Tommaso Starace presents his new album 'From a Distant Past' collaborating in duo with pianist Michele Di Toro. With this album Starace animates old fables and surreal stories through the jazz idiom - from the childish melody of ‘Children’s Song’ ( Chick Corea); the nostalgic ones of 'Dexter’s Tune’ ( by Randy Newman); and the more 'fable like' music of 'A Trust Betrayed'; to the epic ' Perseus & Andromeda’ the listener travels through time and tales.
Starace pushes his personal boundaries composition-wise focusing on new styles taking inspiration from some of his favourite contemporary composers such as Brad Mehldau, Brandford Marsalis, Ennio Morricone.
Strong melodies are always of primary importance and necessary so that the listener can visualise and engage in this journey of 'cinematic' music.
Here in this recording Tommaso, who stylistically has always been more tied to the traditional Afro American style of playing, complements well with Michele Di Toro who makes use of a jazz idiom inspired from classical music, using scales and chords which create a more angular and contemporary language.
But their prime objective is to express themselves with sensitivity and originality hoping that the listener will be enriched by different emotions: anger, sadness, compassion, dreamy moments, fear, forgiveness, joy, irony etc.
''Romantic melodies and a melancholic songs with a European flavour represent the main focus of “From a distant past”, an album that sweetly penetrates one's soul.'' read more<<
Stefano Dentice, soundcontest.com
'' The key to this CD with its blend of traditional flavour and modern taste is in the melody. In From a Distant Past the soprano narrates tales of sonorous landscapes, while the piano leaps from peak to peak through the history of jazz, reaching the high points of an evolution that is transformed into art''.
Flavio Caprera, Jazz Author
