For his sixth recording for RareNoiseRecords, following his
2011 solo album Frequent Flyer and subsequent collaborations with
vocalist-multi-instrumentalist Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari (Berserk!) and
Porcupine Tree bassist Colin Edwin (Twinscapes) as well as two albums with the
adventurous jazz-rock outfit Naked Truth (Shizaru, Ouroboros), the restlessly
creative bassist-composer-producer Lorenzo Feliciati has realized his most
ambitious and personal project to date in Koi.
A concept
album based on the life of the renowned river carp fish, Koi features former
Japan drummer Steve Jansen and current King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto
along with pianist Alessandro Gwis, trumpeter Angelo Olivieri, saxophonist
Nicola Alesini and a horn section consisting of trombonist Stan Adams, bass
trombonist Pierluigi Bastioli and baritone saxophonist Duilio Ingrosso. A
suite-like offering that intersperses mesmerizing ambient interludes with
full-blown prog-rock type anthems, Koi brilliantly showcases Feliciati's
composerly vision while highlighting his considerable chops on fretted and
fretless electric basses.
Traditional
Chinese folktales tell the story of Koi fish that swam up the Yellow River, and
though taunted by demons, would not relent in their quest to jump over
waterfalls; the gods noticed and celebrated their perseverance and endurance by
transforming them into golden dragons, a symbol of strength and power. The
Japanese recognized these fish not just for their beauty but for their ability
to induce otherworldly states of perception in the observer. These altered
states of perception ultimately lead to the attraction of high energy, which
manifests itself in the form of prosperity of all kinds in our lives.
The
musical journey of Koi begins with the spacious, echo-laden piano soundscape
"Kohaku" and is followed by the hard-hitting "New House," a
Feliciati composition with Steve Jansen on drums and Alessandro Gwis on
keyboards, that is brimming with kinetic momentum and based on a repetitive
riff augmented by punchy horns. Lorenzo's fretless bass melody is doubled here
by muted trumpet while baritone sax deepens the groove. The icy and hypnotic
interlude "Kumonryu" is followed by the moody, slow-grooving requiem
"Oxbow."
Following
another ambient interlude, "Black Kumonryu" Feliciati is reunited
with his Naked Truth band mate Mastelotto, who provides the rhythmic pulse on
"Noir Alley Verdigris", a potent number which falls somewhere between
King Crimson and Weather Report."Ogon" provides a breath before
Feliciati and crew launch into the dynamic, odd-metered "Narada",
featuring a strong 7/8 groove by Jansen, nearly a dance beat, where distorted
bass and horn section mesh to unison.
Feliciati
turns in his most expressive fretless playing on "Margata", a homage
to Jaco Pastorius; following another mesmerizing interlude in
"Kuchibeni," Feliciati unleashes his fuzz bass chops on the
powerhouse "Fish Bowl", which incorporates trombones and bass in a low-end
unison motif before yielding to a throbbing vamp. This piece originally started
as a Frank Zappa-influenced bass/horn section unison riff, but morphed during
the final arrangement into something quite different altogether - Feliciati's
bass line moving around Steve Jansen's drums and electronics giving the
impression that it is Jansen moving around Feliciati.
The
collection closes with the title track "Koi", which travels from
minimalist intro to cinematic crescendo - the Koi has now become a Golden
Dragon.
TRACKS
1.
Kohaku
2. New
House
3.
Kumonryu
4. Oxbow
5. Black
Kumonryu
6. Noir
Alley Verdigris
7. Ogon
8. Narada
9. Margata
10.Kuchibeni
11. Fish
Bowl
12. Koi
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