CD Review: Red Pellini & Emanuele Basentini - "Red" & "Boss" Gang

(Review by Lance.)

Colin, Our Man in Hong Kong, presented me with this superb tribute to Bix recorded by a group of Italian musicians. The tunes may be Bixian but the approach is more of a mid to late thirties Harlem small group which, with hindsight, could well have been a logical progression for Bix had he not died so young.

Sure, they're playing well within the idiom, the difference being these guys have got a rhythm section that swings. Plus the solos are more modern. Not bebop and beyond modern, but late 1930s small group swing - imagine Bix ten years on with say, Chu Berry or Benny Carter and you'll get the idea.

Gravish captures the spirit of Beiderbecke and Pellini, an international authority on Bix, is, even on straight alto, more  inspired by Bob Wilber than Trumbauer. Not surprising as he has recorded, I'm led to believe, with Wilber. Basentini on guitar is perhaps the most modern of them all. His "solo flights" are absolute gems. He's heard all the great swing guitarists - listened and assimilated - and is now very much his own man.

Although the tunes are well known; Fidgety Feet, China Boy, Clarinet Marmalade etc. there is one number, new to me, Blue River. What a lovely, mournful song

This isn't a disc to single out individuals - each and everyone contributes - but special attention should be drawn to Pellini 's arrangements - you can almost taste the bathtub gin!

Recommended - available on Amazon.

Lance.
Red Pellini (straight alto); Emanuele Boss Basentini (guitar); Max D'Avola (tenor); Andy Gravish (trumpet); Paolo Farinelle (alto); Leonardo Borghi (piano); Vincenzo Florio (bass - 3 tracks); Marco Loddo (bass - 3 tracks); Guiseppe Talone (bass - 5 tracks);  Marco Valeri (drums - 3 tracks); Nicola Angelucci (drums - 3 tracks); Roberto Pistolesi (drums - 5 tracks) - special guest Carlo Atti (sax); Greg (vocal on From Monday On.)