RE>>ENTER

Top Italian avant-garde jazz ensemble Fonderia is back on the road, with a hell of an album indeed - "Re>>enter". For this album, the band shows that they managed to strengthen their sonic source (in no small degree, due to the entry of bassist Claudio Mosconi), and also, that they have increased their sonic pallet with the sensible use of enhanced ethnic flavors in some of this albums' tracks. The augmentation of guests also help to surpass the band's excellent debut album. Fonderia hasn't evolved in a forced way: they naturally kept themselves true to their acid jazz-meets- jazz rock-meets contemporary electronics, while expanding their views regarding arrangements and deliveries of their new material. The namesake track kicks off with an unhidden sense of joy, very funky-based with a touch of reggae here and a touch of Ozric Tentacles-like atmospheres there. The good vibrations are continued on 'Fili Kudi', which sounds to me like some sort of mixture of Motown spirit and psychedelia: the ethnically charged coda serves as an adequate festivity-oriented ending. Generally speaking, good vibrations fill the album's main core. Fonderia always save room for their electronic stuff and effects, yet they don't use these as a source for dark atmospheres or somber, but to create a particular dynamics that frames and enriches the musical ideas in an exciting manner. This holds true for all pieces with an electronic-based pace. The trance- related 'Roofus' and the techno-jazzy 'Magma' bear a danceable feel to them, as do the first two tracks, but they're no prospective disco hits at all: just pay attention to their well-ordained textures and to the clever interplay between all musicians and notice that these numbers are examples of artistic music with an extra hook. But not all excitement is expressed this way throughout the album. Fonderia show a solid melodic sense and an enormous sensibility about it in 'Grandi Novità' and 'Leonardo'. The former is a two- part number that starts with a relaxing, softly dense section, and then, gets into a faster vibe, always keeping a lyrical essence - special mention to special guest Rodolfo Maltese (from BMS), who plays some amazing acoustic guitar leads on the second section. The latter is one of the most beautiful and moving numbers in the album, impressive without getting pompous (well, Fonderia never does that). Track 6, 'm2', is an exercise on languid atmospheres, somewhere between the reflective and the melancholic. IMHO; the album's apex is constituted by the sequence of tracks 4-7. Track 7, 'Tor Pedone', is the longest one. Starting with a funky motif, the track shifts to psychedelic ambiences, not oppressive but challenging indeed; the last section sounds to me like a jazzy version of mid-90s Porcupine Tree, serving a truly elegant closure. 'Quando ero Piccolo' combines the melodic candor of tracks 4-5 and the meditative vibe of 'm2': the presence of cello and clarinet (played by guests) helps the band to increase the potential textures that flow underneath the piano chords. A special mention has to go to the guitar lead during the last half: emotionally charged, it is one of the most intense passages in the album. The ethnic stuff returns with a revenge in the closing track 'Trastevere', whose rhythm basis sets an Arabic pace on which the guitar/keyboard effects paired with the trumpet lines float at ease. Once the programmed pace sets in to complement the acoustic percussions, the full band fluidly create a gradual wall of sound in which the Arabic feel is solidly enhanced. Only a colorful track as this could properly close down such an exciting album. Fonderia's "Re>>enter" - all genuine lovers of good avant-garde music, note down this item on your next purchases' list.

Four years after their self titled release from 2002 FONDERIA have returned with "Re>>Enter". It's a long one at over 73 minutes spanning ten tracks but these guys keep it interesting. A bass player has been added bringing them to a five piece and while those avant sections from the debut continue here they are not as common usually taking place in the form of electronics at the start of some tracks. Still jazzy for sure with those horns plus we get guest horns on some tracks. Not as diverse as the debut either and more melodic. Tough to pick a favourite of these as I feel both are solid 4 star records.

My top three would include the self titled opener with those experimental sounds to start before a guitar melody takes over with drums and more in tow. Love the electric piano just before a minute. Trumpet follows as the guitar melody continues. We even get a reggae rhythm 3 minutes in. A spacey calm follows before this uplifting section rises up before 5 minutes. Oh my! So moved by this. That trumpet melody from earlier is back. Another top three is "Leonardo" with the guest sax just adding to the trumpet here. So good. Again kind of a spacey start with those organ sounds before drums, bass and guitar join in. This is good then this is emotional. It turns more complex and intricate before themes are repeated. Heavier after 7 1/2 minutes with piano.

"Tor Pedone" is a long one at over 10 1/2 minutes and my final top three. Something about this reminds me of early seventies Jazz. That flavour changes after 2 minutes as the organ and clavinet get busy replacing the piano and horns. Another change around 4 minutes as we can hear trumpet blasts in the distance. Love that guitar melody after 7 1/2 minutes with drums and organ. It's building as the trumpet joins in. Again this is really good music.

A more accessible FONDERIA perhaps but there's still lots to chew on here. I'm just so impressed with the compositions in this all instrumental affair.