Paolo Sorge – Mirroring

P

Blue Mama Records

Guitarist/composer Paolo Sorge has had a varied career, working with Keith Tippett, Andy Sheppard and Don Byron among others, whilst exploring composing projects ranging from silent film to dance. His 2003 album "Trinkle Trio" was a radical take on the music of Thelonious Monk with a trio of tuba, drums and electric guitar. This new release features seven new pieces very much in the Monk tradition; angular melodies and a responsive quartet navigating tightly sprung rhythms. 

LLuis Naval is a colourful drummer, using sticks, brushes, rimshots and soft beaters to add energy and variety. Guiseppe Campisi is always on the money with double bass, his solos beautifully integrated with guitar and drum support, whilst Santi De la Rubia on tenor sax is a perfect foil for Sorge's guitar style.

Sorge proves himself a fine composer with memorable themes and inventive arrangements; "Reperto" fits together like a well-oiled machine, driven by skipping syncopation. "Mirroring" has a strong theme and harmonies with a West Side Story flavour, in fact there's nothing here rhythmically or harmonically which would have surprised Bernstein or Monk. In that sense it's a more mainstream jazz sound than Sorge's previous releases, an impression reinforced by his decision to use a clean electric guitar sound throughout rather than the electronic effects he's often employed. That's a wise decision in the end though, allowing the guitarist's subtle variations in attack and damping to shine through - also emphasising the clever structure of his compositions, built around riffs and ostinati but allowing contrasts in density and modes between sections to clarify the theme/variations form he often uses.

This is mostly music of the head rather than the heart, or indeed the feet - it rarely settles into a "groove" although "Next" blooms into a swing feel with some bluesy guitar and "Avida Diva" offers a latin beat and chromatic riffs - which always swerve cunningly away from "line cliches". Overall it's a fine album, particularly if you like the guitar/sax/bass/drums format, and are interested in new slants on Monk's musical ideas.

© Stephen Godsall

Musicians:

Paolo Sorge, guitar, compositions
LLuis Naval, drums
Guiseppe Campisi, double bass
Santi De la Rubia, tenor saxophone

https://www.paolosorge.com/