Tell No Lies

Distinctive contemporary Jazz with a tinge of unselfconscious funk, the Bologna-based Tell No Lies band is a vehicle for the compositions of pianist Nicola Guazzaloca. While the sounds are not as exploratory as Guazzaloca’s collaborations with the likes of Gianni Mimmo, they’re more comprehensive. Not only does he take advantage of the sound tinctures from the other quintet members – sopranino/tenor saxophonist Edoardo Marraffa, tenor saxophonist Filippo Orefice, bassist Luca Bernard and drummer Andrea Grillini – but baritone saxist Christian Ferlaino adds his stentorian tones to one track; cellist Francesco Guerri boosts string strops on another; while trombonist Federico Pierantoni plunger work is upfront on two more.

Pierantoni’s blowsy slurps dominate on “Anteo”, using capillary power to cement the rhythmic groove introduced by drum struts and cymbal smashes as bright sopranino trills and tenor saxophone split tones attain near-cacophony. At the turnaround the contrapuntal horn work eases into a chromatic line as the swinging final sequence becomes a showcase for Guazzaloca’s dynamic patterning. A similar situation arises on “Moondays”, with Ferlaino’s bottom-feeding slurs prominent alongside quicksilver piano stabs as the other saxophones chase each other in cat-and-mouse fashion. As the finger-snapping theme evolves over a drum backbeat, the horns harmonies ensure that the chipper final section jumps as much as the introduction.

Throughout the disc animated tunes move at a crisp pace with echoes of foot-tapping Soul Jazz enhancing the material. Besides that, on “Scintilla”, a change-of-pace track, with both Pierantoni and Guerri present, the writing still projects lighter and quieter harmonies without pushing aside the lurching vibrations from nasal sopranino squeaks and irregularly emphasized tenor saxophone textures.

Capably projecting moderate as well as intense movement in his compositions, Guazzaloca puts his own stamp on Jazz. With these musicians varied talents very much in evidence, Anasyrma is a disc that can be appreciated by many.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Moondays# 2. Magenta 3. Scintilla*+ 4. Leili 5. Anteo* 6. Zadina 7. Mokusha

Personnel: Federico Pierantoni (trombone)*; Edoardo Marraffa (tenor and sopranino saxophones); Filippo Orefice (tenor saxophone); Christian Ferlaino (baritone saxophone)#; Nicola Guazzaloca (piano); Francesco Guerri (cello)+; Luca Bernard (bass) and Andrea Grillini (drums)