Chasing Calm
Self-Released, 2025
9/10
This 3rd album from the pianist/composer Michael Ragonese sees him joined by Walter Smith III, Luca Alemanno and JongKuk Kim for the meticulous jazz tracks.
“Shadows” opens the listen with much attention to mood, where the adventurous keys are met with Smith’s soulful tenor sax, and “Alone Together” follows with Alemanno’s intricate bass playing that suits Kim’s frisky drumming via the textured climate.
The title track and “Nocturne For Memory” land in the middle. The former is a cautious bout of timeless songwriting that escalates into a lively album highlight, while the latter offers a busy moment of rich layers and lively sax playing amid the warm rhythm section.
Residing close to the end, “Portrait For A Mirror”, which was written by Alemanno, rumbles playfully and comes with intimate moments, and “Flow” exits with all the player’s inestimable front and center.
An introspective, lyrical, rhythmically substantial and improvisation friendly effort, Ragonese and company cover a lot of ideas, influences and techniques across 8 exciting tunes.
Travels well with: Stephen Philip Harvey Jazz Orchestra- Multiversal: Live At Bop Stop; JC Sanford’s EQ- Denki