released April 3, 2017

Fabio Giachino, a top Italian jazz pianist, has been leading his own notable trio since 2011. Now 30, he has performed at jazz festivals and clubs throughout Europe and the United States. At the time that he recorded North Clouds, Giachino was in Denmark. The set, which features eight of his originals plus Duke Ellington’s “Azalea,” teams the pianist with four Danish musicians: bassist Matthias Flemming Petri, drummer Espen Laub Von Lillienskjold Pauolo Russo on bandoneon for three songs and saxophonist Benjamin Koppel guesting on four.
North Clouds begins with tenderness as Giachino states the thoughtful melody of “My Journey.” The piece develops and, as with the other selections, the trio’s close communication makes it sound like they are a unit that has been together for years.
“Poetto’s Wind” has Giachino and altoist Koppel (who has a large and attractive tone) whipping through the tricky melody effortlessly and making passionate statements. The uptempo piece is filled with fire and really cooks, climaxing with Von Lillienskjold’s drum breaks over the closing theme.
“The Plane Is Late” begins quite free with percussive sounds made by the rhythm section and Pauolo Russo on bandoneon. It soon becomes a sophisticated and attractive Spanish jazz waltz that is worthy of Chick Corea. Bassist Petri, Russo and Giachino each create memorable solos during this memorable performance.
“Dancing Swan” which has a quirky cat-and-mouse theme, puts the spotlight on Giachino’s trio, displaying the pianist’s original style and chord voicings in a modern post-bop context. “Charlottelund Beach,” the only performance with both Koppel and Russo, is a dramatic piece that is quite haunting, featuring the unique blend of Koppel’s soprano and Russo’s bandoneon. “North Clouds,” a jazz waltz that uses repetition creatively in its melody, has one of the strongest piano solos of the project along with statements from the other members of the trio. Giachino’s improvisation builds and builds while going in some unexpected directions, remaining soulful the whole time.
“Dreaming Waltz,” which lives up to its title, is an excellent feature for Russo with the trio while “Lover Stay Away” has altoist Koppel and Giachino excelling at the rapid tempo. North Clouds concludes with a tasteful rendition of Duke Ellington’s rarely-played “Azalea.”
North Clouds is an excellent introduction to both the playing and writing of Fabio Giachino, a talent who deserves to be better known.

(Scott Yanow)