Massimo Biolcati, Incontre (Sounderscore)
Bassist Massimo Biolcati is one-third of Gilfema, a group featuring Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke and Hungarian drummer Ferenc Nemeth. They’ve got a new album I’ll be talking about next month. On this disc, though, he’s leading an ensemble featuring saxophonist Dayna Stephens, pianist Sam Yahel, and drummer Jongkuk Kim. They perform four of his originals, and five surprising interpretations, including Charles Mingus’s “Duke Ellington’s Sound Of Love” and Tears For Fears’ “Everybody Wants To Rule The World.” On the latter track, Stephens offers a quick run through the melody, just long enough to say, in effect, “This is the song we’re playing; you know it,” before Yahel takes a long solo that makes only an oblique reference to said melody as it winds down. The saxophonist sticks much closer to the tune, effectively serving as lead vocalist. Biolcati and Kim are a quick-footed, skittery rhythm team.
Stream “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”:
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