Notespeak 12
Ropeadope, 2023
8/10
The multi-faceted artist Lisa Marie Simmons brings her inimitable vocals to this calm, personal and collaborative effort that welcomes many superb players to the jazz affair.
“Blaze” starts the listen with Simmons’ expressive spoken work alongside Marco Cremaschini’s playful keys, Mauro Negri’s bright tenor sax and Donata Greco’s airy flute, and “Can We Agree?” follows with a unique rhythm that benefits from Ernest Ikwanga’s soothing guitar and Laura Masotto’s elegant violin.
In the middle, “Individually One” recruits Manuel Caliumi’s adventurous alto sax and Negri’s drumming acrobatics amid Simmons’ alluring prose, while “Another String Pulled From The Theory” is populated by Weedie Braimah’s lively percussion and Marco Cocconi’s precise bass work in the mesmerizing album highlight.
Close to the end, “Elegy”makes great use of Federico Pierantoni’s moody trombone in the intimate landscape, and “The Twelfth Thing” exits with a very stylish percussive appeal and, of course, strong attention to linguistics thanks to Simmons’ inimitable talent.
A multi-leveled musical jazz hybrid, both western culture and AfroBeat ideas are present, and the many players on hand certainly help cultivate a very unique free jazz, avant-garde and modern jazz experience you’re not going to hear anywhere else.
Travels well with: Dred Scott- Rides Alone; Claudia Acuña- Duo