CD Title: Todo Chueco
Year: 2006
Record Label: El Gallo Rojo Records
Style: Free Jazz / Avante Garde
Musicians: Danilo Gallo (double bass, acoustic bass guitar), Achille Succi (bass clarinet, alto sax), Gerhard Gschlössl (trombone), Zeno De Rossi (drums, slit drum), Enrico Terragnoli (guitar), Giorgio Pacorig (fender rhodes), U.T. Gandhi (additional drums), Daniele D’agaro (tenor sax), Nicola Fazzini (alto sax), Pier Bittodo Bon (alto sax)
Review: “No tenemos que pedir permiso para ser libre,” indeed no and this slogan fit perfectly in the music composed by Danilo Gallo. Contrabassist, composer and arranger, living in Venice (Italy), Danilo also runs his own record label, “El Gallo Rojo Records” with his cohort, Zeno De Rossi. I have heard strange names for record labels but this one surprisingly marries names, attitudes and composition with an amazing knack.
Danilo Gallo has a solid classical foundation, but also a great endowment for testing the free waters. His cooperations with such great artists as Benny Golson, Bob Mintzer, Paul Jeffrey, Chris Speed, Gianluigi Trovesi, Fabrizio Bosso, Gianni Lenoci, among many others testify his ability to adapt his voice to every musical context.
From innovation, creativity and appealing compositions up until the art work of this release, Danilo Gallo disengages tons of lyricism and fun. “Kuba-L” broaches with a bass/sax/drums gloomy introduction leading the chasm to a melodic high skilled trombone player, Gerhard Gschlössl, all of that bringing freedom of expression to every voice. “El Gallo Sanchez” allows the entering of “woods and ore” in a soft ballade, yet filled with great inventiveness and a well balanced drum section.
“Lullaby of Rattlesnakes” and “Mysticisme Nucléaire” prove the extraordinary abilities of Gallo to compose and de-compose. Danilo D’Agaro’s flamboyancy on the tenor is awe-inspiring.
“Bugsy Siegel” and “Udine” are also Gallo’s compositions, both conceding great context to Zeno De Rossi’s drums, Gherard Gschlossl’s trombone and Achille Succi’s clarinet. Succi provides a leisurely scenery, ideal for vagrant preoccupation...
Verona saw Shakespearian beings born in his roots three centuries ago and nowadays hidden genius. The thing is that not only is Verona the nest of talents, but it is all Italy encrypted with virtuosity in Todo Chueco's release.
This album is more than a gift and in a sense the title visualizes the way you will stand after listening to this creation, in a good meaning, as a ”gallo chueco!”
Tracks: Kabu-L, Pièces Froides N°1, El Gallo Sanchez, Lullaby of Rattlesnakes, Mysticisme Nucléaire, Alice, Pièces Froide N° 2, Bugsy Siegel, Udine
Record Label Website: http://www.elgallorojorecords.com
Reviewed by: Dr. Ana Isabel Ordonez