SLAMCD 556
CD Title: Bija
Leader or group name: Gabriele Di Franco
Names of musicians and the instruments they play:
-Francesco Pellizzari (drums and percussion)
-Gabriele Di Franco ( guitar and loops)
-Marco Puzzello ( trumpet and flugelhorn)
Special guests:
- Emanuele Coluccia -sax- (on Apnea and Gonna)
- Stefano Luigi Mangia -voice- (on A/R)
Track details:
Running order:
1- Cipolla (5:00) comp Marco Puzzello, Gabriele Di Franco, Francesco Pellizzari
2- A/R (3:05) Gabriele Di Franco
3- Ampolla (7:21) Francecso Pellizzari
4- Donna Oriente (4:55) Marco Puzzello
5- Gonna (6:57) Marco Puzzello
6- Calendula (4:32) Francecso Pellizzari
7- Apnea (7:31) Marco Puzzello
8- Dubby (3:01) Marco Puzzello, Gabriele Di Franco, Francesco Pellizzari
9- Inferenze (3:55) Gabriele di Franco
Track lengths TOT. 44:57 min.
Recording details:
Recorded at "Sudestudio", Guagnano (Le) Italy, October 7- 8- 9, 2013.
Mixed and mastered by Valerio Daniele at "Chora Studi Musicali), Monteroni (Le), IT.
The promo sheet indicates that the title means "seed" – and this Italian trio certainly plants some ideas with their excellent playing… drums & percussion from Francesco Pellizzari, guitar & loops from Gabriele Di Franco and trumpet/flugelhorn from Marco Puzzello (as well as guests Emanuele Coluccia on sax and Stefano Luigi Mangia on vocals) is some of the best jazz I’ve heard coming from this label (MORE, George)! Tunes like "Ampolla" will hold you spellbound, waiting for each ensuing note – truly tasty! The gentle opener, "Cipolla", also had me hanging on each phrase… I listened to this one over & over again, & have no doubt you will too! It was the 7:31 "Apnea" that I chose as my personal favorite of the nine well-composed jazz pieces, though… all the instruments work flawlessly together for your enjoyment… I give these folks a MOST HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, with an "EQ" (energy quotient) rating of 4.98. Dick Metcalf
http://rotcodzzaj.com/42-2/improvijazzation-nation-issue-152/issue-152-reviews/
The Bija Trio hails from Salento, the southernmost peninsula of Puglia, Italy's heel. Noted for the country's very best, hand-made pasta, orecchiette, its exceptionally flavoursome green and black olives and the finesse of its vivid red, dry, but velvety smooth wines, it also seems to have produced a fair number of Italy's budding musicians. The music itself contains a quantity of references to what I think of as 'folk' without any sense of disparagement; I am not too surprised at this given that Salento is very rural, very agricultural, outside of its larger towns. It will have drawn upon the cultures which surround it, especially perhaps from the much less wealthy of the nearby provinces.
All five musicians display a diversity of backgrounds to their individual musical heritage, but none of it really explains 'Bija', except perhaps that ofStefano Luigi Mangia who amongst other studies has undertaken explorations into the traditional singing techniques of Pakistan and Northern India, while his penchant for vocal studies in the composition of eccentric modern-day music has led him towards the 'practicality of the impossible', as demonstrated in the music of John Cage, most especially in his ‘Freeman Etudes’ for violin. The 'Etudes' are notoriously difficult, both for the violinist and for the audience, practically impossible indeed. The score starts from a position traced from a star atlas which determines the position of every note in its timing and its pitch. Then every fine distinction, every change even in bowing technique is notated and every other characteristic of each note is determined by chance. The musician's achievement in playing these pieces is obvious, but equally remarkable is that of John Cage in composing them. It was perhaps this and the nature of the 'singing' which gave rise to the notion of 'Bija', via the idea of the Mantra and thence to theBija Mantras, Sanskrit ideas of seeds of creativity, instruments of thought and resonance.
The music is very open; all players are in never ending discourse despite their differences in background. Marco Puzzello has played with the Blue River Trio and was noted for his rendition of Chet Baker's ‘Tenderly’, while Francesco Pellizzari also contributed to Blue River's soul funk from his background of soul/funk/prog-rock and multi-stylistic drumming. He even found a place with 'Smooth Jazz from the States', which includes the likes of Herb Alpert, FourPlay and Spyro Gyra. Gabriele Di Franco is generally recognised as a modern jazz guitarist and composer with lots of awards behind him, while Emanuele Coluccia is a freelance arranger, composer, pianist, saxophonist and teacher. He has played in all kinds of settings, with small and large jazz bands and big bands, as well as groups performing traditional music from Brazil, Colombia and the Dominican Republic.
Although I commented above on the difficulties inherent in performing and listening to some of John Cage's pieces, I was just looking at the possibilities for the origins of this album and its title. I should say that there is no such difficulty in listening to 'Bija' but that it is quietly contemplative, in a Herb Alpert-ish sort of way: open but certainly not free.
Reviewed by Ken Cheetham Jazz Views
http://www.jazzviews.net/bija-trio-ndash-bija.html
CD 556
BIJA {GABRIELE DI FRANCO/FRANCESCO PELLIZZARI/MARCO PUZZELLO] - Bija (Slam 556; UK) Bija is an Italian trio featuring Gabiele di Franco on guitar & loops, Marco Puzzello on trumpet & flugelhorn and Francesco Pellizzari on drums & percussion.
The UK-based Slam label continues to introduce the world several scenes
simultaneously. They've released many discs from a number of fine Italian
musicians, many of whom are not very well known, if at all, in the US. Bija is a
trio of little-known players and a prime example of a hidden treasure from the
Italian network. The opening piece, "Cipolla" is refreshingly mellow with some
fine trumpet and guitar playing a sunny theme. This music reminds me of Pat
Metheny at times, especially when someone doubles the melody with their voice
for a short bit. Mr. Puzzello has a superb, warm tone on trumpet which works
well with Di Franco's electric guitar. There are times when the guitar gets a
bit darker and heavier yet the songs are consistently appealing. Trumpeter
Puzzello sounds like Kenny Wheeler at times and takes a number of superb solos
throughout. There is nothing here that is avant, progressive or free, yet the
playing and writing remain consistently crafty. I get the feeling that this trio
is aiming their music in hopes of getting some radio-play. There is a guest
soprano saxist on a couple of these songs and he fits just right. This disc
actually pretty lovely and elegantly played with some unexpectedly creative
arrangements. Certainly not like anything else on the Slam label yet a solid
debut no matter what. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG
https://mail.aol.com/38865-418/aol-6/en-gb/Suite.aspx
Bija is a core trio of Gabriele di Franco/g-loops, Francesco Pellizzari/dr-perc and Marco Puzzello/tp-fh with some guest work by Emanuele Coluccia/sax and Stefano Luigi Mangia/voc. The unorthodox trio works wonders here, with Puzello’s gentle and romantic horn working wonders as he dances with di Franco’s guitar on the gentle "Cipolla" and flowing "Gonna." Mangia eats up the beautiful "AR" while the mix of dark guitar sounds and muted horn make Donna Oriente" and ominous delight. Coluccia’s soprano flows around some stringed musings on"Apnea" and Puzzello squeezes out notes on the trudging "Ampolla." The band tries to sound like a bunch of surf rockers on the hard hitting "Dubby" but that’s little more than a bump on this elegant road. Impressive and freely relaxed. George W. Harris.
http://www.jazzweekly.com/2015/01/bija-biga/