Therry Romano

Aldo Romano - Ritual (1988) {Owl Records 7898092 rel 1993}
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© 1988, 1993 Owl Records | 7898092
Jazz / Post Bop / Contemporary Jazz / Drums

Aldo Romano's Ritual has both an Italian connection and a French connection – French because the post-bop CD was recorded in Paris for a French company (Owl Records), Italian in that all of the musicians are Italian (including drummer Romano, trumpeter/flugelhornist Paolo Fresu, pianist Franco D'Andrea, and bassist Furio Di Castri). If a person could only own one of Romano's Owl releases, To Be Ornette to Be would be the logical choice – that excellent Ornette Coleman tribute is the best thing he recorded for Owl. But Ritual isn't bad. Although not as essential as To Be Ornette to Be, this is a decent post-bop outing that finds Romano performing his own compositions exclusively.

Aldo Romano has long proven himself an innovative leader and the 2007 sessions that make up Just Jazz are no exception. Romano is not one to take a lot of solos himself, preferring to showcase his bandmates while adding color behind them. His pianoless quartet consists of clarinetist Mauro Negri, who played on Romano's earlier Dreyfus CD État de Fait, old friend Henri Texier on bass, and the much younger Géraldine Laurent, a gifted French saxophonist whose star is rising. Most of the release focuses on Romano's captivating originals, highlighted by the emotional "Cité-Soleil" (French for "Sun City"), named for the wretched shanty town in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. "Township" is an infectious African-flavored chant, with Laurent's vocal-like alto recalling Eric Dolphy, and Negri's electronically altered clarinet adding seasoning. "Chick Webb," named for the famous swing drummer, has a fun twist in that the bassist is the featured soloist.

Chante is an exemplary cultivation of Aldo Romano's jardín of romantic songs. His poignant intimacy of feelings is genuinely conveyed in this stylish set of emotional songs replete with rhythmic waves, passionate lyrics, and beautiful music. With superb accompaniment from Nelson Veras on acoustic guitar, Rémi Vignolo on double bass, André "Dee" Ceccarelli on drums, Francesco Bearzatti on tenor saxophone and clarinet, Flavio Boltro on trumpet, and Baptiste Trotignon on piano, the pleasure you will derive from Romano's poetic expressions is priceless.

Drummer/composers are a relatively rare breed in jazz, but Aldo Romano is one of the most gifted on the scene. With a baker's dozen musicians (including himself) and thoughtful arrangements by Lionel Belmondo, Romano creates a powerful sound with reeds, brass, and rhythm section, often emphasizing the ensemble more so than than soloists, starting with the lovely bittersweet "Silenzio," which sounds like it could have been written for a film soundtrack. Trumpeter Stefane Belmondo and pianist Eric Legnini are showcased in the driving bossa nova "Pasolini." The elegant, lyrical waltz "For Michel" and the graceful "Touch of a Woman" (the latter with Belmondo on flügelhorn) are also obvious highlights. Romano plays guitar, sings, and co-composed an Italian lyric with Yves Simon for his upbeat "Jazz Messengers." This is yet another rewarding date by Aldo Romano.