Tales from the Unexpected
Live at Theater Gütersloh
Enrico Pieranunzi
Featured Artists
Enrico Pieranunzi piano, electric piano, vocals "track 11", arrangements
Jasper Somsen double bass
André Ceccarelli drums
Recorded
Aug 29, 2015
Release date
Oct 30, 2015
Record Label
Intuition
Album Tracks
1. Improtale 1 - 4:46
2. The Waver - 8:03
3. Anne Blomster Sang - 6:59
4. Improtale 2 - 6:13
5. B.Y.O.H. - 6:41
6. Tales from the Unexpected - 8:41
7. Improtale 3 - 7:41
8. Fellini's Waltz - 6:41
9. Improtale 4 - 2:24
10. The Surprise Answer - 6:27
11. Interview (with Goetz Buehler) - 11:50
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About Tales from the Unexpected
“Presence is very important to me,” Enrico Pieranunzi said in an interview for Jazz thing magazine’s series “European Jazz Legends”. “The theater director Peter Brook speaks of ‘emptying yourself’ in order to perform. You should be empty in order to listen to yourself and to others – and to be in the moment. That to me is the essence of jazz.” Born in the Italian capital of Rome on December 5, 1949, young Enrico developed his love of jazz from his father and by imitating what he heard on 78s by the likes of Charlie Parker, Lee Konitz, Lennie Tristano and Chet Baker. The latter, with whom Pieranunzi eventually got to play and record in Italy in the early 80s, steered his piano influences away from McCoy Tyner and Chick Corea toward Bill Evans. Combining this with a sense of swing and serious lyricism, Enrico Pieranunzi is internationally known by now as a unique and decidedly European voice on his instrument, having won accolades and awards for his more than seventy recordings.
On August 29, 2015, Enrico Pieranunzi added a new chapter to this extensive discography with this live recording from Theater Gütersloh featuring his trio with the Dutch double bass player Jasper Somsen and French drummer André Ceccarelli. Playing intricately woven compositions by the leader and telling a few spontaneous “Impro Tales”, they aptly illustrate Pieranunzi’s initial statement – and make these “Tales from the Unexpected” a profound joy to listen to, forever in the moment.
New York City Jazz Record
Ottobre 2016
Tales from the Unexpected
Enrico Pieranunzi (Intuition)
by Ken Dryden
Enrico Pieranunzi has long been in the top tier of European jazz pianists and he merits worldwide recognition, his occasional trips to the U.S. eagerly anticipated by jazz aficionados. A prolific composer, Pieranunzi also has a knack for building trios that interact much like those of Bill Evans, one of his major influences.
This CD features his trio of Dutch bassist Jasper Somsen and veteran French drummer André Ceccarelli in a 2005 concert at Theater Gütersloh in Gütersloh, Germany, with all of the music being original. Opener “Improtale 1” is actually the first of four such improvisations, though it sounds composed, with stunning bass work (both arco and pizzicato) and delicate percussion key ingredients to its beauty. “The Waver” is an elegant jazz waltz transforming into intense postbop while retaining its foundation. “Anne Blomster Sang” is a breezy piece combining an infectious theme with a bossa nova undercurrent fueled by nimble brushwork. It’s not hard to imagine a lyric being written for this engaging song.
The meaning of the title “B.Y.O.H.” is not explained in the liner notes, but there is a wistful air to this touching waltz, conveying a sense of loss and Evans-like lyricism readily apparent in Pieranunzi’s solo. The title track is a joy with a superb improvisation by the pianist buoyed by the lively Latin rhythm. Pieranunzi also revisits his “Fellini’s Waltz”; its enticing theme would be a fitting theme for a film and the harmonic interplay between the musicians in this spirited arrangement is magical. Finale “The Surprise Answer” in darting bop offering many sudden twists throughout its wild journey. This beautifully recorded concert concludes with an excellent interview with Pieranunzi by Götz Bühler.