Giovanni Guidi Trio
A New Day
ECM
Italian pianist Giovanni Guidi has come a long way since he broke out as trumpeter Enrico Rava’s pianist.A New Day is his fifth recording for ECM with his trio (American bassist Thomas Morgan and Portuguese drummer João Lobo). The album is somewhat miscredited, since more than half the tunes feature saxophonist James Brandon Lewis, making them a quartet. It’s just an indication of the group’s willingness to test out new directions on this disc.
On balance, A New Day explores poignant, introspective moods in keeping with ECM’s reputation for chamber jazz. The opening track is a Catalan folk song made popular buy Jose Baez in the 1960s. Lewis brings an air of melancholy to the song with his languid saxophone lines. A similar folky vibe is explored on the original, “Luigi (the boy who lost his name).” “Only Sometimes” is a slow burn group improvisation featuring Lewis’ saxophone exploring textures and moods. The core trio is showcased on the minimalistic study, “To A Young Student.” Guidi’s piano plays off space drum accents and floating bowed bass lines. “A Means to a Rescue” get even more minimal, with the silences between notes becoming as important as the notes played.
A New Day is introspective and meditative. Guidi and company prefer to whisper their secrets for the attentive to discern.
[Giovanni Guidi)[https://www.giovanniguidi.it/]
