Franco D'Andrea - Today (2013)

A solo album is always, for a musician, something special. Then, when the musician is serious, intact, as Franco D' Andrea, then the solo album takes on a value even higher. Why Today is the result of a research work and preparation, which lasted over a year, finally resulted in a recording session that originated about two hours of music.

From this material, D'Andrea had a quick process ( unusual for a solo album ) with Alfonso Santimone, Andrea Ayassot, Zeno De Rossi Aldo Mella, and who made a lineup of twelve tracks ( three who collect fragments of tradition , the rest completely improvised in a recording studio ) for a period of about fifty minutes.

The underlying theme of the album, a very orchestral approach to the instrument, combined with the willingness to experiment, to address inaccessible areas. The same D'Andrea, in an interview, Today defined as a hard tough. In other words, Today is an album that does not lend itself to a superficial listening. It is an album that requires careful listening, focused, aware. An album that requires some knowledge of the piano, jazz, and more generally of the music, in order to be fully appreciated.

It is a photograph, authentic and without veils, music by Franco D'Andrea today ( today, in fact). A music always moving, we are sure, tomorrow will be in other places. Just as unpredictable and just as interesting. But in the words of Scarlett O'Hara, after all, tomorrow is another day ! In the meantime, let's enjoy today.

Tracklist:

1. Mixed N.1 3:22
2. Abstraction N.1 2:32
3. Savoy Blues/Undecided 7:05
4. Today 4:12
5. Giant Steps 4:55
6. Rituals N.2 1:50
7. Abstraction N.3 4:50
8. Traditions N.1 5:49
9. Rituals N.1 4:03
10. Traditions And Rituals 5:54
11. Muskrat Ramble/Scrapple From The Apple 7:56
12. Clusters N.4 1:16