Om utgivelsen
Aria
A Jazz Tribute to Giacomo Puccini
Aria marks the latest chapter in pianist Roy Powell’s long-running collaboration with bassist
Lorenzo Feliciati, a partnership that began in 2007 and has since produced nearly two decades of
innovative recordings and performances. Their shared exploration of Italian music through a jazz
lens first took shape in 2009 with the album Napoli, a project rooted in the songs of Naples.
Following a wide range of projects together, Powell and Feliciati revisited the idea in 2024 with The
Italian Songbook, a collection of Roman songs and Powell’s original compositions. Joined by
drummer Lucrezio de Seta, the trio discovered a chemistry so inspiring that they were compelled to
continue their journey—this time delving into the operatic world of Giacomo Puccini.
Puccini’s timeless melodies, long admired by Powell, provide the foundation for Aria. The pianist
recalls how jazz legend Miles Davis once considered a collaboration with Gil Evans centered on
Puccini’s Tosca—a project that never materialized but planted a seed that ultimately bore fruit in
this album.
In many ways, Aria continues a rich jazz tradition of reinterpreting material from musicals, film
scores, and the Great American Songbook. Puccini’s arias, with their lyrical beauty and harmonic
depth, offer fertile ground for improvisation, revealing unexpected colors and progressions when
refracted through a jazz idiom.
The recording also features a spontaneous performance of the jazz standard My Funny Valentine,
captured serendipitously on Valentine’s Day. Reharmonized and expanded into an extended jam, the
trio gives the classic a fresh perspective. Powell’s gentle original Les Belles Femmes offers a
heartfelt dedication to the remarkable women in his family, a personal and intimate counterpoint to
the operatic drama elsewhere on the album.
The journey culminates with perhaps Puccini’s most iconic aria, Nessun Dorma. Powell recalls the
goosebumps he felt upon first hearing Pavarotti sing this masterpiece, and its majestic form and
triumphant spirit make it a fitting conclusion to an album that bridges two great musical traditions.
Musikere
Roy Powell - Piano
Lorenzo Feliciati - Bass
Lucrezia de Seta - Trommer
