Paolo Fresu & Daniele di Bonaventura - In maggiore (2015) [Hi-Res]

Sardinian-born trumpeter Paolo Fresu and bandoneonist Daniele di Bonaventura from Fermo, Italy, indicated the depth of their musical understanding on 2011's 'Mistico Mediterraneo', a collaboration with Corsican singers A Filetta. On 'In maggiore', left to their own resources, they explore a very broad range of material.

This includes original ballads by both players, improvisations, a theme from Puccini's La Boheme, liturgical music, pieces by legendary Chilean songwriter Victor Jara and Uruguayan singer-songwriter Jaime Roos, music of Neapolitan composer Ernersto de Curtis, 'O que sera' by Brazil's Chico Buarque and more.

Daniele Di Bonaventura has spent much of his creative life bringing aspects of jazz and music of South American traditions together, and Paolo Fresu is one of the outstanding lyrical voices of contemporary improvising. When Fresu plays muted trumpet, he makes a point of bringing Miles Davis to mind; at such moments, Di Bonaventura's bandoneon becomes a chamber orchestra behind a soloist.

The relationship between the instruments is continually changing throughout this attractive programme, recorded in the warm and spacious acoustics of Lugano's Auditorio Stelio Molo RSI in May 2014, and produced by Manfred Eicher.

Paulo Fresu, a prolific recording artist, first appeared on ECM in collaboration with Ralph Towner on the acclaimed duo album 'Chiaroscuro' released in 2009 though he can also be heard on the ECM-distributed Watt label, performing with Carla Bley on the album 'The Lost Chords Find Paolo Fresu' (recorded 2007). Daniele di Bonaventura's ECM debut came on Miroslav Vitous's prize-winning 'Universal Syncopations II'.

Paolo Fresu, trumpet, flugelhorn
Daniele di Bonaventura, bandoneon