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Roberto Magris: Love Is Passing Thru

By Jack Bowers
March 28, 2024
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Love Is Passing Thru, by Italian pianist

Roberto Magris

piano
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Roberto Magris and his quartet, was actually recorded almost two decades ago, in January and February 2005, shortly after a concert tour in the Far East, and was to be released on the Black Saint/Soul Note label before it was sold and went under. Fast forward to 2024, and Magris, now with Kansas City's JMood label, decided that in light of the passing a year ago of drummer and percussionist

Enzo Carpentieri

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Enzo Carpentieri, the time had come to make his music and that of the ensemble available to the public.

This isn't strictly a quartet date, as tenor saxophonist

Ettore Martin

saxophone

" data-original-title="" title="">Ettore Martin performs on only three of its thirteen tracks; elsewhere, it is mostly Magris, Carpentieri and bassist

Danilo Gallo

bass, acoustic
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Danilo Gallo, although Magris goes it alone on four numbers including the first, "Hair, Bea, Nee, Calls," a rather strange title until one says it aloud as "

Herbie Nichols

piano
1919 - 1963

" data-original-title="" title="">Herbie Nichols," one of Magris' musical idols. Magris plays gong and adds his voice (sort of) to that one.

Love is the album's basic theme, as exemplified by

Billy Strayhorn

piano
1915 - 1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Billy Strayhorn's "Love Has Passed Me By Again," "Love Came" and two versions of his classic "Lush Life,"

Marian McPartland

piano
1918 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Marian McPartland's "In The Days of Our Love," the Don Raye/Gene DePaul standard "You Don't Know What Love Is" and Magris' "Two-Sided Love." Also on the menu are "Mi Sono Innamorato Di Tie," "Estate," Strayhorn's "Orson,"

Fats Waller

piano
1904 - 1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Fats Waller's "Jitterbug Waltz" and

Gerry Mulligan

saxophone, baritone
1927 - 1996

" data-original-title="" title="">Gerry Mulligan's "Ontet," a respectable closer.

There are times when a recording is enhanced by percussion and other special effects; this isn't one of them. Truth be told, the best numbers are those on which Magris plays alone—that is, except for the first, "Hair, Bee, Knee, Calls," which is largely forgettable. Martin's tenor is fine on "Love Came" and "Love Has Passed Me By Again" but more or less wasted on the eccentric "Two-Sided Love." Without Martin's help, the trio massacres the customarily charming "You Don't Know What Love Is."

As for Carpentieri, he enlarges his drum kit with various Balinese percussion instruments including the gong, reyong, cengceng, kopyak, kalimba, woodshells and chimes, which may sound exotic but don't add much to the over-all ambience and color, while Danilo's bass is heard on half a dozen tracks (and he has the last ninety seconds of Strayhorn's "Orson" to himself). Magris plays solo on back-to-back versions of "Lush Life," which are so similar that one would have sufficed.

As an historical look at Magris' musical point of view twenty years ago and a glimpse at how far he has come (in a good way) since then, Love Is Passing Thru serves a purpose. Aside from that, there isn't a whole lot to applaud or endorse.

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Track Listing

Hair, Bea, Knee, Calls, Two-Sided Love, Love Has Passed Me By Again, You Don't Know What Love Is, Mi Sono Innamorato Di Te, Estate, In the Days of Our Love, Love Came, Jitterbug Waltz, Orson, Lush Life take 1, Lush Life take 2, Ontet.

Personnel

Roberto Magris

piano

Ettore Martin

saxophone

Danilo Gallo

bass, acoustic

Enzo Carpentieri

drums

Additional Instrumentation

Ettore Martin: saxophone (2, 3, 8); Danilo Gallo: bass: 2, 3, 5, 610, 13); Enzo Carpentieri: drums: 2- 6, 10, 13); Roberto Magris gong and voice (1); Enzo Carpentieri: Balinese percussion: (4, 5, 9, 10, 13).

Album information

Title: Love Is Passing Thru | Year Released: 2024 | Record Label: JMood Records

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