Article
Vincenzo Fugaldi for Jazzitalia 2010
He’s moving on arduous grounds, the poly-instrumentalist Christian Ravaglioli, but with safety and confidence. Regular musical studies, degree in oboe and piano, he has operated till now mostly in theatrical and orchestral area. In this cd – rather far from the jazz aesthetics – he ranges over from theatrical atmospheres to chambered and contemporary pieces, passing by that progressive rock which is becoming more and more a reference music for artists of different generations and different musical extraction. The pieces and the backgrounds of the cd are all completely different from each other: it goes from the Celtic-medieval atmospheres of Listen To Your Sand, up to a performance for piano, prepared and handled electronically (EscodaunMito) or up to an intriguing piece which gives the title to the album characterized by the bass clarinet of Achille Succi on strings accompaniment. For passing to the progressive of Melody Comes From…, with the unmistakable voice of John De Leo, tribute to the puffy baroquism of Gentle Giant, and to the acoustic picture of Shawn for guitars and duduk, up to come to the experimental Verso il segno, electronic re-elaboration of acoustic sounds of oboe and English horn. March, of which the subject seems like to have been come out from the pen of a modern Erik Satie is the prelude to a bewildered lied of Ravel for Oboe and feminine voice. It arrives then to the nice duo of The Last Wood Child and to the oneiric Ilha Grande, and the musical route ends up with Stone Of Heart for solo piano, concentrated of ideas of various origin. A cd which is addressed to listeners who don’t believe to the necessity of borders, palings between the types, and who love sailing between different musical situations, without prejudice.
