What It became

Description

I have known the members of the quartet for quite some time, having had the privilege of being one of their teachers in that wonderful hotbed of talent that is the Arrigo Pedrollo Conservatory in Vicenza. I have always held great admiration for each of them, as they have always stood out for their seriousness, passion, and diligence. This work comes as the icing on the cake, the result of years of intense effort, enormous sacrifices, and study that has led the four to reach remarkable levels of maturity, despite their very young age. An excellent start to a career that promises to be full of surprises and satisfaction. From the delicate sonorities of Fernando, whose beautiful accompaniment on the double bass by Guidolin—characterized by a round and solid sound—I particularly appreciated, we move to the edgy theme of Fibonacci and Poro-pireiro, enriched by dissonances and sudden tempo changes, in which the sophisticated touch of the excellent Da Ros emerges. In Microeternità, my attention was drawn to the guitar playing of Angelilli, who demonstrates the ability to be both a sensitive and convincing musician. Particularly interesting from a compositional point of view is the piece Shepard Tune and Presoner, in which a remarkable tenor sax solo by Cucco stands out—a soloist with an energetic and gritty sound, endowed with personality and a great deal of risk-taking. The work concludes with a very interesting Ursatz, in my opinion the most intriguing composition, in which everyone gives a great demonstration of interplay; What it became, on the other hand, is dominated by the lyrical vein of Angelilli and Cucco, supported by a rhythm section which follows the flow of the music without ever playing a note more than necessary.
Francesco Angiuli

I have heard Enrico Pieranunzi refer to young musicians as heroes more than once. The definition is certainly strong and the use of hyperbole is deliberately ironic, but it implies a truth. Deciding to become musicians (and not only that, deciding to become jazz musicians) is a challenge, if not heroic, certainly courageous. However, courage is not enough; artistic urgency is needed, the will to realize a project one believes in, the desire to test oneself, and above all, a visceral passion for music. This album is a challenge accepted and won. The pieces, all original and written by all members of the quartet, are beautiful and never predictable. There is no form of captatio benevolentiae in the musical proposal; the music reaches those who know how to listen, it is direct, intellectually honest, and performed excellently. The quartet plays modern and current jazz, varied, but with an underlying climax recognizable in every piece. It is evident that the musicians want to create their own sound, through meticulous management of solos, always measured and never excessive. While listening, it is clear that each member is constantly at the service of the music and not their own ego.
This recording demonstrates that Italian jazz can rely on young, mature, and well-prepared musicians, whom I personally do not want to consider “musicians who play Italian jazz,” but rather “Italian musicians who play jazz.” The difference seems subtle, but in reality, it is substantial. It declares the intent and the need to engage internationally, looking at one’s own cultural traditions, but without getting stuck in them. A great challenge to accept and to win. A challenge for young heroes.
Mauro Beggio

THE SOUNDTRACK OF A WAY OF LIVING
The Sextet Quartet (where “Sextet” is the playful, yet unconventional, name of the quartet) is, among the groups of young musicians of the latest generation, one of those that has stood out the most for its calm, almost understated, yet determined and persistent will to seek and find its own path. But how, in what way?
The work of Lorenzo Cucco, Costantino Angelilli, Christian Guidolin and Gabriele Da Ros actually emerges from the jazz department courses at the Conservatory of Vicenza and, inevitably, bears the imprint of their respective teachers (Pietro Tonolo, Michele Calgaro, Salvatore Maiore, Mauro Beggio). From them, the four young musicians have undoubtedly learned to prioritize the group sound and interplay over aspects related to personal expressiveness. They have also adopted an approach that avoids flashy effects, favouring understatement or even a low profile—without this being mistaken for a lack of personality, not at all!
The resulting music—all pieces composed by the group members—is original, inspired by a modern language, generally stemming from modal playing with tonal functions, produced by a quartet in which the roles of the instruments are nonetheless in line with what jazz history has taught.
The overall mood is inclined toward thoughtful listening, created by a never predictable musical interplay that enjoys engaging in rhythmic games, though never overly brainy. All the musicians contribute to create a blend of colours that gives the sense of an overview of their own landscape, as if the flowing music were meant to be the soundtrack to their idea of a modus vivendi. Which, in the end, is not as ironic as their name might suggest. Yes, this is serious music.
Riccardo Brazzale