Pietro Tonolo, Luigi Bonafede, Pietro Cincaglini & Francesco Sotgiu - Glasswater (2001)

Review by Glenn Astarita

This Italy-based jazz quartet exhibits a crafty and somewhat bustling musical approach along with vocalist Rossana Casale, who appears on two tracks. Here, saxophonist Pietro Tonolo and pianist Francesco Sotgiu steer the rhythm section through an amalgamation of post-bop pieces, brimming with tuneful melodies and shifty time signatures amid sharp unison choruses and strong soloing. Casale alters the often-fervent momentum with angelic vocals atop harmonious themes supplied by Sotgiu, yet the band surges onward with rapid swing grooves in conjunction with sonorous, multi-hued soundscapes, evidenced on many of these vibrant works. Throughout, the musicians expound upon various musical formats, spanning waltz-like motifs, fervent swing vamps, subtle interludes, and altogether cagey interplay as they also demonstrate a penchant for integrating melodic hooks into free jazz-style dialogue. At times, Glasswater might rekindle memories of the 1960s' Blue Note Records style modern jazz, although the band seemingly maintains a pace and sense of direction that could be considered concurrent with late 1990s and early 2000 predilections.