In Alto Mare
GLM, 2022
8/10
The veteran musician Giovanni Costello returns with a 6th album, where his jazz sensibilities flirt with pop and funk in very sophisticated, enticing ways.
The title track opens the listen with a lively climate of breezy melodies, a warm beat and soaring vocals that will get you on the dance floor, and “Era Bella” follows with a calmer pace that benefits from Nicolo Fragile’s graceful keys and Fausto Leali’s esteemed pop sensibilities.
“Amani” lands in the middle and emits an animated energy that spotlights Daniele Moretto’s bright brass amid Marco Mariniello’s playful bass, while “Blues” gets quite dreamy, where Costello’s expressive pipes are complemented by Fragile’s agile keys and Francesco Corvino’s precise drumming.
Approaching the end, “Non avere paura” contains an infectious beat to illuminate the dynamic pop sensibilities, and “La donna cannone” exits the listen intimate, poetic and with a sublime presence in the piano balladry.
An extremely well produced affair, there’s much style present, as Costello and his band put forth love, peace and sense of community on this very fluid effort.
Travels well with: Mulo Francel- Mountain Melody; Andreas Hinterseher- Stay Away And Play!