Creative, romantic and cinematic ‘Sparks’ is the latest album by Italian pianist and composer Pasquale Stafano released by German label Enja Records that convinces and inspires both the audience and the press with wonderful melodies.
A contemporary jazz album where, merging together jazz and classical influences with a moderate use of electronic sounds, trio create something of hypnotic, emotional and uplifting.
Three soloists, not only the leader, do a very deep music characterized by a well defined structure with emotional melodies that dive listeners into the beauty.
Pasquale re-draw a new jazz with own personal style spanning various other genres like rock, classical, world, pop, folk with a great musical taste and skill.
“With this new album, totally different by my previous six, I want to open a new chapter of my music, trying to focus on the points of contact between jazz compositions and modern classical music always focusing on the beauty of melody”.
“Be Spark that lights up life”
Reviews
“The album is rhythmic and lively, with songs that evokes images written and arranged often in odd-numbered order. An album full of vitality” Hiroki Sugita – Jazz Japan
“Speed and elegance are the trademarks of the Italian pianist Pasquale Stafano. The opener “Sparks”, which gives the album its name, actually lets the sparks fly at breakneck speed, at the same time Stafano maintains the composure.” Rolf Thomas – Jazzthing Magazine N. 141
“Lyricism, odd and articulated metric combinations without being cerebral, art rock hints: the late Esbjorn Svensson would have envied him a lot.” Guido Festinese – Il Manifesto (13/11/2021)
“Dev’essere un sognatore intenso, Pasquale Stafano, di quelli che creano continuamente immagini estraendole dalla fantasia e dando loro la dignità di oggetti reali attraverso la musica. […] Stafano riesce a dare una superba forma artistica a tutto questo tratteggiando un mondo di bellezza lacerante” Riccardo Talamazzi – Off Topic Magazine (IT)
“With Sparks there is certainly the promise of more incendiary music making still to come from Stafano’s impressive new trio.” Ian Patterson – All About Jazz USA (19/11/2021)
“A piano with a beautiful touch dances smoky in a powerful rhythm, and overflowing with gentle beauty tunes. You can enjoy the finest piano trio performance. Kazune Hayata – Jazz Life Japan
“Una travolgente e impattante ondata di energia sonora, ritmica, sviscerata con palpabile impetuosità comunicativa, vigore interpretativo, in cui non mancano frangenti più serafici, contemplativi, che invitano a una profonda riflessione.” Stefano Dentice – Instruments & Music Magazine (IT)
“The nocturnal lyricism of “Mirror of Soul” and the midnight flare of “Clocks” boldly reflect a confident, skillful, composer at peak awareness of the moment and what it readily demands. If anything broadens the audience for Stafano’s spangling, rhythmic aspects, Sparks will definitely open a lot of ears.” Mike Jurkovic – All About Jazz (8th Jan 2022)
“Stafano is a pianist composer that is very original. In addition to presenting a solid basic structure, the compositions are fragments attributable to progressive-rock. Gerlando Gatto – A proposito di Jazz (22 Jan 2022)
“The music is very structured, written almost like a suite of classical music, there is a melody that attracts and liberates at the same time.” Patrck Spanko – SK Jazz
“The Italian pianist, with this new album makes really sparks from the first to the last note […] It is a successful all-round album with brilliantly arranged original songs” ?????? ????? – Jazz ‘n More Switzerland (March 2022)
“If you’re looking for a fresh sound that won’t disappoint then you owe it to yourself to check this jam out now!” Robert Waterson – Honk Magazine (April 2022)