Available in: CD, HD FILE 96kHz • 32bit

Tracks

1- Mercy M ercy M ercy (J. Zawinul ); 06:45

2- Naima (J. Coltrane); 07:06​

3- Arabesque (A. Jamal); 2.08pm

4- Giants' Melodies (Un Poco Loco B. Powell – Evidence T. Monk); 08:2 5

5- African Flower (D. Ellington); 07:5 1

6- Giants' Conversation (A. Simone arrangements / Watch it H.Hancock); 07:02

7- Remembering Sante's W ay (fantasy for solo piano by Bartokiana and Sweeten - S.Palumbo) 0 9:09

Line up

Antonio Simone | piano, rhodes, synthesizer
Angel Verbena | double bass
Marcello Spallucci | drums, tar

Credits

Produced by Lorenzo Vella
Recorded at Sorriso Studio (Bari) May 23rd - July 6th, 2023 Recording/Mixing
Tommy Cavalieri
Mastering engineer
Lorenzo Vella - Nightingale Studios (Palombara Sabina - RM)
Photo credits Antonella Cucchiarale
Graphic project Nerina Fernandez

Description

The new album by the pianist and trio leader features tributes to various jazz pianist-composers, as well as pioneers of the different styles that have characterized the evolution of the genre. It is a celebration of the jazz piano genre, which embraces a wide range of styles and possibilities that only a multifunctional instrument like the piano can offer.

The project develops with a number of tracks that mostly concern the compositional progress aimed at revealing the artistic vein of the pianist-composers (starting from the 40s to the 60s and a little beyond), with the exception of a single track "Naima" by J. Coltrane belonging to the giant of the saxophone, to whom, given the greatness of the composer, the pianist could not help but dedicate a tribute. In the album in question and in reference to this last track, the pianist wanted to underline the essential nature of such an artist who marked the end of the bop period and the transition to free jazz, as well as the merit of giving a mystical vision to his compositions. It is no coincidence that the leader of the trio begins the track with a deep and contemplative interplay between double bass and Rhodes piano.

The album “To Giants” contains the solo piano piece “Remembering Sante's way”, a fantasy improvised by the pianist and dedicated to an illustrious pianist of the Italian jazz scene, Sante Palumbo. The piece aims to evoke the impressionistic and jazz sound of the Italian pianist. Sante Palumbo, a great pianist and composer of the 60s and 70s, boasts numerous collaborations with the greatest names in history including Astor Piazzolla and Ron Carter, and to whom the young pianist and protagonist of this album is very close for educational reasons and not only. Among the tracks of the same album it is possible to listen to pieces with the most characteristic mainstream sound and pieces with revisitation of some themes in a more original version and reinterpreted with a new jazz sound.

The tracks dedicated to B. Powell and T. Monk, such as “Giants' melodies” (a piece taken from the melodies of “Un poco Loco – Evidence”, including a brief reference to Very early by Bill Evans) or Mercy mercy mercy by J. Zawinul, reflect the above. Of particular interest is the track “Giants' Conversation” a medley of famous compositions in which you can hear the great pioneers of jazz conversing with each other with the use of their own melodies and the gradual transition to a different sound. In it, in fact, you can listen to Duke Ellington with Dancers in love (a piece with a stride piano character, composed in 1944 to pay homage to Fats Waller) Passion Dance by McCoy Tyner (a piece recorded in 1967 in the modal-quartal jazz genre), T. Monk with Well you Needn't (a famous piece from 1944, bebop style) and finally a brief reference to Rapsody in Blue by G. Gershwin, Rockin' Rhythm by D. Ellington, and quotes from Blue Seven by Sonny Rollins and So What by Mil Davis. The final landing of this “Intro” track is the piece “Watch it” by H. Hancock, an artist very dear to the leader of the trio.

The album contains two tracks that pay homage to two of the trio leader's favourites and inspirations for his piano playing: African Flower by D. Ellington (1962) in an original sound characterised by the use of a percussive instrument such as the tar, and Arabesque by Ahmad Jamal (a pianist very dear to him for the orchestral conception of his piano playing and use of spaces). A piece with the pianist's expressive and creative peculiarities.