Reviews
- FROM MIDWEST RECORD: DINO MASSA’S KANSAS CITY QUINTET/Echoes of Europe (ARC-2680) – “In which we find smoking contemporary jazz arising out of a chance meeting by players that wouldn’t have run into each other if not for being in the 1990 version of the NATO Jazz Band. Yeah that NATO, the political thing. The sparks flew and they never cooled off. Hooking up all these many years later, they play like this has been going on in New York for some time rather than Kansas City recently. Easy going jazz that isn’t easy listening, straight ahead ears will dig the proceedings. Well done throughout.” ~ Chris Spector, editor and publisher
– – –
- FROM BOBBY WATSON: “I really like your album and I think the title ‘Echoes of Europe’ is very appropriate in describing the aesthetics of the music.” ~ Bobby Watson, jazz great
– – –
- FROM JAZZ WEEKLY: Composer/arranger Dino Massa accomplishes much on a smaller scale. Christopher Burnett/as, Charles Gatschet/g, Andrew W. Stinson/b, Clarence Smith/dr for the core with Massa’s piano while guests including “Freda Proctor-Terri Anderson Burnett/fl, Marcus Hampton-Stanton Kessler/tp-fh veer in and out of the seven pieces like characters in an Agatha Christie novel. The pieces are well structured with a chamber feel, featuring soft and warm flutes floating on the Latin “Imagine” and fluffing with the flugelhorns on “Notos.” Massa’s piano and Gatschet’s guitar form a quiet interlude with Burnett’s sweet alto on “Echoes of Europe” and the lithe pulses of “Remembering” and “Paris” are rich water colors of sound. Like listening to Monet. ~ George W. Harris
– – –
- From Sea of Tranquility: Dino Massa Kansas City Quintet: Echoes Of Europe – Naples’ pianist Dino Massa and American saxophonist Christopher Burnett may at first seem like an unlikely pairing. Burnett played in the NATO Jazz band which was stationed in Naples. The two met in a local jazz club and from there started gigging together and formed a relationship that would last to present day. They lost touch for a few years but recently got together to produce their first joint release Echoes Of Europe. The album is released on the ARC (Artists Recording Collective) label which was cofounded by Burnett. In the band are Dino Massa (piano), Christopher Burnett (alto saxophone, clarinet), Charles Gatschet (guitar), Andrew W. Stinson (bass) and Clarence Smith (drums, percussion).Those initial gigs must have been inspiring given the quality of this disc. There are seven tracks all over six minutes in length so you can well imagine there is plenty of room for the band to explore. This is top quality jazz beginning with “Alone” where swinging sax and flute play off snappy percussion and a crisp beat before slowing down with some delightful saxophone ultimately giving way to Massa’s thoughtful piano work. The title track begins with a slightly somber piano melody, quite moody in nature before saxophone adds a bit of romanticism. The piano solo ending the track is riveting. “Imagine” is somewhat lighter and a little more playful with a delightful flugelhorn melody, splashes of piano and another wonderfully melodic solo from Massa as the tempo builds with urgency. Really, any one of these tunes deserves high praise. The swirling piano motifs and exceptional winds and brass in “Notos” are also worthy of your attention.Indeed, 2016 has seen a high number of quality jazz albums and Echoes Of Europe is not an anomaly in that respect and comes highly recommended for both traditional and modern jazz fans.Track Listing:
1. Alone (6:03)
2. Echoes Of Europe (6:32)
3. Imagine (6:08)
4. Notos (6:10)
5. Paris (6:41)
6. Remembering (7:16)
7. Tarantella (8:52)Added: January 9th 2017
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
– – –
More coming soon…
Features
FROM BIRD IS THE WORM: “Today’s featured video is the title-track from the upcoming release Echoes of Europe by Dino Massa’s Kansas City Quintet. It’s a nice straight-ahead collaboration of musicians from the Naples, Italy and Kansas City scenes. And pretty much any video that slaps an album track over what amounts to b-roll of a travel show is gonna get featured on the site. I think it’s a neat way to present the music.”
(Dave Sumner)
– – –
FROM NEON JAZZ: “Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz interview series with Italian Jazz Pianist and composer Dino Massa from Naples, Italy .. He took some time from (his) home in Italy to speak with Neon Jazz in Kansas City to discuss a collaborative album a new CD venture called “Echoes of Europe” that will be avaiblabe worldwide on January 2, 2017 – This came about after an encounter with KC-based alto saxophonist and composer Christopher Burnett in 1990 when Burnett played in the NATO Jazz Band then headquartered in Naples – Together, they put together a project full of modern swing tune with some of the fullest-sounding orchestration – Dino dicusseed this album, his life in jazz and so much more .. Click here to listen to the interview.”
(Joe Dimino)
– – –
More coming soon…
[cdbaby]fcdb1b8d-68b2-4381-94a4-8abed94df56e[/cdbaby]