Lydian Sound Orchestra

La Lydian Sound Orchestra è sorta nel 1989 su iniziativa di Riccardo Brazzale (Thiene, VI - 1960), attivo nel jazz come musicista, studioso, didatta e organizzatore che da allora la dirige ed è autore degli arrangiamenti. Inizialmente ispirata alla storica "Tuba Band" di Miles Davis anche per l’organico atipico (una medium-band con sei fiati e ritmica), la LSO si è sempre proposta secondo un approccio estetico contemporaneo, in cui, da una parte, non mancano riferimenti compositivi tanto alla tradizione jazz quanto alla scrittura eurocolta, dall’altra resta fondamentale lo spirito del work in progress dal vivo, cui mingusianamente partecipano tutti i musicisti del gruppo. Come ha scritto Tim Stenhouse, «Riccardo Brazzale e Lydian Sound Orchestra rievocano perfettamente l’anarchia controllata della Mingus Big Band».

Dall’89 a oggi, la “Lydian” si è esibita in Italia e all’estero, nei contesti più diversi (oltre al jazz anche stagioni di musica classica del ‘900, meeting letterari, rassegne teatrali e di balletto), è stata registrata più volte da Radio Rai e trasmessa da varie emittenti europee. Fra i documenti di diciassette anni di attivita', vanno ricordati almeno alcuni cd: "Melodious Thunk" dell'esordio discografico (1993), l'inedita suite ellingtoniana "Timon of Athens" (1995), quindi "Bukowski Blues" per organici diversi e ridotti (1999), poi “The Art of Arranging”, i due per l'etichetta Abeat "Monk at Town Hall & More" (2002) e "Azurka" (2003) e l’ultimo “Back to Da Capo” (Alma Records 2006), un personalissimo viaggio dalle origini della musica afroamericana, in cui – fra gli altri - vengono riletti, in modo assolutamente nuovo, storici capolavori del passato, dai ragtime e gli spiritual ai blues di Armstrong e W.C. Handy, sino a Parker e Coltrane. Ha scritto Don Albert: «Ho trovato la musica interessante, fresca ed eccitante. A chi ha una certa propensione verso le storiche melodie suonate con aplomb, questo cd piacerà molto». Non è dunque un caso che “Back to Da Capo” sia stato subito inserito fra i cd Top Ten dalla critica italiana che, al referendum del gennaio 2007 indetto dalla rivista Musica Jazz, ha collocato la Lydian Sound Orchestra al secondo posto assoluto fra i migliori gruppi italiani, posto riconfermato al Top Jazz del gennaio 2009 soprattutto grazie all'uscita (sempre per AlmaRecords) dell'ultimo cd "Live in Appleby", registrato durante il fortunato tour inglese del 2007.

Nella formazione stabile della Lydian suonano da anni Pietro Tonolo, Robert Bonisolo, Rossano Emili (sax), Kyle Gregory (tromba), Roberto Rossi (trombone), Dario Duso (tuba), Paolo Birro (pianoforte), Marc Abrams (contrabbasso) e Mauro Beggio (batteria). Con la Lydian e Riccardo Brazzale hanno comunque lavorato i maggiori musicisti italiani di jazz (Rava, D’Andrea, Trovesi, Fresu, Fasoli, Intra), ma anche importanti ospiti stranieri: Paul Motian, Ralph Towner, Kenny Wheeler, Terrell Stafford, Charles McPherson, Palle Danielsson, Dave Liebman, Manfred Schoof.

PRESS RELEASE. Abstract

Aldo Gianolio (Musica Jazz, 2007): «…un ricco, lussureggiante, prezioso, amalgama di suoni che Brazzale riesce magistralmente a creare in modo del tutto originale, valorizzando solisti eccelsi che danno il meglio di sé».

Sergio Pasquandrea (Jazzit, 2007): «È facile essere eclettici. Difficile è riuscire a fondere influenze diverse fino a trasformarle in un linguaggio personale, come succede in Back to Da Capo».

Jerry D’Souza (Allaboutjazz, 2007): «Freedom and structure have made for comfortable bedfellows. ...The Lydian Sound Orchestra makes music that is inventive and begs attention».

Tim Stenhouese (Jazz Wise, 2007): «Riccardo Brazzale and Lydian Sound Orchestra conjured up the controlled anarchy of the Mingus Big Band perfectly».

Don Albert (Finacial Mail, 2007): «… this 10-piece orchestra looks at the past with fresh and modern eyes. The arrangements are outstanding, filled with humour, musicality, strong soloists and a solid rhythm section. (…) It's intriguing and loses nothing in its translation into today's world of music. On all nine tracks, I found the music interesting, refreshing and exciting. If you're not stuck in the 1940s, and you're willing to listen to a new slant on historical melodies played with aplomb, then you'll appreciate this CD.

Steven Loewy (All music Guide, 2003) : «It is ironic that it took an Italian arranger by the name of Riccardo Brazzale, using a top-flight Italian jazz orchestra, to produce such a fine big-band tribute to American composer Thelonious Monk (…)».

Stefano Merighi (Musica Jazz, 2003): «Natural respect, child-like enthusiasm, a reasonable deal of boldness: with this approach to Monk’s works Brazzale manages to inbue the 1959 record “Monk at Town Hall” with his own personal touch».

Domi Truffandier (Jazz Hot, 2003): «…Tout un programme, interprété par un big band de virtuoses qui négocient avec maestria les arrangements concotés par Brazzale, arrangements recherchés sans excès, qui respectent à la lettre l’esprit de Thelonious (…); Monk at Town Hall & More est un cd éminentement recomandable».

Ira Gitler (Down Beat, 2002): «And that’s the bottom line: Riccardo really scored his goal. Bravi LSO!»

Marcello Piras (Musica Jazz, 1995): «Brazzale ha compiuto un lavoro eccellente, riuscendo in una singolare quadratura del cerchio (…)».

Stefano Zenni (Sidma, 1995): «Credo che, di fronte a questa versione della Timon of Athens Suite, lo stesso Ellington ne sarebbe entusiasta. (…) Vien ridato vita ad una musica nel modo ad essa più consono: non rispettandola alla lettera, ma trasformandola rimanendo fedele allo spirito. Questo è un disco ellingtoniano a tutti gli effetti. »

Guido Michelone (2001): "...un'altra big band prestigiosa: si tratta della Lydian diretta da Riccardo Brazzale, pianista e arrangiatore vicentino che si presenta ormai come il più raffinato musicista per grandi insiemi".

RICCARDO BRAZZALE & THE LYDIAN SOUND ORCHESTRA.
Riccardo Brazzale (Thiene – VI – 1960) is in the field of jazz as a musician (arranger, composer, conductor, pianist), scholar, teacher and promoter. After his classical (piano and composition) and jazz studies (D’Andrea, piano, and Rava, ensemble music) he graduated in Bologna with a thesis on Lennie Tristano (supervisor: Giampiero Cane), which was later re-written with Franco Fayenz and published by Nuovi Equilibri.
Since the start of his career Brazzale has been collaborating with Claudio Fasoli. In 1989 he formed the Lydian Sound Orchestra – an atypical medium-band with six winds and rhythmic session. The group’s aesthetical peculiarity is based on the re-working of Monk and Ellington’s tradition according to contemporary approaches and on a compositional technique the main goal of which is to keep a work-in-progress spirit alive.
The L.S.O. has played in many jazz and classical contemporary music festivals, in theatre events and cultural meetings, in Italy and in Europe. It has also made several recordings for «Rai Radio Tre» (and has been broadcasted by several European radio stations).
It has many cds to its credit. Worth mentioning are the debut album “Melodious Thunk” (Totem Records, 1993), “Timon of Athens” (Flex Records, 1995), “Bukowski Blues” (Azzurra Music, 1999), “The Bras and the Art of Arranging” (Agorà, 2000), “Monk at Town Hall & More” (Abeat, 2002), “Azurka” (Abeat, 2003) and “Back to Da Capo” (AlmaR, 2006) that was inserted in the Top Ten by the italian critic. This result isn't casual, on january 2007, indeed, the magazine Musica Jazz placed Lydian Sound Orchestra second in the best italian groups. This place was reconfirmed in the January 2009's Top Jazz poll, thanks to the pubblication of "Live in Appleby" (AlmaR, 2008), the last CD recorded in 2007 during the lucky english tour.
Many outstanding Italian and international musicians have played in the L.S.O. since the beginning: Palle Danielsson, Kenny Wheeler, Manfred Schoff, Paul Motian, Terrell Stafford, Charles Mc Pherson, Julian Arguelles, to name but a few.
The orchestra repertoire has often been broadcasted by Italian, European and American radio stations and has also been widely acclaimed by Italian and international journalists and critics. It includes re-workings and tributes (most of all to Ellington and Monk), original music and Italian authors as well. Since 2002 the lineup features Pietro Tonolo, Robert Bonisolo, Rossano Emili (reeds), Kyle Gregory, Roberto Rossi and Dario Duso (brass), Paolo Birro (piano), Marc Abrams (bass) and Mauro Beggio (drums).
In addition to his work with the L.S.O. Brazzale has also collaborated with other musicians, artists and groups. In the last twelve years he has been working with: Orchestra del Teatro Olimpico di Vicenza featuring Ralph Towner (1996); Teatro Popolare di Roma (1997), Enrico Rava (1998 – see also “Certi angoli segreti”, Label Bleu/Musica Jazz); Big Band Ritmo Sinfonica “Città di Verona” (1999 – see also “Such Sweet Thunder”, Azzurra Music); compagnia Teatrale La Piccionaia-I Carrara & Lydian Workshop (1999 – see also “Bukowski Blues”, Azzurra Music); Franco D’Andrea (1999 – see also “The Art of Arranging”, Agorà 2000); Claudio Fasoli (2000 – see also “Resumé”, “Musica Jazz”), Coro e Civica Big Band di Milano, featuring Enrico Intra (2000 – Duke Ellington’s “Second Sacred Concert”, see also “Atelier musicale del XX secolo”, SM 004); Paolo Fresu & String (2001 – for Fresu’s repertoire see also “Lester”, Caligola 2004); Gianluigi Trovesi (2001); Paul Motian Electric BeBop Band (2002); Theama Teatro (2002/2003); Claudio Fasoli (2003, 2005); Orchestra dei Civici Corsi di Jazz di Milano (from 2004 – see also “Italian Graffiti”, 2005 & 2007 - also with soloists as Enrico Intra and Dave Liebman).
Brazzale is not only a musician but also an essayist and translator for daily newspapers and jazz magazines; he has supervised the Italian edition of Geoff Dyer’s collection of tales «But Beautiful», published in Italy under the title «Natura morta con custodia di sax» (Instar libri; distributed by Garzanti) and John Fordham’s encyclopedic «Jazz» (Idea Libri Rusconi).
He’s also the author of an original American diary entitled «Xè pi isy draivare 'l caro», an Anglo-venetian expression for «It’s easier to drive a car». The book was republished by Agorà and includes a preface by the Italian historian Emilio Franzina. Brazzale’s new book, the meaningful title of which is “What’s Jazz?” (Agorà Factory), is due for release in 2008.
Brazzale is the headmaster of the Music Institute «Città di Thiene» and he teaches History of Afroamerican Music at Music Conservatore in Vicenza. He’s also the artistic manager of the Culture Department of the City of Vicenza, the artistic director of the Festival «New Conversations – Vicenza Jazz» and the editor of the series of books “I quaderni del Teatro Olimpico”.
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