Gianmarco Liguori, ‘musical director’ and guitarist sounds like he should have some cinematic leanings. And there are definitely some Italian/Nu-Bossa/World soundtrack influences in here, no more than on the heavenly percussive ‘Jobim’s Cigar’ with a saxophone solo from Brian Smith (formerly of Ian Carr’s Nucleus, Keith Tippett’s Centipede, and Neil Ardley’s Kaleidoscope Of Rainbows).

Not only that, percussionist Miguel Fuentes and Kim Paterson (drums/trumpet/percussion) appeared on Mark de Clive-Lowe’s Tides Arising. Patterson puts in a wonderfully emotive solo on ‘Trap Door’ which almost makes you think you are in a jungle rain forest.

The idea of an ‘Alpine Bossa’ sounds a little strange, but on this track, the Smith’s flute brings the mountain air down to the lakeside beach where we find Liguori gently picking at his guitars. ‘Kattorna’ is somewhere similar in climate while ‘Penta’ is probably the most fusion of the lot as we find some waterfall-dream-space travel synthesiser leading into a Paterson trumpet solo.

The closest it gets to a jazz-rock fusion blow-out is the last track, the brilliantly titled ‘Mouth In The Desert’. This is certainly isn’t dry but unfortunately, as Brian is just getting into it, the track ends. We know from fellow former Nucleus member Karl Jenkins’ recent appearance on Desert Island Discs that he didn’t care too much for long improvisations but in this day and age of bonus discs and internet mixes, surely there’s enough room for a little old fashioned ‘experimentation’. In fact, the two shortest tracks, the bass solo of ‘The Wardrobe’ and ‘Insect Beat’ sound like they were just the interesting intros to longer pieces.

Apparently, Liguori’s other job is in an ambient surf-rock band called Salon Kingsadore. I think it might be time to concentrate on his solo career as for a debut album this is very impressive, and it was very sensible to surround himself with these very accomplished musicians.

Many thanks to my dealer for supplying this one from the other side of the world and hopefully, there will be more of the same to come in the future; perhaps even some Stolen Painting remix action?

Hectic Mix nominations: ‘Penta’, ‘Kattorna’, ‘Alpine Bossa’, ‘Stolen Paintings’

Reviewed: Gianmarco Liguori — Stolen Paintings (Sarang Bang Records) Cat. No. 015. Release date: 2006
Tracklisting:
1 Intro / Stolen Paintings (4:13)
2 Trap Door (5:17)
3 Alpine Bossa (4:36)
4 The Wardobe (1:52)
5 Insect Beat (1:35)
6 Penta (4:02)
7 Kattorna (5:11)
8 Jobim’s Cigar (3:29)
9 Don’t Open The Window (2:06)
10 Mouth In The Desert (4:21)

Links:
sarangbang.co.nz
Interview with Gianmarco Liguori
Karl Jenkins — Desert Island Discs