Sudori is, simply put, an avant-jazz rollercoaster with blues, Dixieland, circus music, and free improvisation all tumbling in your stomach with strong Italian herbs and spices. Trumpeter
Pino Minafra is accompanied by his
Sud Ensemble: Lauro Rossi on trombone,
Giorgio Occhipinti on piano and synthesizer,
Daniele Patumi on double bass,
Carlo Actis Dato on saxophones,
Vincenzo Mazzone on drums. Most of them participate in the Italian all-star big band
Italian Instabile Orchestra. "Exorcism" opens on dark organ chords and develops into a piece where precisely written lines and cues frame chaotic movements. "Au Fond Je Suis un Africain du Nord" ("Deep Down I Am a Northern African") features a straightforward blues riff constantly perverted by the band's antics, from strange grunts to
Minafra's patented trumpet-in-the-megaphone trick. Other highlights include the elephantine "Quando Dormi" and "Fantozzi," the former an exuberant circus-like oompah tune, the latter a joyous show piece.
Dato and
Patumi shine throughout the album, the saxophonist because of his fat sound, the bassist thanks to his nuanced playing contrasting with the overall flare of the music. This is serious not-serious music, an Italian postmodern circus -- or Jean Derome et les Dangereux Zhoms served with Italian pasta sauce. Deliciously recommended to avant-garde lovers who don't take themselves too seriously or would like to entertain their guests. ~ François Couture