Blessed with a great sense of humour and warm personality that always seems to radiate through in his music no matter how intense his explorations are Stefano Bollani’s latest album, Joy in Spite of Everything, was released back in the summer.
That sense of humour goes into overdrive on a project that couldn’t be more different or undertaken with more serious intent on an even newer adventure, as the pianist tackles jazz that isn’t so much dead as Frank Vincent Zappa memorably put it but one that only smells funny on Sheik Yer Zappa, a Decca album of Bollani’s to be released on 27 October.
Joined by vibist Jason Adasiewicz, trombonist Josh Roseman, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Jim Black, the Milan-born Bollani opens proceedings with a solo statement before the band comes in on his own tune ‘A Cosmik Intro.’
Recorded live the album includes Bollani originals and one co-penned with vibist Adasiewicz, plus Zappa tunes ‘Bobby Brown Goes Down’ (from 1979 album Sheik Yerbouti), ‘Blessed Relief’ and ‘Eat That Question’ (from 1972’s The Grand Wazoo), ‘Peaches en Regalia’ (from 1969’s Hot Rats) and the title track of ‘Uncle Meat,’ again released in 1969.
Much more interesting than the straighter Zappa tribute The Brass From Utopia released earlier this year it’s another side to Bollani’s artistry glimpsed through Zappa’s outrageous imagination emphasising the jazz side of Zappa’s vision and delivered in the right spirit.