LOVANO Joe / DI CASTRI Furio Quartet
Unknown Voyage

Fy 7019

8021750701926
Newtone Records

 

Recorded in 1988, originally released by the label A Tempo, Unknown Voyage it is a very significant work. The musical result is particularly remarkable for the level of the band here presented and for the compositions, all originals by FURIO DI CASTRI. A recording that is a perfect example of the possibility to be in the mainstream and at the same time to be modern and original. Music built around a clear compositional project.
JOE LOVANO, PAUL MOTIAN, FRANCO D'ANDREA and FURIO DI CASTRI, a real jazz all stars band, give life to a music in perfect balance between the written parts and the improvised ones with rare technical and expressive skills.
It is a quartet where the ability to dialogue between the various members is always very high, either in the slow and relaxed tunes or in the more rhythmic and tense ones. The intense cohesion among the members of the group testify the meeting wasn't casual and the relationship between the musicians, human even before that musical, gives soul and body to a sound very cohesive. Twelve years after the recording Unknown Voyage, doesn't show any sign of aging and assumes more and more the characteristic of an event. Not a record of classic jazz but a classic of jazz.
In this reprint one more important element is the inclusion of an unissued track, Zac, with a slight different personnel: FLAVIO BOLTRO on trumpet and MANHU ROCHE on drums replace D'Andrea and Motian.

FURIO DI CASTRI (Milano 1955) began his carrier as professional bass player in 1975. Between 1978 and 1986 collaborated with LINGOMANIA, band lead by the sax player Maurizio Giammarco and drummer Roberto Gatto. In the early 80's DI CASTRI joints the Enrico Rava Quartet and works with Steve Lacy, Ray Anderson, Albert Mangelsdorff, John Taylor, Joe Henderson, Paul Bley and Chet Baker. In the years among others Furio has played and recorded with Joe Lovano, Charles Lloyd, Pharoah Sanders, Sal Nistico, Lee Konitz, Michel Portal, Kenny Wheeler, Art Farmer, Charles Tolliver, Muhal Richard Abrams, Gordon Beck, Franco D'Andrea, Ralph Towner, Paul Motian, Tony Oxley, Barry Altschul, Daniel Humair, Nguyen Lé and Pierre Favre.
Di CASTRI also has an intense "solo performances" activity and since 1990 performs in duo and quartet with Paolo Fresu, in a mix of acoustic and electronic music. Has written compositions for theater, ballet, movie and visual art installations. Has recorded over 50 records, seven as band leader.
JOE LOVANO one of the most important sax player in the jazz world of the last decade. Lovano began, six years old, on alto sax then switching to tenor; his first professional engagements are with Jack McDuff and Lonnie Smith. Enters then in the big bands of Woody Herman and Mel Lewis. Since 1981 plays regularly with group lead by Paul Motian, with the Liberation Music Orchestra of Charlie Haden, and with groups with John Scofield and Elvin Jones. LOVANO has worked with Gunther Schuller, Greg Osby, Tom Harrell, Kenny Werner, Bill Frisell, Bill Stewart, John Scofield, Marc Johnson, Peter Erskine, John Snyder, Dick Oatts, Jim Anderson, Ed Schuller, Danilo Perez, Dennis Irwin, John Abercrombie a.o.
PAUL MOTIAN started to play drums fascinated by Be-Bop before to enter in the group of Tony Scott, Lennie Tristano, George Russell and Sonny Rollins. In the late 502 / early 60s is part of the legendary Bill Evans Trio, with Scott La Faro; plays and records then with Coleman Hawkins, Pharoah Sanders, Paul Bley and appears at Woodstock with Arlo Guthrie. In 1966 enter in the first quartet of Keith Jarrett with whom plays for more than 10 years. More recently MOTIAN have received a great attention for his trio with Lovano and Frisell and for his recordings with the Electric Bebop Band.
FRANCO D'ANDREA in his carrier that begins with the Modern Art Trio and the jazz-rock band Perigeo has played and recorded with the most important jazz players of the last 30 years (Barry Altschul, Gato Barbieri, Don Byas, Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Mark Helias, Daniel Humair, Lee Konitz, Steve Lacy, Joe Lovano, Albert Mangelsdorff, Paul Motian, Jean Luc Ponty, Enrico Rava, Max Roach, Aldo Romano, Martial Solal, John Surman, Charles Tolliver, Miroslav Vitous, Bobby Watson, Kenny Wheeler...), writing more that 120 compositions and with a very intense teaching activity. D'ANDREA is one of the best and more underrated piano player in Europe.

Recorded at Studio Emme, Firenze - December 1988, except Zac recorded Studio Natali, Firenze - April 1988.
Re-mastering: Alessandro Cutolo, "Studio Elettroformarti" Studio - March 2000.