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Various
Artists | Jazz in Italy in the '50s
Riviera Jazz Records
Various
Artists | Jazz & Hot Singers in the '30s
Riviera Jazz Records
America’s
music has always been its most beloved cultural export. Just look at
the globally sweeping phenomena of blues, rock ’n’ roll,
soul, and, most recently, hip hop. But it’s jazz, of course, that
predates them all in terms of deep-seated worldwide appreciation, coming
of age as it did during the advent of recording technology itself in
the early 20th century. (Yes, the blues are older than jazz, but they
didn’t really have impact abroad until the early ‘60s folk
boom.) And much like subsequent genres, jazz was often embraced by the
younger generations of other countries as rebel music; an occurrence
explored on Riviera Jazz’s earlier titles, specifically 1995’s
Jazz in Italy Under the Fascism. But outside of the realm of socio-political
considerations, it’s always interesting to hear how foreign musicians
interpret and personalize what’s been seen as uniquely American
music. With its “Jazz in Italy” series (12 volumes so far),
Riviera has been doing an exceptional job of chronicling the history
of jazz in the land of Fellini and linguini.
Jazz
in Italy in the ’50s concentrates on three figures who dominated
Italy’s postwar modern jazz landscape: trumpeter Nunzio Rotondo
and pianists Umberto Cesari and Armando Trovajoli. Most of the disc
is given over to Trovajoli, who leads a trio date highlighted by the
excellent “Afternoon Blues” and a pair of lukewarm string-orchestra
sessions obviously inspired by Charlie Parker with Strings. As he was
with all modernists, Bird was the word, and the bebop pioneer’s
effect is all over the tracks by Rotondi’s quintet (great solos
by tenorist Gino Marinacci and alto man Marcello Boschi). The sole cut
featuring Lenny Tristano disciple Cesari, as the leader of the under-recorded
Trio di Roma, is a reading of “Begin the Beguine” built
on top of “Night in Tunisia” that also features the spare,
razor-like playing of guitarist Carlo Pes.
Between
the two volumes Jazz and Hot Singers in the ’30s offers up more
variety, opening the door into Italy’s vivacious prewar jazz and
pop world. Again, the music here doesn’t do much more than emulate
(in some cases rewrite) the latest American sounds, but hearing it done
in a foreign tongue is weirdly charming—and, just like the music
that influenced them, these recordings are also a heck of a lot of fun.
Within are convincing Dixieland and syncopated dance band sides peppered
with magnificent solos (Orchestra Circolo Jazz Hot di Milano, featuring
amazing violinist Armando Camera), Rudy Vallee-esque crooners (Vittorio
De Sica), and melodious Boswell Sistersstyled vocal trios (Dunk’s
Rhythm Sisters and Trio Vocale Lescano, both comprised of Dutch transplants
who sang in Italian). As the decade wore on, Benito Mussolini and his
pals would unsuccessfully attempt to ban this spirited music. But even
though Il Duce finally got his just reward at the hands of an angry,
betrayed populace in 1945, perhaps the real poetic justice lies in what
the dictator’s own son, Romano Mussolini, eventually became: an
acclaimed jazz pianist. Finé!
www.rivierajazz.it
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