Aldo Romano has long proven himself an innovative leader and the 2007 sessions that make up
Just Jazz are no exception.
Romano is not one to take a lot of solos himself, preferring to showcase his bandmates while adding color behind them. His pianoless quartet consists of clarinetist
Mauro Negri, who played on
Romano's earlier Dreyfus CD
État de Fait, old friend
Henri Texier on bass, and the much younger
Géraldine Laurent, a gifted French saxophonist whose star is rising. Most of the release focuses on
Romano's captivating originals, highlighted by the emotional "Cité-Soleil" (French for "Sun City"), named for the wretched shanty town in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. "Township" is an infectious African-flavored chant, with
Laurent's vocal-like alto recalling
Eric Dolphy, and
Negri's electronically altered clarinet adding seasoning. "Chick Webb," named for the famous swing drummer, has a fun twist in that the bassist is the featured soloist.
Romano's love for
Ornette Coleman's work is well known, so it shouldn't be surprising to hear the dissonance within the drummer's "Libero!!" ("Free!!")." His powerful interpretation of
Fats Waller's maudlin "Black and Blue" and lighthearted take of
Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag" round out this diverse, rewarding CD. ~ Ken Dryden