Gerardo Frisina - 'Hi Note' (Schema)

[clubbity]

Italy's Schema records have been quietly spearheading a latin jazz renaissance out of their headquarters in Milan for more than half a decade now.
While mainstream radio is obsessed with keeping up with the usual disposable pop hits and the odd jazz radio station, if you can find it, tends to simply be keeping the flame alive for the already-well-established elder statesmen of jazz, this small and dedicated label has made it's mission to rekindle an interest in latin-based jazz from the loungier end of music.
Gerardo Frisina is one of the minds behind Schema label, together with Luciano Cantone, Davide Rosa and Nicola Conte. Frisina has delighted us in the past years with elegant jazzy projects as Neos (together with dj Bruno Bolla), The Cabildos Three full of psychedelic jazz, samba and afro-cuban grooves, Up and then the famous worldwide 'Metti Una Bossa A Cena' series spreading to the world famous Italian lounge composers as Piero Piccioni, Ennio Morricone, Armando Trovaioli, Alessando Alessandroni, Franco Micalizzi and Romano Mussolini.
Classy, energetic uptempo dancefloor Latin jazz from the excellent Frisina. Gerardo has always been devoted to bossanova sound and his first work 'Ad Lib' released in 2001 has been a perfect example of how standard bossa groove and latin jazz can combine with the modern sound technology, a drum a bass and a sampler.
After having rielaborated tracks as 'Black Forest Stomp by Hipnosis and ''Barloventeño Blues' by Frank Hernandez , Frisina comes out now with a new 12'' with 'Intenso"/"Saeta 03' tracks inside. The result is simply great, the jazzy groove
is charged with heavy latin percussions and trumpet. And then?
The new awaited album 'Hi Note' is going to be released in January 2004, always on faithful Schema records. The album is something delicious; we can find twelve tracks full of verve and true passion for jazz.
The grooviest tracks, suitable for the dancefloor, are 'Inviolatin', the marvellous 'Intenso', 'Joyas' dressed up with a light drum&bass pattern, the well-known percussive 'Cubana' and 'Saeta' 03' in a new clubby version.
But the true Frisina's sound is inside tracks as 'Bluesanova', 'Ombroso', the fascinating mood of 'Heading For What I Know' and the final 'On The Edge' which sounds like a Soulstance or Fragment Orchestra work.
Latin, Brazil, Jazz, D'n'B, whatever your tastes this work needs to be heard.
Here is one of the best 2004 albums, guaranteed.
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