Thursday, August 15, 2019

USA: Promising Young Bassist Fabrizio Sciacca Makes His Recording Debut As A Leader With Three New York Veterans On "Getting’ It There"

Promising Young Bassist Fabrizio Sciacca
Makes His Recording Debut As A Leader
With Three New York Veterans On
"Getting’ It There"

 
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Sciacca performs lesser-known 1960s/1970s gems and three newer pieces
with pianist Donald Vega, drummer Billy Drummond and
tenor-saxophonist Jed Levy.

 
 A bassist with a large tone and a swinging style, Fabrizio Sciacca makes his official debut on Gettin’ It There. Born in Italy and based in New York since 2015, Sciacca is on his way to becoming an important part of the New York jazz scene.

For his debut, Sciacca formed a quartet with three impressive jazz artists (pianist Donald Vega, drummer Billy Drummond and, on three songs, Jed Levy on tenor) to perform his tribute to Ron Carter, Levy’s “Lonely Goddess,” the standard “A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square,” and pieces by Sam Jones, Sonny Clark, Elmo Hope, and Andrea Domenici.
The memorable program begins with the leader’s bass bringing in Sam Jones’ “One For Amos,” an infectious medium-tempo blues that showcases the trio. “Lullaby In Central Park” by Italian pianist Andrea Domenici (who, like Sciacca, moved permanently to New York) is a sophisticated ballad that features Vega at his most creative. Levy makes the group a quartet on Sonny Clark’s boppish “Zellmar’s Delight,” a lesser-known obscurity well worth reviving.

Sciacca considers Ron Carter to be one of his mentors so he dedicated “For Sir Ron” to the bassist. The original features Sciacca and Vega who works regularly with Carter’s trio. “A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square” is given a laidback and thoughtful treatment. Levy’s moody original “Lonely Goddess” precedes the closer, Elmo Hope’s hard bop swinger “One Second Please.”

Fabrizio Sciacca, who is from Catania, Italy, began on electric bass and piano when he was 13. In 2011 he won a scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston. During his four years at Berklee, he studied with such teachers as John Patitucci, Danilo Perez, and Victor Bailey, and performed with a variety of ensembles in many venues of Boston, such as Wally's, legendary jazz club where even Charlie Parker performed. After graduating in 2015, he moved to New York, studying with Ron Carter and earning a Master’s Degree in Performance and Composition from the Manhattan School in 2018.

Now, with the release of the consistently enjoyable Gettin’ It Here, Fabrizio Sciacca’s career is off to an impressive start.

 


Fabrizio Sciacca Quartet - Gettin' It There
(Self Produced) Street Date: September 1, 2019
Sax: Jed Levy, Piano: Donald Vega, Bass: Fabrizio Sciacca,
Drums: Billy Drummond
UPC Code: 888295910255