16

Franco Degrassi / Gianni Lenoci

Degrassi- mixed tapes

Lenoci- piano, sax

St. Louis, Missouri was the site for this live set from two Italians whose previous work I’ve raved about ( Franco Degrassi / Gianni Lenoci-ASC contemporary Jazz- ASC-CD#25). For the initial bit, seven minutes or so, there’s the feeling of a machine shop shuffling off its tension after a hard day’s work. This all happens of course after the humans have left. Then the piano comes in and reminds you what a crazy sort of harp it is. Time then for the shop talk to get ethereal and more obviously electronic, followed by an interesting investigation of the sound of creaking wood and metal fixtures. This sound gets more abstracted and, in time, gives way to shoals of silvery metal fish swimming by. Maybe I should be saying that Lenoci does this and Degrassi does that, but it comes across as non-human sounds. That’s the magic of the duo, to appear to remove themselves from the record. This is very high level playing and a great argument for the art of the improviser.

Email: ants.rec@silenzio-distribuzione.it