GUIDUCCI selects his themes and structures with care, surrounding himself with a group of players who are up to the toughest of challenges. But his role as director takes nothing away from his own qualities as a musician, as he demonstrates in the string of limpid solos that punctuate the record.
What distinguishes the tracks on Chorale is the attention to melody, heightened by some refined, delicate arrangements that weave a sophisticated tapestry which is at the same time extremely hummable. A difficult balancing act achieved partly thanks to the presence of the guests musicians rallied together to bolster the core elements of the GRAMELOT ENSEMBLE. The contributions of trumpet player Ralph Alessi on Gramelot in 6/8 and on the album's title track veer close to perfection, while Erik Friedlander adds the unmistakable sound of his cello to La Sigagna and The After Hours in a synthesis of Jewish, classical and jazz musics. Voccuccia de no Pi
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