Andrea Rinciari is an Italian guitarist who has been very active on the London jazz scene. He has been collaborating with saxophonist Alex Garnett, drummer Mark Taylor and bassist Lorenzo Morabito, playing regular sessions and this album is the culmination of these sessions. Out of those sessions, the band has developed a chemistry and friendship and the songs on the album are like a snapshot of those sessions. Rinciari acknowledged that “this is special night for me”.
He is very much immersed in the bebop tradition and he pays tribute to the jazz greats who have inspired and influenced him, notably Bud Powell and Barry Harris who was a mentor early in his career. Rinciari is also determined to revive interest in the great American Songbook and bring to the fore lesser-known jazz masterpieces. To that end, Rinciari writes his own arrangements, often incorporating existing ones. For instance, his arrangement of “I Can’t Get Started” was based around a Teddy Wilson arrangement.
The set began with a Barry Harris composition “Bean and the Boys”, one of two Harris compositions played on the night. It set the scene for much of the night’s music – a lively fast-paced number with guitar and sax trading lines. Fluid guitar was matched by the flowing lines of Garnett’s sax with it’s lovely warm tone. It was also the first chance to hear guitar and sax playing as one, something that sounded so impressive on a couple of the faster numbers later on.
What I found just as impressive was the sympathetic playing of, not just the lead instruments, but the whole band. Bass and drums performed a wonderful task in providing a platform for the guitar and sax to play off. They had opportunities to solo – Morabito played one beautifully melodic solo while Taylor provided thunderous percussion to a version of “Tea for Two” which was played at breakneck speed. Taylor also showed a more delicate touch with sympathetic brushwork on the ballads. I especially liked the ballads. “A Sinner Kissed an Angel” was a nice, sweet tune beginning with a delicate guitar intro, that then developed the theme with a lovely long solo.
This band can really swing and there were impassioned solos from Rinciari and Garnett that brought loud applause. The tightness and precision in negotiating some quite tricky pieces of music reflected the time spent together. An absorbing evening finished with “The Fruit” which Rinciari declared was probably his favourite Bud Powell song.
Photo credit John McGloin
BAND
Andrea Rinciari: Fibonacci guitar
Alex Garnett: tenor saxophone
Mark Taylor: drums
Lorenzo Morabito: acoustic bass
SETLIST
Set 1
Bean and the Boys*
There’s a Small Hotel
John’s Abbey*
Happy Hour
Carvin’ the Rock*
A Sinner Kissed an Angel
Set 2
Junka
Can’t Get Started
John’s Delight*
Like This
Potter’s Luck
Tea for Two*
The Fruit
*featured tracks on Soho Sessions
The tour continues at Hampstead Jazz Club on 22 May 2025.
