Arancina
Chronograph, 2021
9/10
A revered Canadian jazz artist, Dave Restivo has an impressive resume that includes playing with Rob McConnell’s Boss Brass and Tentet as well as the Mike Murley Quintet, among others, and on this 3rd album as leader he’s in the company of Jim Vivian, Alyssa Falk and Fawn Fritzen across the 9 diverse tracks of Arancina.
“Sicilian Suite” opens the listen with 4 chapters, where agile keys align with proficient drumming from Falk as Restivo navigates plenty of harmonies, rich textures and unpredictable song craft that unfolds with much skill, and “Kintsugi” follows with Fawn Fritzen’s sublime vocals guiding the warm, emotive jazz climate.
Further along, “Raven’s Wing” bops playfully with incredible interplay between Falk’s drums and Restivo’s keys, while “Baby Steps” glides soulfully, precisely and with ingenuity in his take on Coltrane’s “Giant Steps”.
Near the end, Fritzen returns on the dreamy, feel good climate of “Bittersweet Goodbye”, where Vivian’s plucked bass mesmerizes, and “It’s You Or No One’ exits the listen swift, frisky and with a contagious bebop vibe that you won’t forget anytime soon.
When it comes to piano focused jazz sounds, it just doesn’t get much better than this, as Restivo and company excel at both busy, energetic landscapes as well as intimate moments of timeless beauty.
Travels well with: Will Bonness- Change Of Plans; Mario Romano- The Journey So Far