Gianluigi Trovesi - Gianluigi Trovesi all’opera: Profumo di Violetta (2008) Hi-Res

Jazz reed player Gianluigi Trovesi traces his fascination with music to the amateur but passionate performances of his town band when he was a child; he recalls one player who responded so emotionally to the music that he shook and couldn't continue playing. He pays homage to that ensemble in this album, which uses a band to accompany his solos, in pieces that are mostly arranged from operatic selections. The broad eclecticism of his approach is exemplified in his description of the 21st and 22nd tracks: "Iberian colors punctuate the chapter entitled 'La gelosia,' with the preparation for Mascagni that includes the appearance of a twelve-tone row introduced by the trumpet..., of the Habanera by Bizet." Trovesi is successful because the arrangements (most of which are his, but some of which are by others) are unpretentious and either whimsical or artlessly soulful. The album draws heavily on early opera, particularly Monteverdi, so those tracks sound something like a jazzed-up, loose-limbed version of Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances. Trovesi's playing is subtle and self-effacing, although he has considerable opportunities to shine in his jazz riffs, he always stays within the character of the originals. The sound is excellent, as would be expected from ECM's Manfred Eicher. The high quality of the playing, arrangements, and production values makes this a crossover album that should have broad appeal, because none of the types of music being merged are compromised in the process, but come across as being freshly imagined.