ALICE RICCIARDI & PIETRO LUSSU
Photograph by Annalisa Gonella
One of the most interesting duo albums I have come across recently is Catch A Falling Star by Alice Ricciardi and Pietro Lussu that takes a fresh look at some classic songs and adding a contemporary twist that made for interesting listening without detracting from the original song. Coupled with some superb self penned compositions that stood out in their own right and this made for a wonderful album that deserves to be widely heard.
To find out what inspires these two fine Italian musicians to produce such diverse and engaging music, we invited them to choose their top ten favourite albums, five a piece from each.
To find out what inspires these two fine Italian musicians to produce such diverse and engaging music, we invited them to choose their top ten favourite albums, five a piece from each.
ALICE RICCIARDI
CARMEN MCRAE - Carmen For Cool Ones (1958)
Carmen McRae is definitely one of my favorite singers. My personal Olympus, besides Carmen McRae, includes Billie Holiday, Betty Carter, Jeanne Lee, Shirley Horn, Nina Simone, Chris Connor. I think I have all of the Carmen McRae’s records, I was pretty obsessed and I’ll always be deeply in love with her. Of course I love all of her musical production; “By Special Request”, “After Glow”, “Carmen McRae Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Classics”, “Bittersweet”, they’re all little masterpieces, but “Carmen For Cool Ones” has something different, the arrangements by cellist Fred Katz, the chamber music setting, makes this album so visionary and avant-garde. Carmen’s singing is superb and really for cool ones, like herself. The track “Any Old Time” inspired the concept of my debut album “Comes Love”, the song “Le Tue Mani” in particular recalls the atmosphere of “Any Old Time” with the use of vibraphone, guitar and flute and I also quoted the use of the reverb at the ending of the song. It was my personal homage to this incredible artist and this beautiful album.
Carmen McRae is definitely one of my favorite singers. My personal Olympus, besides Carmen McRae, includes Billie Holiday, Betty Carter, Jeanne Lee, Shirley Horn, Nina Simone, Chris Connor. I think I have all of the Carmen McRae’s records, I was pretty obsessed and I’ll always be deeply in love with her. Of course I love all of her musical production; “By Special Request”, “After Glow”, “Carmen McRae Sings Lover Man and Other Billie Holiday Classics”, “Bittersweet”, they’re all little masterpieces, but “Carmen For Cool Ones” has something different, the arrangements by cellist Fred Katz, the chamber music setting, makes this album so visionary and avant-garde. Carmen’s singing is superb and really for cool ones, like herself. The track “Any Old Time” inspired the concept of my debut album “Comes Love”, the song “Le Tue Mani” in particular recalls the atmosphere of “Any Old Time” with the use of vibraphone, guitar and flute and I also quoted the use of the reverb at the ending of the song. It was my personal homage to this incredible artist and this beautiful album.
BETTY CARTER - The Audience With Betty Carter (1979)
What I love in singers like Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Billie Holiday, Jeanne Lee…is that they all are singers/innovators who always took chances. Like Betty Carter used to say, “We are new all the time”, and so is the music. This double live album, as well as her entire production, is the proof of her distinctive musical thought. This album graced many moments of my life. Is such a joy to listen to it, so much music, so much dynamics and surprises. My personal favorites are “I’ll Buy You a Star”, “I Could Write a Book”, the most beautiful and dynamic version of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most”, one of her greatest compositions “Tight”, and the flaming “My Favorite Things”.
SHIRLEY HORN - You Won't Forget Me (1991)
Among all her beautiful albums, from “Travelin’ Light” to “May the Music Never End”, this album was on heavy rotation on my stereo in my room when I was studying jazz music in Milano. There’s a track I’ve always listened at least 20 times in a row and that was giving me the same excitement every time: “I Just Found Out About Love”. Perfection. We won’t forget the one and only Shirley Horn.
What I love in singers like Betty Carter, Carmen McRae, Billie Holiday, Jeanne Lee…is that they all are singers/innovators who always took chances. Like Betty Carter used to say, “We are new all the time”, and so is the music. This double live album, as well as her entire production, is the proof of her distinctive musical thought. This album graced many moments of my life. Is such a joy to listen to it, so much music, so much dynamics and surprises. My personal favorites are “I’ll Buy You a Star”, “I Could Write a Book”, the most beautiful and dynamic version of “Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most”, one of her greatest compositions “Tight”, and the flaming “My Favorite Things”.
SHIRLEY HORN - You Won't Forget Me (1991)
Among all her beautiful albums, from “Travelin’ Light” to “May the Music Never End”, this album was on heavy rotation on my stereo in my room when I was studying jazz music in Milano. There’s a track I’ve always listened at least 20 times in a row and that was giving me the same excitement every time: “I Just Found Out About Love”. Perfection. We won’t forget the one and only Shirley Horn.
BILLIE HOLIDAY - Lady In Satin (1958)
“I’ve got to sing with Ray Ellis,”, Lady said, “I want this album more than anything else, and I want it to be good.” These Billie Holiday’s words open the liner notes of her penultimate studio album. She thought it was the best album she ever made. This album contains some of the most beautiful compositions from the Great American Songbook, the kind of songs that Billie Holiday’s lovers wanted to hear her sing.
Among all these monumental songs: “I’m a Fool to Want You”, “The End of a Love Affair”, “For All We Know”, “Glad To Be Unhappy” that reflect her struggle and her life, there’s one song that I particularly love: “For Heaven’s Sake”.
In contrast to the torchy mood of the repertoire, her interpretation on “For Heaven’s Sake” is full of love and, despite everything, positive hopes: “And heaven is here in a kiss”. This album is really her greatest, latest gift to the world.
“I’ve got to sing with Ray Ellis,”, Lady said, “I want this album more than anything else, and I want it to be good.” These Billie Holiday’s words open the liner notes of her penultimate studio album. She thought it was the best album she ever made. This album contains some of the most beautiful compositions from the Great American Songbook, the kind of songs that Billie Holiday’s lovers wanted to hear her sing.
Among all these monumental songs: “I’m a Fool to Want You”, “The End of a Love Affair”, “For All We Know”, “Glad To Be Unhappy” that reflect her struggle and her life, there’s one song that I particularly love: “For Heaven’s Sake”.
In contrast to the torchy mood of the repertoire, her interpretation on “For Heaven’s Sake” is full of love and, despite everything, positive hopes: “And heaven is here in a kiss”. This album is really her greatest, latest gift to the world.
JEANNE LEE & RAN BLAKE - You Stepped Out Of A Cloud (1989)
I was studying at the “Civici Corsi di Jazz” in Milano in the 2000’s and I clearly remember when during a singing lesson, my teacher for that year, the great Tiziana Ghiglioni, put that record on. I was immediately blown away, I’ve never heard something like that before. We’ve listened to “You Stepped Out of a Dream”, the first track of the album. That sound was so new, so unique and so beautiful, something made of crystal, velvet, noir echos, mysterious corners turning into unexpected and unknown landscapes. Jeanne Lee and Ran Blake literally stepped out of a dream to me that morning. On my way home I stopped to the record store to buy the album and from that moment on I became one of their greatest fans. Few years ago I realized one of my greatest dream: to meet and study a little bit with Ran Blake himself in Boston, I consider him one of my mentors and I’m so grateful for his precious teaching and friendship.
I was studying at the “Civici Corsi di Jazz” in Milano in the 2000’s and I clearly remember when during a singing lesson, my teacher for that year, the great Tiziana Ghiglioni, put that record on. I was immediately blown away, I’ve never heard something like that before. We’ve listened to “You Stepped Out of a Dream”, the first track of the album. That sound was so new, so unique and so beautiful, something made of crystal, velvet, noir echos, mysterious corners turning into unexpected and unknown landscapes. Jeanne Lee and Ran Blake literally stepped out of a dream to me that morning. On my way home I stopped to the record store to buy the album and from that moment on I became one of their greatest fans. Few years ago I realized one of my greatest dream: to meet and study a little bit with Ran Blake himself in Boston, I consider him one of my mentors and I’m so grateful for his precious teaching and friendship.
PIETRO LUSSU
CHICK COREA - Piano Improvisations Vol.1, Vol.2
(ECM, 1971/1972)
I was born in the 1971, my parents aren't two jazz fans at all but they had these two vinyls of Chick Corea, and the "Koln Concert" by Keith Jarrett, an album that had a large success among the non-jazz audience in those years.The Corea's albums are really part of my childhood, the sound of these albums, especially the beautiful "Ballad for Anna", immediately brings me back to the years when i was a little child.'
Beside that I think that the "Piano Improvisations" are two masterpieces from Chick Corea, and also an example of a different way to do a piano solo performance, very rarefied and full of melodic inventions.
(ECM, 1971/1972)
I was born in the 1971, my parents aren't two jazz fans at all but they had these two vinyls of Chick Corea, and the "Koln Concert" by Keith Jarrett, an album that had a large success among the non-jazz audience in those years.The Corea's albums are really part of my childhood, the sound of these albums, especially the beautiful "Ballad for Anna", immediately brings me back to the years when i was a little child.'
Beside that I think that the "Piano Improvisations" are two masterpieces from Chick Corea, and also an example of a different way to do a piano solo performance, very rarefied and full of melodic inventions.
HERBIE HANNCOCK - Maiden Voyage (Blue Note Records, 1965)
I started to be a Jazz enthusiast when I was around 16-17 years old, and this was probably the first vinyl I bought.
I remember I was very impressed by the sound of the album, I used to listen to all the tracks over and over again for hours in my room. I always considered "Maiden Voyage" a very "impressionistic" concept album, each title ("Eye of the Hurricane", "Little One", etc.) suggests you an image or a story that matches to the music and to the sound of the track.
In my opinion this is probably still the highest peak of Hancock's discography.
I started to be a Jazz enthusiast when I was around 16-17 years old, and this was probably the first vinyl I bought.
I remember I was very impressed by the sound of the album, I used to listen to all the tracks over and over again for hours in my room. I always considered "Maiden Voyage" a very "impressionistic" concept album, each title ("Eye of the Hurricane", "Little One", etc.) suggests you an image or a story that matches to the music and to the sound of the track.
In my opinion this is probably still the highest peak of Hancock's discography.
ANDREW HILL - Smoke Stack (Blue Note Records, 1966)
When i first listened to this album i thought…Wow! The use of the two double basses and the fantastic drumming of Roy Haynes give you always the idea of listening to two tracks overlapped, like a contemporary “remix” of some famous DJ’s.
I love all the works that Andrew Hill did for Blue Note in the 60's, he was a real master maybe underrated during that period but that had a very strong influence on many modern masters of the piano like Jason Moran, Geri Allen, Craig Taborn and others.
WYNTON MARSALIS - J Mood (Columbia, 1986)
During the 80’s, for people like me who wasn’t crazy for Fusion music, fortunately there was some bands that did very interesting things. At that time Winton Marsalis's band was for me the ideal continuation of the Miles Davis quintet with Tony Williams, Ron Carter, ecc.This is a great album, very deep and inspired, and that features another great underrated piano player, Marcus Roberts.
ELIS REGINA - Samba, Eu Canto Assim (CBS, 1965)
During the years I became an huge fan of Brazilian Jazz and Brazilian music in general. It's very difficult to pick just one album into an ocean of beautiful works...anyway, this is still one my favorite, with great arrangements, a great band with the master of Brazilian Jazz Drums, Edison Machado, and a marvelous Elis Regina.
When i first listened to this album i thought…Wow! The use of the two double basses and the fantastic drumming of Roy Haynes give you always the idea of listening to two tracks overlapped, like a contemporary “remix” of some famous DJ’s.
I love all the works that Andrew Hill did for Blue Note in the 60's, he was a real master maybe underrated during that period but that had a very strong influence on many modern masters of the piano like Jason Moran, Geri Allen, Craig Taborn and others.
WYNTON MARSALIS - J Mood (Columbia, 1986)
During the 80’s, for people like me who wasn’t crazy for Fusion music, fortunately there was some bands that did very interesting things. At that time Winton Marsalis's band was for me the ideal continuation of the Miles Davis quintet with Tony Williams, Ron Carter, ecc.This is a great album, very deep and inspired, and that features another great underrated piano player, Marcus Roberts.
ELIS REGINA - Samba, Eu Canto Assim (CBS, 1965)
During the years I became an huge fan of Brazilian Jazz and Brazilian music in general. It's very difficult to pick just one album into an ocean of beautiful works...anyway, this is still one my favorite, with great arrangements, a great band with the master of Brazilian Jazz Drums, Edison Machado, and a marvelous Elis Regina.
For more information visit alicericciardi.com
ALICE RICCIARDI & PIETRO LUSSU
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