Italian pianist
Antonio Farao makes his Verve label debut with 2015's
Boundaries. A forward-thinking artist with a bent toward introspective, harmonically nuanced jazz,
Farao is an established artist in Europe who has found common ground in his 20-plus-year career with such luminaries as drummer
Jack DeJohnette, saxophonist
Joe Lovano, and bassist
Drew Gress. Joining
Farao on
Boundaries are several of his longtime Italian associates: saxophonist and drummer
Mauro Negri, bassist Martin Gjakonovski, and saxophonist Luigi Di Nunzio. Together they dive into a mix of original compositions by
Farao, as well as classics of '60s jazz including
Tony Williams' "Hand Jive" and
Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage." This is organic, layered acoustic jazz played with an adventurous spirit. ~ Matt Collar