An acoustic piano playing simultaneously guitar tabs and orchestral
transcriptions: not so usual. So is the double bass alternation between
romantic bowing and swing pizzicato. And what about a rock drum kit suddenly
becoming a symphonic percussion ensemble? When on stage or in the studio, THE
PIANO ROOM is all this and much more.
Composer and pianist Francesco Gazzara's new project - after 15 years of TV/film scoring and 4 albums with acid jazz combo GAZZARA -
joins prog rock's mystical atmospheres with Canterbury's acoustic folk. The
piano, double bass and drums trio - usually a jazz formula - was the perfect
vehicule to give those precious musical genres a modern impact, rhythmically
and sonically.
In the first self titled album, The Piano Room (2006, Terre Sommerse), the
acoustic piano was paired in each track by a different instrument (cello,
soprano sax, flute, english horn). In the second album, Early Morning (2007,
Irma Records), Francesco Gazzara shares duties with Luca Fogagnolo (double
bass) and Giuliano Ferrari (drums, gongs, tambourine), both members of italian
jazz combo Chat Noir. In this new CD
all the songs are arranged and orchestrated for the live trio, with a sensible increase in choral
tension, pastoral echoes and epic melodies.
Might sound like Genesis ("Watcher Of The Skies" trio version is also in their
live set) or Tony Banks, Ant Phillips, King Crimson, Rick Wakeman, Erik Satie,
Claude Debussy. Or maybe THE PIANO ROOM is just a modern path on an ancient
rug: a kind of imaginary journey that will take you through years of fruitful
contacts between rock and classical music.
THE PIANO ROOM’S new album, titled “Haendel With Care”, will be released before the end of 2009.
Early Morning (Irma Records, 2007)
The Piano Room (Terre Sommerse, 2006)