The Italians seem to produce an unlimited flow of fine jazz musicians, and the Splasc(h) Records label seems to record most of them at one time or another.
The Jazzinaria Quartet is vocalist
Laura Cavallero, a competent vocalist with a lovely tone, plus the rhythm section of pianist
Luigi Martinale, bassist
Stefano Risso, and drummer
Paolo Franciscone. For this outing, the saxophonist
Emanuele Cisi is added. Most of the tunes will be unknown to American ears, though they are, according to the liner notes written by
David Ielmini, a "tribute...to the little verses...that made Italy's musical traditions great."
Ielmini calls the music "jazz translated into a language with a flair for the double entendre...." Unfortunately, for those who do not understand Italian, that flair is missed and we are left with the musical elements, which are somewhat pedestrian. This straight-ahead set is of interest chiefly for the opportunity to hear Cavellero, although
Cisi's solos, both on tenor and soprano saxophones, are concise and on the mark.