Ars Antiqua World Jazz Ensemble is a project that took form in Ferrara in 2021 on the initiative of director and composer Roberto Manuzzi, teacher at the Ferrara Conservatory, with the help of some colleagues and students. In 2022 the ensemble self-released an interesting debut album, entitled L’amore è una fiamma (Love is a flame), with a wide line up featuring Roberto Manuzzi (sax), Rachele Amore (vocals, percussion), Stefano Melloni (clarinet, flutes), Erica Ruggiero (acoustic and electric piano, harpsichord, backing vocals), Raffaele Guandalini (double bass, electric bass), Stefano Guarisco (drums), Davide La Rosa (electric and acoustic guitar), Pietro Boarini (electric guitar), Davide Zabbari (viola da gamba), Fausto Negrelli (vibraphone, percussion), Antonio Stragapede (mandolin) plus the guests Ares Tavolazzi (double bass - historic member of Area) and Paola Tagliani (piano). The aim of the musicians involved in this project was mixing classical and folkloric influences with jazz and electric instruments. In some way, they tried to do with Medieval music what The Pentangle did with British folk and the result is an excellent album that contains original compositions by Roberto Manuzzi on poems by artists of the thirteenth century as well as some modern arrangements of Medieval scores and songs from the Sephardic Jewish tradition...
The first three tracks, “L’aire claro”, “Quand’om ha un bon amico” and “Chi non avesse mai veduto foco” are original compositions based upon the verses of Jacopo da Lentini, an Italian poet of the XIII century. Jacopo da Lentini was a notary at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and is credited with the invention of the Sonnet. His poetry was originally written in literary Sicilian, though it only survives in Tuscan. The music blends in a very effective way medieval atmospheres, Mediterranean colours and jazz contaminations while the wonderful vocals of Rachele Amore breath a new life into timeless words about love and friendship...
The long, complex “Ondas do mar de Vigo” is a beautiful elaboration of a XIII century piece by Martin Codax, a Galician medieval joglar (a non-noble composer and performer). It starts by a delicate guitar arpeggio and soaring vocals, then it slowly turns into something different, with bass, piano and sax drawing dreamy, exotic landscapes...
Then come “Sonetti barbarici, parte 1”, “Sonetti barbarici, parte 2”, and “Sonetti barbarici, parte 3”, other three original compositions on verses of Jacopo da Lentini, this time based only on piano and vocals. The first prises the beauty and the virtues of the beloved woman, more precious than any gem on earth, the second expresses the pain provoked by envious, treacherous or haughty lovers that are compared to snakes and dragons while the third depicts the feelings of a shy lover in front of the desired woman...
The dreamy “Alta, alta es la luna” and the Oriental flavoured “Sien drahmas al dia” are two elaborations of traditional Sephardic songs. Sephardic Jews are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the Iberian Peninsula and their vernacular languages are mainly variants of either Spanish or Portuguese...
The following “Santa Maria strela do dia” might recall some works by Angelo Branduardi and is the elaboration of a piece credited to Alfonso X the Wise, king of Castile, Leon and Galicia who commissioned or co-authored numerous works of music during his reign, from 30 May 1252 until his death in 1284. Among them, The Cantigas de Santa Maria (for the most part about miracles attributed to the Virgin Mary) form one of the largest collections of vernacular monophonic songs to survive from the Middle Ages...
The lively “La tarantella” is a charming piece that ends the album with its particular celebration of nature and God through almost pagan, obscure rites and dances under the moon. The middle section with the double bass in the forefront might recall The Pentangle...
On the whole, an interesting work. Folk prog lovers should have a try...
You can listen to the complete album HERE
More info:
The following “Santa Maria strela do dia” might recall some works by Angelo Branduardi and is the elaboration of a piece credited to Alfonso X the Wise, king of Castile, Leon and Galicia who commissioned or co-authored numerous works of music during his reign, from 30 May 1252 until his death in 1284. Among them, The Cantigas de Santa Maria (for the most part about miracles attributed to the Virgin Mary) form one of the largest collections of vernacular monophonic songs to survive from the Middle Ages...
The lively “La tarantella” is a charming piece that ends the album with its particular celebration of nature and God through almost pagan, obscure rites and dances under the moon. The middle section with the double bass in the forefront might recall The Pentangle...
On the whole, an interesting work. Folk prog lovers should have a try...
You can listen to the complete album HERE
More info:
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