There are few flutists who sport an original jazz concept the way
Massimo De Mattia does. Mixing a selection of original, mostly experimental numbers with
Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile" and
Eric Dolphy's "Gazzeloni (Portrait)" and "Gazzeloni (Homage),"
Mattia's deceptively mellifluous sound intersects on several pieces with live electronics, piano, and guitars to create unusual new music constructs. Giorgio Pacorig bangs on the keys and then relaxes like a deflated water balloon. There are very few predictable moments, as the musicians explore the corners of possibility. The music does not tend toward complexities, but instead focuses on clear, simple moments of surprise. At times,
De Mattia's sound is lush and full, but at others, he rivals fellow flutist,
Robert Dick, for adventurousness. When
De Mattia performs solo (as he does on several of the tracks), he displays a wonderfully open concept that incorporates a lovely air. His clear, classically trained technique is a plus, too.