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Luca Aquino
Italian Songbook

VÖ: 13.06.2019

Genre: Jazz

CD

€17.50*

ACT 9886-2, 614427988621
Luca Aquino / trumpet, flugelhorn & trombone
Danilo Rea / piano
Natalino Marchetti / accordion

Orchestra Filarmonica di Benevento
arranged and conducted by Giovanni Francesca
Fabio Giachino / piano & keys
Rino De Patre / classical guitar
Ruben Bellavia / drums

Recorded in March 2019 by Goffredo Gibellini at Digital Records (Rome), Andrea Cutillo, Massimo Aluzzi at Splash (Naples) and Carlo Miori at Only Music Studio (Turin) Mixed by Carlo Miori and Goffredo Gibellini Mastered by Klaus Scheuermann Produced by Luca Aquino and Siggi Loch

the art in music: Cover art by Mimmo Paladino

Sometimes fate steps in and changes the course of a life. That's what happened to Luca Aquino: he was about to go on a "Jazz-Bike-Tour" in the summer of 2017. He’d packed his trumpet and was ready to set off...but then he found he couldn't. He had contracted Bell's Palsy, a sudden and acute facial nerve paralysis which put paid to his idea of cycling all the way from his home town of Benevento to Oslo, with stop-offs to play concerts at important jazz festivals and in some of the most beautiful cities in Europe. So, instead of being out doing live performances, Aquino’s life revolved around daily physiotherapy to heal the facial paralysis. He couldn’t touch the trumpet for more than a year, then had to relearn it more or less from scratch. He was caught somewhere between the threat that this could very well mean the end of his career, and the hope that it might not be too long before he could appear in public again. Tough times, then, for one of Italy's leading jazz musicians who had already released eight albums under his own name and was a permanent fixture in Manu Katché’s band. The good news is that Aquino has successfully put his musical career back on track.

This pivotal moment, however, became a time of self-reflection for Aquino, and "Italian Songbook" was the logical outcome of it: "Ever since I was little, the traditional music and popular songs of my homeland have been with me. Music was all around, the latest Italian songs were always on the radio, and my mother often sang to me. My grandfather always said I could whistle those tunes before I could walk. A Neapolitan song was the first piece I ever played on the trumpet at the age of 12. Composers and musicians like Ennio Morricone, Nino Rota, Luigi Tenco, Domenico Modugno and Fabrizio De André have inspired me since then. And during my compulsory break through illness, I decided to take a look back at this music, as a way to start over."

Aquino's "Italian Songbook" is very personal, and the repertoire here is broad: film music by the most important Italian film composers Morricone and Rota, plus great songs by cantautori (Italian singer-songwriters) such as Luigi Tenco, Fabrizio De André and Adriano Celentano. Aquino recalls largely forgotten pioneers of Italian music such as Mario Pasquale Costa and Gorni Kramer. And also Chet Baker, who felt so much at home musically in Italy, and is commemorated on one track.

Aquino receives outstanding support from pianist Danilo Rea, one of the most lyrical players among Italy’s jazz musicians: "I have known Danilo for a long time, but this is the first time ever that we have played together. He's a true poet of the keyboard." Together with accordionist Natalino Marchetti, they create deeply heartfelt music. And there's a luxurious unfurling of sound when Aquino's group is combined with the Orchestra Filarmonica di Benevento. "This orchestra is not a classical symphony orchestra, but one that acts freely, courageously and unconventionally and can therefore absorb the jazz spirit of the band superbly". In the trio format, they are gentle, soft and intimate, but they can also bring in the opulence of an orchestra, and this dichotomy is what gives "Italian Songbook" its charm.

Every note of this album conveys Aquino's devotion to his musical heritage. With a soft tone and yet great urgency he develops these well-known melodies and brings out all of the beauty in them. And so the "Italian Songbook" has become a touching homage to the music of his homeland. Fate really must have known what it was doing all along.
Luca Aquino
The Italian jazz trumpeter is known for his warm, lyrical sound and his experimental compositions. Although he started playing the trumpet relatively late, he quickly developed his own style, which combines influences from jazz, rock and electronic music. Aquino has worked with international greats such as Manu Katché, Paolo Fresu and Roy Hargrove and has released several solo albums, including ‘Italian Songbook’. He is characterised by his innovative use of electronics and his preference for unusual recording locations. Luca Aquino is recognised as one of the most exciting and creative trumpet players on the European jazz scene.