Sparks
Outside In, 2023
8/10
The Italian violinist Ludovica Burtone is well versed in classical, jazz and Brazilian music, and this debut brings a string quartet plus many guests for a listen that tells the story of her trek to the United States from Europe.
“Blazing Sun” opens the listen with Burtone’s elegant violin playing alongside Marta Sanchez’s playful keys and Nathan Ellman-Bell’s agile drumming, and “Sinha” follows with Leandro Pellegrino’s warm guitar and Rogerio Boccato’s well timed percussion that complement the strings with much care and beauty.
The middle tracks, “Altrove” and “Awakening”, are among the best, where the former showcases Burtone’s gorgeous voice amid much intimacy, while the latter places Melissa Aldana on saxophone for a soulful and cautious climate.
Close to the end, “Stelutis” allows Fung Chern Hwei’s violin, Leonor Falcon Pasquali’s viola and Mariel Roberts’ cello to interact with much skill alongside Burtone’s violin, and “Incontri” exits with Roberto Giaquinto’s precise drumming adding much to the richly layered strings, keys and bass acrobatics from Matt Aronoff.
A personal yet globally relatable first album, Burtone brings a diverse and timeless vision to these simple and complex pieces that immediately draw the listener in.
Travels well with: Nicholas Brust- Daybreak; Adam Larson Trio- With Love, From Kansas City