Amsterdam-based guitarist and composer Fabrizio La Piana is joined by bassist Bernhard Hollinger and drummer Niels Voskuil for the jazz rock endeavour “Almond and Coffee,” a multi-faceted release that morphs pre-conceived boundaries into other spheres.
The musicians think outside the box, due to Voskuil’s polyrhythmic beats and La Piana‘s slight use of distortion techniques while using guitars that are indicative of 1970s jazz-fusion amid his resonant picking and climactic bottleneck licks. The trio paints a broad soundscape as the drummer’s prominent kick-drum pulsations carry the bottom-end. Indeed, La Piana‘s fervent strumming; gliding, and sliding riffs are often devised with understated melodies. And while they spin old-time applications into a new thing, they maintain a sense of antiquity, accelerated by cyclical cadences and ascending choruses.
Pieces such as “Almond and Coffee,” “Forte” and “50-50,” are highlighted by circular passages and the guitarist’s stinging resonator guitar movements.
“Almond and Coffee” is an album that should enjoy widespread appeal, given enough exposure via the digital airwaves and whatever else is needed to get the buzz on the street.
Visit Fabrizio La Piana‘s website for more info.
