SLAMCD574 Giovanni Ferri, Mirco Ballabene & Mirco Bindelli – Strade

The Strade project’s objective is to experiment with shamelessly heterogeneous sounds, from different geographical latitudes and musical genres. The idea basically is to tell stories, because the tracks are constructed as narratives in the making.

The trio is made up of Giovanni Ferri, an artist who works in theatre, visual arts and performs alto sax in a number of different improvisational contexts, realising projects in Italy and Japan.

Mirco Ballabene plays with different improvisation and jazz ensembles. In 2011 he recorded the album ‘Vireo’ for the label Aktivraum that featured Markus Stockhausen. In 2015 SLAM Productions released the Triologos album, ‘Traces of Chants’, a project with Paolo and Bruno Cerboni Bajardi. In 2015 he played in Anthony Braxton’s Sonic Genome in Turin. He studied with Silvia Bolognesi, Stefano Battaglia, Matt Brewer and Matt Mitchell.

Mirco Bindelli began playing drums in 1992 at the age of 14 years, later studying with Adriano Pedini. From 2000 to 2010 took part in seminars and master classes with the drummers Massimo Manzi, Hellas Bandini, Carl Palmer, Jan Paice, Paul Motian, Peter Erskine and Horacio ” El Negro ” Hernandez.

Giovanni Ferri: alto saxophone
Mirco Ballabene: double bass, electronics
Mirco Bindelli: drums, percussion

“As you listen to tunes like Primoamor, you’ll find yourself totally engaged with their high-energy, and “jazz story” building abilities…suspense builds throughout the piece. If you like your listening more laid-back, you’ll especially enjoy the great bass intro/lead throughout Marisa…be sure you do this with headphones on, at least for the first listen, so you can absorb every little “shade” of jazz they paint in.” – Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation

“Ballabene plays some lovely things with the bow and is apparently responsible for some sound treatments and (possibly) pre-recorded elements. Bindelli keeps the music in motion, evoking footsteps, dance, train-track repetition, under currents of ennui or fear, It’s really effective and a further illustration of the confident way Italian musicians are setting aside (except on the raunchy Influenza A) exclusively American models in pursuit of a new synthesis of European sound-cultures. I loved it for its unpretentious subtlety and sense of life.” – Brian Morton, Jazz Journal

“Ferri’s strong and masculine on his alto, almost giving hints of Gato Barbieri on tenor during pieces like the cataclysmic “Luci Rosse” and the tango of sorts called “Amalasunta.” There’s a nice bop line with ride cymbal as Ferri cries out on “El Cicco” and he broods with a bel canto during “L’innominato.” Interplay with drums ranges from the rumbling “Influenza A” to the white knuckler “L’agente Segreto” while the rhythm percolates on “Todo Modo.” Fervent!” – George W. Harris, Jazz Weekly

Recorded 1-3 November 2014 at Lunik Studio, Pesaro, Italy
Recorded and mastered by Davide Battistelli

SLAM CATALOGUE