Many releases that have appeared on the ECM label have a cool, pristine sound. And a lot of them could fairly be described as mellow, an adjective that suits Stone In the Water, a fine 2009 release by the Italian pianist Stefano Bollani. But Bollani, a stylistic descendant of the American pianist Bill Evans, makes music that exudes lyrical warmth. Here he leads a trio that includes two Danes, the bassist Jesper Bodilsen and the drummer Morten Lund, and the band is both subtle and intimate. Lund’s lovely brush and cymbal work can create lovely timbres that almost make you forget their source and Bodilsen’s tones are spot-on. The album includes covers of two Brazilian tunes, Caetano Veloso’s “Dom de iludir” and Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Brigas nunca mais,” and an improvisation based on a piece by Francis Poulenc. It’s no surprise that Bollani would be attracted to Brazil’s lush music and Poulenc’s jazzy harmonies, and all three of these tracks are excellent. The album wraps up with a Bollani original, “Joker In the Village,” a wonderful interweaving of cymbal splashes and intriguing piano lines buoyed by inventive bass.
Other Versions
- 9 Songs
More By Stefano Bollani Trio
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