A tribute to Charlie Parker

A TRIBUTE TO CHARLIE PARKER
Francesco Cafiso & Strings
con I Solisti di Perugia

Brani del CD

1 - I'll Remember April (DePaul-Johnston-Fields) 3'18''
2 - What Is This Thing Called Love (Porter) 2'59''
3 - Out Of Nowhere (Green-Heyman) 3'28''
4 - Everything Happens To Me (Carmichael-Mercer) 2'53''
5 - Summertime (Gershwin-Heyward) 3'35''
6 - They Can't Take That Away from Me (Gershwin) 3'51''
7 - Dancing in the Dark (Schwartz-Dietz) 3'35''
8 - Laura (Raksin-Mercer) 3'33''
9 - I Didn't Know What Time It Was (Rodgers-Hart) 3'12''
10 - Just Friends (Klenner-Lewis) 3'28''
11 - April in Paris (Duke-Harburg) 3'27''
12 - Easy to Love (Porter) 3'50''
13 - I'm in the Mood for Love (McHugh-Fields) 3'35''
14 - Yesterdays (Kern-Harbach) 2'32''
15 - I Should Care (Stordahl-Weston-Cahn) 3'43''
16 - If I Should Lose You (Rainger-Robin) 3'09''
17 - Repetition (Hefti) 2'39''
18 - Prayer for Charlie (Cafiso) 1'59''

Francesco Cafiso Sax alto
I Solisti di Perugia String Orchestra
Paolo Franceschini First violin
Paolo Castellani, Gabriele Menna, Stefano Menna, Silvia Palazzoli, Luca Tironzelli Violins
Luca Ranieri, Luca Moretti Violas
M.Cecilia Berioli, Mauro Businelli Cellos
Marco Tinarelli Double-bass
Simone Frondini Oboe and english horn
Luciano Caporossi French horn
Laura Vinciguerra Harp
Riccardo Arrighini Piano
Aldo Zunino Bass
Stefano Bagnoli Drums Recorded on June 15, 16, 17, 2005 at the Teatro dei Riuniti, Umbertide (Perugia)
Produced by Umbria Jazz Records and Giottomusic, Perugia 2005

This is a wonderful record. Even a listener who knows nothing about Charlie Parker will respond to the great music. But those who know who this giant of jazz was, and know that his recordings with strings are among his most famous will be astonished and delighted that a l6-year-old Italian alto saxophonist, 50 years after Parker's death, has been able not only to recapture much of the magic of the original versions, but in doing so, affirms in a most striking and moving way that the legacy of the master is very much alive.
I first heard the name of Francesco Cafiso in 2002, when my dear friend Ira Gitler returned from his annual jazz visit to Italy and told me that this then 13-year-old Sicilian-born saxophonist had captivated him and 2000 other listeners. I trust Ira, yet I was skeptical, until about a year later, when he played me some samples, and I too was knocked out. And even more so after I heard and saw this young phenomenon at a jam session at the Italian Cultural Center in New York City in 2004.
Seeing him again, not long before the string sessions, at the new jazz shrine in New York, Jazz at Lincoln Center, it was evident Francesco had become even more accomplished, and when I had the great pleasure to introduce him at two concerts at Umbria Jazz, on July 2005 in Perugia, I must admit that I came away almost in awe of the confidence and authority with which this still very young man has paid artistic tribute to one of the greatest figures in the jazz pantheon.
And what was perhaps most moving is that aside from his marvelous command of his instrument (which he took up at 7) and of the jazz vocabulary, Francesco has solved the dauntig task of this tribute, in which he literally had to follow in Parker's giant steps--the arrangements are exactly the same that Charlie used--not by attempting to copy the master, but by playing these pieces with his own personal accent, and his special youthful passion and energy. (And, I might add, in the true jazz spirit; having now heard him twice live as well as on record in this repertory, I can attest that he doesn't repeat himself, except perhaps, as he should, by stating a familiar melody with the proper Parkerian accent.).
We know that Parker's recordings with strings were his most popular, a fact that of course caused critics to view them with suspicion. But Just Friends was one of the very few of his own recordings that Charlie liked. His romance with the strings began in the fall of l949 and continued, on and off, for five years--the next-to-last live recording of Parker is with strings, near the end of his far too brief life. Here, the strings, usually just five in number for Charlie, have been doubled. They are in the fine hands I Solisti di Perugia, an ensemble specializing in baroque music, but greatly enjoying their collaboration with Francesco. The important rhythmic support is supplied by the young soloist's excellent working partners, pianist Riccarde Arrighini also providing pleasant solos. Special commendation should also go to Simone Froudini, doubling on oboe and English horn with perfect intonation and sound, ans making some pretty nifty quick switches from one to the other.
This tribute to Charlie Parker, fifty years after his untimely death and in the year of what would have been his 80th birthday, was a wonderful idea, and we at the Institute of Jazz Studies were delighted to provide the scores. There are surprises here, such as I Should Care, never recorded by Parker (and a favorite of mine, along with Summertime and Everything Happens to Me, among others), but the whole record is a surprise, and a wonderful one. And don't miss the very personal and touching solo tribute by Francesco, Prayer for Charlie. It is a blues, and that was such a major part of Parker's music that it is the perfect final touch. The blues, I am told, was also what Francesco's first teacher, Carlo Cattano, chose to introduce his young student to jazz.

I think, no, I KNOW that you will agree that Francesco Cafiso has learned well, and that Charlie Parker is smiling on him.

Dan Morgenstern

Produced by Umbria Jazz Records and Giottomusic
Distributed by IRD - www.ird.it