Paolo Damiani Ensemble - Song Tong (1997)

Fans of trumpeter Kenny Wheeler should particularly enjoy this nine-piece ensemble, which features the trumpeter during an adventurous period in his career. The rest of the group is comprised of some very fine Italian jazz performers, including leader and bassist, Damiani, alto saxophonist/ alto clarinetist Gianluigi Trovesi, and pianist Stefano Battaglia. The success of the album, though, can be attributed to the outstanding compositions and arrangements of the leader, who emphasizes a soft and gentle approach that never drifts toward complacency. The use of a vocalist (Maria Pia De Vito, on all but one track) is highly effective, as the voice blends masterfully as an additional horn. Damiani ties this music to dance, and its lithe melodies and beautiful sonorities speak deeply from the soul.