TITLE: ‘ARIBAND'
Artists:
Antonio Cotardo - Flutes and Bells.
Paolo Pacciolla – Daire, Jembak, Bells, Mbira and Voice.
TRACKS:
1 RENGIL (Pacciolla) 5:57
2 PRELUDIO (Cotardo) 4:49
3 VILLAGGIO (Cotardo) 7:07
4 MIRAB (Pacciolla) 6:04
5 JEMBAK (Cotardo) 9:02
6 STRANGE (Pacciolla) 6:59
7 ARIBAND (Pacciolla) 9:17
8 SUONO LIBERO (Cotardo) 3:45
Recorded February, March 2009 at ‘SUTRA ARTI PERFOMATIVE', LIZZANELLO, ITALY Recorded and mixed by Paolo Pacciolla and Antonio Cotardo.
Sticking with the World Music arena, Italian duo FREE DOT (Antonio Cotardo, flt, bells; Paolo Pacciolla, daire, Jembak, bells, mbira, vcl, bells) considers eight meditative tone poems (Rengil / Preludio / Villaggio X / Mirab / Jembak / Strange / Ariband / Suono Libero. 53:16. February-March 2009, Lizzanello, Italy) on ARIBAND (SLAM 525) that serves as a pleasing elixir after a hard day's work. From the start, the duo possesses a sympathetic relationship that matches improvised realms with Jazz, Indian, and Middle Eastern influences. "Rengil" pairs Cotardo's breathy flute with Pacciolla's hand drums, an approach also taken on the moving "Villagio C." Cotardo's flute is certainly the focal point throughout, at least in terms of melody, with the reverie, "Preludio" and the concluding comments of "Suono Liberio" serving as an example of his engaging work. Pacciolla is equally impressive when utilizing his wealth of percussive sounds, such as when his mbira and vocals are the crux of "Mirab" and "Ariband," while the aptly titled "Jembak" is a fine feature for Pacciolla's work on the drum, though "Strange" is simply mesmerizing thanks to Pacciolla's forceful drumming. Overall, the strong improvisational perspectives within these softened realms is a success.
jul - aug - sep 2011 | cadence | 77 http://www.cadencebuilding.com/.
3) Ariband by Free Dot (Paolo Pacciolla & Antonio Cotardo) –
Scott Robinson, NAFDA News, February, 2011
Some may know Italian percussionist Paolo Pacciolla from AP Percussion – makers of very fine handmade frame drums featuring expertly crafted wooden shells, very high quality skins, and pneumatic air tuning (tar, bendir, doira, and many other models). This CD features his duo Free Dot with flute player Antonio Cotardo – a very fine musician. The recording quality and performances are just great on this CD with compositions being offered by each of the musicians. The CD is a European release but digital downloads are available from i-Tunes. If you are unfamiliar with these musicians don't let that stop you – this music will appeal to a wide variety of listeners and will satisfy those seeking depth and vision balanced with heart and feel in the music they enjoy. The flute and percussion are featured equally throughout with both sensitive musicians providing a give and take – taking the music to
exciting places and allowing it to breath in sensitive moments. What strikes me most about these musicians is their unique musical identity – it's unidentifiable in terms of place. Being both Italians, you wouldn't know it listening to the music. It's almost jazz but from where I can't tell. The flute is clear and well played – not quite classical and not quite jazz but not light or forgettable. My attention was grasped from the moment I heard the 1st track – who are these guys? They sound fresh! Not overbearing, never pointless – there's a musical sensitivity that is perfect throughout each piece on the CD. Pacciolla's frame drumming – lap style, hand held, bendir, daire - is well done and complimented by his mbira (kalimba), brushes, other percussion, and voice throughout. This is the kind of world music that lovers of Codona and Hadouk will gravitate to – again and again. The music has a strong organic
feel with the production more natural allowing for the variety of flutes and percussion to sound well but never larger than life the way some modern recordings tend to accentuate.
It's very apparent that this CD will grow upon the listener who at once can enjoy its sincere fresh breath of a voice and revel in its offerings as they become close travelling companions the more you listen to them. Free Dot – something well worth investing the energy to discover.
ARIBAND [ANTONIO CORTADO & PAOLO PACCIOLLA] - Free Dot (Slam 525; USA) Featuring Antonio Cotardo on flutes and Paolo Pacciolla on mbira, daire, jemback, bells & voice. The thing that amazes me about George Haslam's great Slam label is that it continually presents new musicians from both the United Kingdom (where the label is based) and from around the world (South America, Italy & other parts of Europe in particular). With more than 120 releases, they consistently surprise all of us sharp listeners. Both of these musicians are Italian which is also where this disc was recorded in February & March of 2009. This is a splendid, well-balanced recording of mostly flutes and hand percussion or thumb piano. The hand percussion includes a daire which is a large tambourine and a jembak is a large hand drum played with a brush or just hands. The daire is featured on "Rengil" and it sounds much like a frame drum, the sound is similar to Steve Gorn and Glen Velez, who play similar instruments. At times Paolo sounds as if he is playing thin sticks or rustling leaves giving the duo a most enchanting, sublime afterglow. Antonio over-dubs another flute or two thus adding an eerie, ghostlike vibe to their sound. The persistent use of bells sounds like chimes being moved by the wind, thus also adding a dream-like quality. One of the great things about this disc and duo is that Paolo often plays his percussion in a most melodic way, the way a great tabla player also assumes more than just the rhythmic role when he or she solos. Ariband is/are one of those enchanting duos I've heard in a long while, occasionally soothing yet consistently mesmerizing - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery
FREE DOT / Ariband (Slam Productions)
Une proposition différente de la part de Slam Productions: un duo italien de flûte traversière (Antonio Cotardo) et percussion indienne et perse (Paolo Pacciolla, surtout au daire et au jembak). Des compositions aériennes, libres, envoûtantes, la flûte d'un mélodisme simple et touchant, la rencontre improbable entre Glen Velez et Moe Koffman! TRÈS agréable.
A different proposition from Slam Productions: an Italian duo of flute (Antonio Cotardo) and Indian/Persian percussion (Paolo Pacciolla, mostly on daire and jembak). Aerial compositions, free and hypnotic, simple and touching flute melodies, sounds like a meeting between Glen Velez and Moe Koffman! HIGHLY enjoyable.
François Couture http://blog.monsieurdelire.com/
Punto libero
di
Vittorio LoConte
Chi ha ascoltato la musica diStephan Micusprima suJapoe poi suECM, con ogni volta sulle copertine un lungo elenco di strumenti delle tradizioni di paesi così lontani l´uno dall´altro, sarà rimasto sorpreso da quello che è riuscito ad inventare anche grazie alle tecniche di registrazione e sovraincisione che negli anni sono migliorate. OppureDon Cherryed il trioCodona, che ha lasciato le sue importanti tracce su tre incisioni anch´esse per laECM. Un genere che ha un suo fascino, che mette insieme cose che di solito non si incontrano, idee che spuntano durante viaggi lontani e che poi si catalizzano durante il lavoro in studio di incisione.
È una lezione ripresa da due musicisti italiani:Antonio Cotardo, alle prese con dei flauti etnici, ePaolo Pacciolla, che suona tamburi e percussioni che vengono dalla tradizione dell´Iran e dell´India, da lui studiata con in maestri del luogo, oltre ad invenzioni proprie, come quello che ha chiamato jembak, un tamburo a metà fra il djembé ed il tombak, che suona con una spazzola da batteria.
Durante mesi di preparazione, ascoltando, avvertendo quello che i suoni volevano comunicare, levando, aggiungendo tracce, note, alla fine sono arrivati a celebrare un incontro che in fondo è antichissimo, quello di flauti e tamburi, qui possibile grazie alla tecnologia ed ai viaggi. Un incontro così è qualcosa di speciale, che prende subito l´ascoltatore, un´atmosfera sciamanica da cui ci si stacca malvolentieri perchè c´è qualcosa di ipnotico in quello che i due propongono. È come un fumo che lentamente si innalza e prende con sé in un immaginario viaggio dei desideri.
Tuttavia c´è tanta coerenza e maturità in questo disco, nessuna faciloneria, niente di buttato là sulla bilancia di un facile esostismo. E ben ha fatto l´emerita Slam Productions di George Haslam a pubblicarlo, continuando l´attenzione, anche in UK, per i musicisti italiani. http://www.musicboom.it/mostra_recensioni.php?Unico=20101117062833
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