Michele Polga - Little Magic (2015)

Michela Polga, one of the most interesting and original tenor saxophonists active today in Italy, from Vicenza, is back with Caligola Records after two albums recorded for Abeat label in quintet with Fabrizio Bosso: «Live at Panic» (2011) and «Studio Session» (2013).
This new – but not too much, according to the recording date – work, brings us back to the previous Caligola album, «Clouds over me», recorded by the same quartet, with the addition of sensitive and virtuous musicians such as Paolo Birro – who is here more committed to the Rhodes than to the acoustic piano – Stefano Senni and Walter Paoli.
Those who have listened to the album from 2008, will find here many similarities with those dreamy climates, often rarefied, but always soaked in poignant musicality. But at the same time they will discover a more mature musician, now fully aware of his means of expression, and therefore without any awe of the great masters, past (Coltrane) and present (Shorter). All the tracks of the album are composed by the leader and, although with different atmospheres (from the dreamy Way of escape to the more aggressive Day light, almost “free”), they highlight a marked continuity of expression, transforming «Little magic» in an extremely consistent and coherent record, to listen to all at once.
A fine review by Luca Conti, director of “Musica Jazz” magazine, come in handy: “do not miss this album, one of the best tenor sax records released during 2015 in Italy, and the irrefutable proof of Polga’s great talent. After four records as a leader (one live) and a significant amount of participations in other compact–discs, the saxophonist from Veneto digs out today the same quartet that he used while recording the excellent «Clouds Over Me» and refines its already brilliant insights … in circulation – not only in Italy – just a few people play with this strength, suggesting to have listened to and assimilated all the past masters, but showing the ability to find a creative originality that escapes every suspicion of imitation.“.