'Lightside' by Matteo Pastorino

'Lightside' marks the introduction of bass clarinettist Matteo Pastorino and his quartet as part of the bustling A.MA Records roster.

A.MA have consistently provided a platform for a range of dynamic jazz talent with musicians presenting their debut solo offerings as the first step within their burgeoning musical journey to more experienced artists who have cultivated lengthy and fruitful careers before arriving to A.MA.  In the case of Matteo Pastorino, his extensive accolades would certainly place him within the latter category as the highly decorated performer and composer can lay claim to a multitude of successes to date.

Even prior to the release of Pastorino's debut album - 'V' (Absilone/Socadisc, 2014) - the musician could boast a clutch of awards to his name including the Young Talent Prix at the 2012 Saint Germain des Pres Jazz Festival along with the Selmer Prize as Best Soloist.  Pastorino would continue to amass greater awards and distinctions as the years progressed including his sophomore album release, 'Suite for Modigliani' (Challenge Records, 2017), which saw Pastorino collaborate with world renowned, US-based guitarist, Gilad Hekselman for an elegant homage to the music of Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani.

As a virtuoso in his own right, a composer and band leader, Pastorino's talents have been fully on display via his own projects but his desire to continually create and perform have seen him further grace studios and stages alongside the immeasurable talents of Julian Getreau Quartet, Nicola Andrioli Fourth Stream Ensemble, Emanuele Filippi and Mauro Gargano.

An in-demand and boundlessly talented musician and collaborator, the release of 'Lightside' comes as a great win for A.MA as their celebration of Italian and European jazz continues to lead them to some wonderfully inspired places and projects.

'Lightside' finds Pastorino in fine company as his bass clarinet is joined throughout the album by Domenico Sanna on piano, Dario Deidda on bass and Armando Luongo on drums.  The quartet perform with such a compelling intimacy that breeds phenomenal results, exemplified beautifully in the album opener, 'Gorèe' - an engaging yet understated opening number that relishes within its slow build before teaming with life by the song's climax.  Conversely, 'Coming Back' warrants special mention for its effervescent swing from the unified performances that still boast some excellent solos throughout the track's near-eight-minute runtime.  'Marzo' closes the album with a sublime composition that finds Pastorino and company in an introspective state of mind - a masterclass of gentility and poise that generates yet another soaring album highlight.

With a career that is bursting with praise and plaudits, it's incredible to see Matteo Pastorino still striving to raise the bar for himself with captivating new releases like 'Lightside'.