UPSIDE DOWN
Claudio Scolari | Principal Records (2019)
By RAPHAEL LUKAS GENOVESE AM 25. JUNI 2020
Claudio Scolari, jazz drummer, percussionist and composer originally comes from Reggio Emilia in northern Italy. The musician has since traveled extensively and has his main residence in Boston, Massachusetts. From there, the talented drummer diligently tries out new music and impressive creations.

One of the resulting projects bears the easy-to-derive name Claudio Scolari Project, which he carries out together with Simone Scolari (trumpet), Michele Cavalca (bass) and Daniele Cavalca (synthesizer, Rhodes piano, piano, drums). Claudio Scolari himself sits on the drums and also takes care of the composition and programming of the synthesizers.
Now the combination of jazz and programmed music may first raise questions. Is it jazz now or not? Or is avant-garde experimental music to be expected from the project?
What the musicians Scolari and Cavalca have to offer here is truly flawless jazz with a very special touch. Bass, drums and piano skillfully rock each other in breathtaking heights and speeds and the occasional trumpet also does its part for the ideal jazz experience.
And then there is the synthetic part. Shimmering and scratchy electronica noises mix in the sometimes wild flood of intelligent syncopated music. The bass also appears from time to time with strong crackling effects. The electronic background sometimes sounds like a copier, then like a 56K modem or even like a drone. In combination with the jazzy sounds of the band, this may sound a bit strange at first. And only a few bars later the ear has got used to the skilful mixture of handmade and modernist music.
To answer the in-depth question: yes, that's kind of jazz! Jazz in an experimental and unusual approach. The synth sounds line up with trumpet, piano, rhodes, bass and drums, and all together make for a complete sound experience. The Claudio Scolari Project is gentle and comfortable on its fourth album, but also likes to show its teeth. Excellent jazz, in which all four musicians demonstrate their skills together as in a solo.
Rating: 12/15 points