Dino Govoni - Hiding In Plain Sight (2021)

Listening to the opening bars of “Stories Passed,” the kick-off track on Dino Govoni’s new recording, "Hiding in Plain Sight," is like rolling the window down on a long empty stretch of highway, with nothing but a cool breeze in your face and open road ahead. Govoni’s first few clear, clarion notes, in that typically bold Govoni style, feels like what freedom might sound like. As the notes wash over you, you can sense the tension melting away as the joy of bebop takes the spotlight. And that’s just the first few notes. There’s more where that came from, much more. Govoni’s new recording, his third for Whaling City Sound and his first in nearly a decade, reflects a broad and beautiful understanding of jazz expression. The recordings here are immensely satisfying, hefty, hearty compositions that run long, and give his listeners a chance to sink into them, and his band members a chance to lean into them. They are comfortable in straight-up tradition, but zesty and endlessly interesting as well, with great accompanying performances. His band—including Henry Hey (piano), Mike Pope (bass), Jeff “Tain" Watts (drums), and Alex Sipiagin (trumpet)—clearly appreciate the chance to explore and enhance the arrangements. Listeners will not be surprised that Govoni, a long-time faculty member at Berklee College of Music, is a highly prized session man, a first call guy that people know will bring tone, versatility, and creativity to everything he touches. If you’re new to Govoni’s sax gifts, "Hiding in Plain Sight" is all you need for proof.