REALLY THE BLUES
Really The Blues is a deep and emotional journey into the heart of Bluesland, from the legacy of Jelly Roll Morton to Eric Dolphy, passing through Blind Willie Johnson, Jimmy Giuffre, Milt Jackson, and Randy Weston. Alberto Popolla, clarinetist of Roots Magic, explores in perfect solitude a sonic universe that intertwines tradition and avant-garde, the Delta and New Orleans, blue notes and experimentation, silences, abrasions, and soft tones.
With just the ebony of his clarinet, the tapping of his foot, and an array of objects turned into instruments, Popolla reinterprets and rewrites African-American history and its quintessential musical expression: the Blues. The result is an organic and coherent universe, evoking a spiritual intimacy and narrating, through a unique language, the essence of a music still alive and vibrant. In addition to immortal compositions by some of the greatest jazz musicians, the sound material is enriched by original pieces written by Popolla and his fellow travelers from Roots Magic: saxophonist Errico De Fabritiis and double bassist Gianfranco Tedeschi.
BASSISM
Bassism is a work that skillfully blends the past and the future, a musical journey nourished by the roots of blues, jazz, and more experimental sounds. In this new studio album, the artist explores and reinvents songs by some of the most influential figures in contemporary music: Ry Cooder, Charlie Haden, and Charlie Patton. With a unique writing style and a distinctive sound, Bassism is both a tribute to these legends and a fertile ground for experimentation and innovation.
The album is not merely a collection of reinterpretations; it is an opportunity for the artist to engage in a dialogue with the past while simultaneously charting new musical directions. Alongside the reinterpretations of Cooder, Haden, and Patton, Bassism includes three original compositions that pay homage to writer Ursula K. Le Guin and Russian philosopher and writer Alexander Bogdanov—two figures who have left a profound mark on thought and collective imagination. These tracks are not only an intellectual tribute but also a musical reflection on their ideas and visions.
Musically, Bassism is an album that plays with atmospheres and textures. The artist expresses themselves through two instruments that take center stage in a distinctive way: the bass clarinet and the electric bass. The bass clarinet, with its deep and enveloping sound, blends seamlessly with the bass lines, creating a sonic dialogue that is both meditative and energetic. Additionally, the use of a range of sound effects adds an abstract and dynamic dimension to the work, allowing for the exploration of new sonic possibilities and the creation of unique soundscapes that further enrich the listener’s experience. These effects are not mere additions, but become true instruments that expand the emotional communication and depth of the music. The combination of these instruments and techniques, along with the selection of tracks that span blues, jazz, acoustic influences, and more modern passages, gives the album a versatility that challenges genre labels and invites the listener to engage in careful and reflective listening.
Bassism is not just an album; it is an experience that transcends time and space, where tradition meets modernity, and music becomes a universal language.
BASSISM TRIO
BASSISM TRIO grew out of a strong musical affinity and a shared interest in the
structural and timbral possibilities of an unconventional lineup without traditional harmonic instruments. Its sound is dense, physical, and constantly evolving, with the interaction between low registers at the heart of the trio’s language.
De Fabritiis and Popolla, also members of the Roots Magic horn section, share a vision rooted in the Afro-American tradition while developing a personal language based on deep interplay, close attention to sound, and radical improvisation.
Drummer Ferdinando Faraò, an established musician and director of the Artchipel Orchestra, completes the trio, combining structural awareness with expressive freedom.
Naima Faraò makes a special vocal appearance on the title track, Dreams Must
Explain Themselves, adding a further evocative dimension to the album.
The title track and the two-part Kesh Valley pay tribute to Ursula K. Le Guin, whose work deeply inspired the project. The album title comes from one of her
statements, while the Kesh Valley pieces refer to an imaginary world she created. Part 2 also includes a brief excerpt from one of her public talks, reinforcing the connection between her thought and the album’s artistic vision.
The trio’s original repertoire moves fluidly between composition and
improvisation, alternating powerful rhythmic passages with spacious, atmospheric moments. Drawing on jazz as a living and evolving language, the music embraces risk, listening, and collective creation.
https://www.autrecords.com/store/bassism-trio-dreams-must-explain-themselves/
ROOTS MAGIC
ALBERTO POPOLLA clarinet, bass clarinet
EUGENIO COLOMBO flutes, soprano sax
ERRICO DE FABRITIIS alto & baritone sax
GIANFRANCO TEDESCHI double bass
FABRIZIO SPERA drums
Somewhere between Deep Blues and Creative Jazz
From the Deep Blues repertoire of the late Twenties / early Thirties, Charley Patton, Blind Willie Johnson, Skip James Geeshie Wiley through the music of Creative Jazz luminaries such as Julius Hemphill, John Carter, Marion Brown, Olu Dara, Phil Cohran, Sun Ra, Roscoe Mitchell, Henry Threadgill, Kalaparusha Maurice Mc Intyre, Charles Tyler, Kahil El Zabar, Roland Kirk
A work of love and respect for these people and for the music we grew up with
Roots Magic was born in Rome in 2013. They released four albums on Clean Feed records, Hoodoo Blues & Roots Magic (2015) Last Kind Words (2017) “Take Roots Among the Stars” (2020) “Long Old Road” (2023) which have been often voted among the best Jazz albums of the year by the likes of MusicaJazz Top Poll / Rai Radio3 / The Big City Blog / New York City Jazz Record / Observador-Lisboa / Bill Shoemaker – Point of Departure / Stereogum / Giornale della musica / Burning Ambulance / UK Jazz Radio / Controradio (I) / Bandcamp and others.
Roots Magic appeared at festivals and clubs such as Konfrontationen (Nickelsdorf – Austria) Jazz Em Agosto (Lisbon) Jazz Cerkno (Slovenia) Juke Joint Festival (Clarksdale MS – USA) Ai confini tra Sardegna e Jazz (St.Anna Arresi) Seixal Jazz (Portugal) Jazz & Wine of Peace (Cormons) Jazztopad (Wroklav – Poland) Elastic Arts (Chicago) Lubljana Jazz Festival, Il Torrione Jazz Club (Ferrara) Casa del Jazz (Roma)and others
