Maggio

Maggio stands alongside past highlights from this solid, masterful quartet: it embraces Tuscan and Central Italy's traditional music, hints of jazz, singer-songwriter tropes and various world music flavours. Riccardo Tesi's prodigious organetto (squeezebox) teams up with the clean phrasing of Claudio Carboni's saxophones, Maurizio Geri's soulful voice and swinging guitar and Gigi Biolcati's imaginative percussion; they invite distinguished guests along, who share their visionary outlook.

This joyous and reflective album opens gently with ‘Maggio del Crinale’, a song inspired by the Apennines’ seasonal rituals. The prog-rock feel of ‘Scaccomatto’ develops in a lighthearted melody where organetto and saxophone chase each other over jazz piano chords. Elsewhere, ‘Galata’ reveals a Levantine mood, while ‘Taranta Samurai’ blends Gaelic and southern Italian dance styles, exhibiting an extensive instrumental palette. ‘Mirto’ is a game of two halves: vintage rock and dance-tune. In ‘Rosamunda’, Fanfara Tirana add Balkan brass to a revitalised polka, while the rhythmic complexity of ‘Maresca Moresca’ evokes ancient Moorish dances. The kinetic ‘Pietrasecca’ is the signing-off thrill to an extremely well-crafted release.