Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Julien Colarossi: Note to Self
Julien Colarossi: Note to Self
Julien Colarossi
guitarb.1988
Cote Calmet
drumsb.1986
The quartet with saxophonist Chris Engel has been together since 2011, however, Colarossi, bassist Barry Donohue and drummer Tommy Gray started out as a trio in 2008, so the empathy that clearly exists between the musicians is not surprising. Engel—equally adept on tenor, soprano and alto saxophone—carries the main melodic duties, with Colarossi slipping in and out of harmonic harness, and embellishing judiciously. This pattern is established on the impressive opener "Ricordandoti," where the leader's caressing touch on the intro and his more expansive and fluid playing at the song's middle points to a guitarist of notable emotional range.
Probing electric bass and a lively yet repetitive drum pattern propel the jaunty "Uncle Francle," with Colarossi's playing leaning towards the rockier end of the electric jazz guitar spectrum. On Engel's steamy jazz-funk number "David and Goliath" Colarossi's urban blues has a raw, searing edge. Yet whatever the idiom, Colarossi articulates every note in his unhurried, passionate manner. Gray's "Gold" is a charged slice of 1970s
Miles Davis
trumpet1926 - 1991
Colarrosi also treads softly on the very pretty "Effimera," with acoustic guitar and bass, purring saxophone and cajon joining in a gentle waltz. Colarossi and Donohue's delightfully weighted solos have the allure of the first stirrings of a summer romance. "Ruhie & Calle" begins life not a million miles away from smooth jazz-funk; sinewy guitar lines, fractured rhythms and some fairly free improvisation from Engel conspire to steer the music into another realm altogether, and once satiated, the quartet returns to the head. The episodic "Journey to Zero" covers wide emotional terrain, providing some of the most impassioned, straight ahead interplay of the set.
Colarossi again displays his credentials as a balladeer of some finesse on "Sincerity," a tune of touching lyricism carried by guitar and saxophone in tandem. The knotty narrative of "Dichotomy" features memorable statements from Engel and Donohue—the former's emotionally charged excursion, punctuated by honks and squeals, contrasting with the latter's flowing melodicism. The quartet reunites on the head, bowing out appropriately enough, as one voice.
A highly satisfying debut that hits the gut and touches the heart, Note to Self introduces a fine quartet and makes the case unequivocally for Colarossi as an emerging talent embarking on an exciting journey. ">
Track Listing
Ricordandoti; Uncle Francle; Effimera; Ruhie & Calle; Journey to Zero; Il Postino; Gold; David & Goliath; Sincerity; Dichotomy.
Personnel
Julien Colarossi
guitarJulien Colarossi: guitars; Christopher Engel; saxophones; Barry Donohue: basses; Tommy Gray: drums, cajon.
Album information
Title: Note to Self | Year Released: 2013 | Record Label: Self Produced
Tags
Julien Colarossi
CD/LP/Track Review
Ian Patterson
Self Produced
Ireland
Dublin
cote calmet
Miles Davis
Note to Self
Comments
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Support All About Jazz
All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.
Go Ad Free!
To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.
Dublin
Concert Guide | Venue Guide | Local Businesses
| More...
Buy Now
