Antonello Sorrentino, TRUMPET
Massimo Pirone, TROMBONE, BASS TROMBONE
Ettore Carucci, PIANO
Francesco Pierotti, DOUBLE BASS
FEATURING
Hamid Drake, DRUMS
GUESTS
Fabrizio Aiello, CONGAS (2, 4, 5, 15)
Alessio Buccella, PIANO (22, 23)
Michelangelo Scandroglio, DOUBLE BASS (2, 5, 10, 12)
Michele Lanzini, CELLO (11, 25)
Michele Makarovic, TRUMPET (17)
TRACKLIST
THE COLTRANE SUITE
1) Mother Africa Intro
2) Mother Africa
3) Dusk
4) Night Earth Dance
5) Night Fire Dance
6) Blues At Dawn
7) Shine
8) Preach On My Horn
9) All Praise
10) Ascent
11) Serene
12) Saint John
OTHER IMPRESSIONS
13) Havanera
14) Afghan Child (Duo)
15) Afro Funk
16) Floaters
17) Waltz Impression
18) Collage Prelude To
Crimson Mingus
19) Crimson Mingus
20) Masca
21) Frenzy Clouds
NEW ORLEANS PORTRAIT
22) Lost Gold Blues
23) Baroque Swing
24) Snow Falling In
Springtime
25) Afghan Child
All compositions by Adriano Clemente
Total time 49:41 + 50:47
STEREO DDD
p 2023 DODICILUNE (Italy)
m 2023 DODICILUNE (Italy)
www.dodicilune.it
CD DODICILUNE DISCHI Ed542
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COLTRANE SUITE
AND OTHER IMPRESSIONS
The Coltrane Suite portrays Coltrane’s spiritual awakening in 1957, a turning point that changed his life for the remaining ten years before his untimely demise and inspired his commitment to dedicate his music to promote spiritual values in human beings.
The suite is an imaginary journey into the mindstream of the artist, starting with Mother Africa as a background of his legacy, and then continuing with the various stages of his invocation of freedom from suffering, his reawakening, his preaching through his horn, his ascent to a serene dimension, and the holiness of his musical being.
I started to write these compositions around 2013 for my Akashmani Ensemble, and at first I had only one song, called Saint John, which later became Preach on my Horn. Then I had the idea of assembling more compositions and writing new music to prepare a suite dedicated to Coltrane’s spiritual reawakening.
The last piece, All Praise, was written a few weeks before the recording session. As for the main Coltrane character, I was looking for a voice that could carry the whole tradition of the jazz saxophone and that had a big, vibrating sound.
During the spring of 2021, in the last stage of the lockdown, I heard that the great tenor sax legend David Murray was traveling in
Italy with his wife Francesca, and when I contacted him to propose our collaboration he immediately responded positively. The way he interpreted my music and the profound levels of expression he reached through his horn are nothing short of marvelous.
Hamid Drake is a great drummer who can genuinely convey the polyrhythmic features of African drumming. I had thought of him as the right musician for this project from the outset. David Murray and Hamid Drake are two exceptional musicians that I really admire for
what they contributed to the recording. I am grateful to both of them.
The rest of the musicians are all skilled Italian jazz performers, and as in the case of the CD Mingus Suite, the organization of the band was mostly thanks to the leadership of Marco Guidolotti.
The second CD, Other Impressions, contains various compositions inspired by other events and circumstances. Most of them
date back to a decade ago, except Havanera, Afghan Child, and Frenzy Clouds, which were written a few days before the recording session.
After the recording session in Rome in September 2021, I started to work on editing of material together with Piero Lanza, and then I decided to enrich the musical textures by inviting new musicians and overdubbing other parts to the original recording.
I played many instruments myself, including my beloved Venezuelan harp, for the same purpose. Three songs were performed a cappella on the alto sax.