KAMAYAN (sharing in Filipino) is the new project by Lorenzo Feliciati, Kristian Terzić and Daniele Chiantese.
In recent years, the Roman bassist has produced a series of albums of great value by fusing rock language with jazz and contemporary music, always making use of top-level travel companions (Cuong Vu, Chad Wackerman, Steve Jansen, Pat Mastelotto , Bill Laswell etc.).
On this occasion Feliciati chooses the formula of the trio supported by drummer Daniele Chiantese and pianist and keyboardist Kristian Terzić. The result is almost a declaration of love for a genre, electric jazz, which has entered the heart of each of us thanks to bands such as Weather Report, Pat Metheny Group and YellowJackets.
The pieces, all composed by Feliciati, except A Journey’s End and Someday by Terzić, reveal a happy compositional vein and a melodic taste that is both immediate and never obvious.
The bass lines prepare the melodies on which Terzić gives his best, deploying a sample of harmonic progressions and enviable sonorities. The Croatian keyboardist, accustomed to overseas acquaintances for years (Simon Philips, Giulio Carmassi, Mike Miller), had already highlighted his talent in his first solo album. Not least the contribution of Daniele Chiantese; his drumming outlines the work of his companions, using crashes and rides with equal skill, fundamental in this genre of music.
The contribution of the three guests is remarkable, starting with the saxophonist Gianni Vancini who plays in the opening piece The Two Sides of a Coin, a sort of conjunction between the rock-prog world and jazz. Singer Desiree Petrocchi in Maybe/ Someday skilfully retraces vocal techniques dear to Milton Nascimento, while percussionist Martin Verdonk (Prince, Steve Winwood, WDR Big Band), enriches Maybe, Fortunately and A Journey’s End with his percussions.
Exciting to say the least listening to Wonderland, here Feliciati, with touching melodic lines on the fretless, allows Kristian Terzić to fly high paying homage to Lyle Mays. In all the pieces, the interplay between the three musicians portends new and exciting scenarios, starting with live performances. A quality album, played great and above all “Music” clear, honest, made with love.
Luigi Viva
Author of the biographies of Pat Metheny, Lyle Mays and Fabrizio De André