Violaist Paolo Botti celebrates diversity through music via his compositions and arrangements. No doubt, Botti succeeds at redefining previously explored mainstream or better yet, traditional concepts on Moto Contrario. Botti and his band cover a gamut of genres, including blues, swing, and avant-garde styles, neatly wrapped into one progressive jazz package. Where contrasting themes coalesce, divide, and multiply as the band meshes a forward thinking outlook into variable rhythmic structures and much more. They pursue contemporary classical movements amid heated exchanges between soprano saxophonist Alessandro Bosetti and trombonist Marina Ciccarelli. On “Contrattempi,” Botti’s deft viola work drives a potent swing groove via his bowing and plucked harmonics, as the quintet renders tempered choruses while intermittently accelerating the tempo. To that end, Botti wears many hats.

You can also expect to hear gobs of contrapuntal dialogue in concert with layered arrangements of various colors and flavors. With “In Due,” Bosetti and Ciccarelli stretch their collective wares for a series of free-flight movements, awash with the latter’s multiphonics. In sum, Botti uses the jazz medium as a form of antagonistic expressionism. His vision comes to fruition in prolific fashion throughout this highly entertaining program. Recommended…

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~ Glenn Astarita

Track Listing: 1.Cattivi Maestri 2.Accordi in Prestito 3.Contrattempi 4.Freelippo 5.Ghost Notes 6.News From Anatolia 7.Softovoce 8.Vecchie Ruggini 9.In Due 10.L’attesa 11.Pithecanthropus Erectus