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Artist: Band: Allessandro Olivieri Trio
Album: Silenzi Pieni (Full Silence)
Website: http://alessandroolivieri.com
Genre: Acoustic jazz
Sounds Like: Erroll Garner
Technical Grade: 9/10
Production/Musicianship Grade: 7/10
Overall Talent Level: 7/10
Performance Skill: 7/10
Best Songs: Black and Tan Fantasy, Ghost of a Chance, Lullaby of the Leaves
CD Review: This comes from a Radio Swiss Jazz performance by the Alessandro Olivieri Trio, where they were 'between great artists', as the charming cover letter from Alessandro states, and they don't do too badly. Covering some of the best known tunes in the universe is a tough road, but what this group from Bologna Italy lacks in skill it makes up for in chutzpah. The playing has a certain kind of rough energy, tho some of the time it sounds a little too loose, as if they're not playing in the same room. Nice Black and Tan Fantasy, with a lovely, unbusy bass solo midway through featuring held and bent notes to great effect, plus a dramatic Chopin quote to close it out. Classical meets jazz! Piano bass drums throughout, tho the pianist plays trumpet, and the last two tunes are just bass, drums and trumpet. These have a unique kind of sonic profile, and I enjoyed them very much. Perhaps the pianist began as a trumpeter? Second Time Around lyric (tho there's no singing on the recording) is credited to Sammy Chan rather than Cahn. But who am I to quibble? Romance Addio is a nice uptempo tune that I'd never heard before. Not bad for a first effort. Keep at it.