When a child seeks sleep, he is walking the fine line that separates light from darkness, reality from dream, and unconsciousness from the waking state. Lullabies are the medium to which we have always entrusted this delicate step. There is probably no music that unites us more than a melody that has the power to accompany us from one dimension to the next. In this difficult time of the pandemic, we have all felt a need, a hand to guide us, to show us the way; a hand to reduce the excess of reality and restore balance. The melody, a compass, a source of light.

Corrado Antonini, February 2023

I have been fortunate enough to be asked to review the work of Lorenzo De Finti before and everything I admire about his is in evidence on the opening track ’Solitary Perception’. The tune opens with a simple intro and when Bosso’s warm toned trumpet joins in you just know that you are the hands of two exceptional musicians. ’Will You Still Be There?’ has De Finti playing a basic ostinato over which Bosso weaves the tune’s main theme. The energy of the piece grows and then falls back, the trumpet lines always controlled in any part of the range used. De Finti then gets to improvise into the closing bars as the sounds fades away.

’Nightingale’ is the first of the three tunes on which De Finti solos, a brief number made up of thoughtfully placed single notes. The third is ’Emotional Landscape’, more fluid and emotionally connected as its grows out of the single note placement opening. The third solo is Chick Corea’s ’Crystal Silence’ a sublime example of solo piano playing irrespective of genre.

‘Close (as two stars)’ is an excellent example of how De Finti and Bosso work together. Neither dominate, they blend wonderfully. The chosen music is delightful, no note is wasted and the phrasing is, in my opinion, outstanding – the brief rests between sounds and the timbre of those sounds are enthralling.

Per Mathisen’s Sounds of 3 Edition 3 connects us with the Viking Way, how they were reading the sea and nature, what they had to deal with and knowledge they understood.

• ‘Birds’ Unrest’: When the birds are stressed about something, giving a warning sign to the sailors that weather can change.
• ‘Weather Ahead’: When they discovered bad weather coming towards them.
• ‘Calming Sea’: When the ocean is very pleasant and relaxing.
• ‘On The Horizon’: Sailors always looks at the horizon to be prepared for whatever comes their way.
• ‘Silenced Sails’: When there is no wind and the boat is just moving slowly up and down in old waves, not going forward.
• ‘Infiltration’: When an enemy from the outside infiltrated the group, pretended to be friendly but was sent as a spy.
• ‘Navigating Stars’: The Vikings were extremely good navigators and used the stars to find the way around the globe.
• ‘Free At Last’: The tune is a completely free improvisation.

This is a contemporary jazz album that makes much use of electronic sound effects over drum patterns by Audun Kleive. For me there is not enough depth of sound to hold my attention – even as good as each individual player is. I would mark ‘Infiltration’ as the most rewarding track, in part down to the lack of sound effects but also because I could hear clearly the bass playing of Per Mathisen.

Musicians for Lullabies From An Unknown Time: Lorenzo De Finti – piano; Fabrizio Bosso – trumpet.

Tracklist for Lullabies From An Unknown Time: 1. Solitary Perception. 2. Will You still be There? 3. The Nigthingale. 4. Close (as two stars). 5. Andante (From “Suite No. 1 for Small Orchestra”). 6. Crystal Silence. 7. Como Busca. 8. Emotional Landscape. 9. This Unknown Heart of Mine.

All songs composed by Lorenzo De Finti except tracks 3 – De Finti / Dall’Ora; 4 – Igor Stravinsky; 5 – Chick Corea; 6 – a traditional Venezuelan villancic.

Musicians for Sounds of 3 Edition 3: Per Mathisen – acoustic upright & electric basses, sound effects; Nguyen Lé – guitar, sound effects; Audun Kleive – drums

Tracklist for Sounds of 3 Edition 3: 1 Birds’ Unrest. 2 Weather Ahead. 3 Calming Sea. 4 On The Horizon. 5 Silenced Sails. 6 Infiltration. 7 Navigating Stars. 8 Free At Last.

All compositions by Per Mathisen, except track 8, which was composed by all three musicians