Démodé are an interesting band from Udine formed by Francesco Zanon (violin), Lucia Soramel (clarinet), Claudio Colaone (sax), Luca Laruina (piano), Carin Marzaro (bass) and Alberto Zenarolla (drums, percussion). The name of the band means “out of fashion”, but their way of crossing the styles does not lead to any old stereotype. On the contrary, they draw on many influences shaping something new and fresh without sounding retro at all!
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| Démodé 2011 |
After many months of hard work, in 2009 they self-released a first eponymous EP blending jazz, folk, classical and world influences with a very personal touch. The opener “Il teatro dei gatti” (The theatre of the cats) is a lively track with many changes in mood and rhythm. It begins softly with piano and sax, then the rhythm section and the other instruments come in adding layers of colourful notes. The short, swinging “Jade” is also a good track but in my opinion the best track of this EP is the third one, “Tango!”, that reminds me of the classical atmospheres of Le Orme's Florian mixed with echoes of Piazzolla and Morricone. “Tristeza” concludes, after only 15 minutes, what in my opinion is just a tasteful appetizer..
You can listen to complete EP in streaming. Click HERE
In 2011 the band released their first full-length album, “Le parole al vento” (Words in the wind), confirming their great potential. It's another self-production but the sound quality is excellent and the nice art-work by Carin Marzaro evocative. All the tracks are completely instrumental and flow away one after each other without weak moments. The funny marching beat of the short opener “Circense” sets the atmosphere evoking the lights of a circus show with clowns and acrobats. On the following “Veraluna” (True Moon) the music veers to romance with a gipsy violin under the moon. The mix of Gypsy influences and jazz could make of this track a good score for a film such as Sweet And Lowdown by Woody Allen, where you can imagine the ghost of Django Reinhardt smiling in the background. It leads to the light melodic lines embroidered on the nervous rhythm of the funny “Unobanana”. Next comes the dreamy “Oltremare” (Oversea) that drives you towards new colourful musical horizons.
“Pizzica!” is a tarantella dressed up in jazz atmospheres while the following “China Boid” opens with a delicate piano pattern. It's one of my favourite tracks on this album and blends mild Far-Eastern influences with jazz. “Dante” features pulsing bass lines and frenzied passages intertwined with nice violin patterns while “Baciami Elvira” (Kiss me Elvira) evokes old “balere” where you can dance tango or “liscio”. Then comes “Vecchiomondo” (Old world) that could be a perfect score for the investigations of Inspector Clouseau, the protagonist of the series of comedy films The Pink Panther. The following “New Pest” is in the same vein with a darker, jazzier touch and the swinging “Serpenti” (Snakes) concludes an album very rich in ideas and full of brilliant passages.
You can listen to the complete album in streaming. Click HERE
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