Breezy Italian Bossa with 20th Century Touches

Barbara Casini and her wonderful album with Italian trumpet great Enrico Rava, Vento, formally introduced me to what can only be called "Italian Bossa". I don't know if this is an official genre but that's the most descriptive term for their music on this album. I've always known that there was a connection between Brazilian and Italian music and the more I learn about the South American side of the equation, the more the European side keeps popping up. Vocally, Casini makes a surprisingly good Italian version of Joyce and the arrangements and score of Vento is a little mesmerizing and really what I've come to expect from any decent bossa tinged album. If it doesn't transport you somewhat to another place then it isn't worth listening to for me.

I had never heard of Rava before but he's an interesting horn player - there were no dreaded "lite" jazz meanderings on this album, thank God. This is something even the talented Joyce veers a little too close to occasionally and it's something you'll have to watch out for in your bossa/jazz adventures. There's nothing worse than a perfectly decent, atmospheric album being ruined by Kenny G-ish horn playing and over production. Vento finds a nice balance between appropriate production and layered orchestration. The orchestra layer is enjoyable in it's own right with occasional dissonant 20th Century classical touches and fits well with Cassini's guitar work (which was maybe a little too blended in - I would've liked to hear it a little more prominently). The title track is the standout in terms of song composition.

If you like Joyce's work, then you'll dig Casini. If I run across Casini in the future, I'm definitely going to take some time out for a listen. Hopefully she has some minimally produced albums that feature her guitar work more.