Our friend, Tony Mowad, the great dj from NPR, who was always so fond of Bobby Cole's work, hipped us to this album through another one of NPR's jazz dj's. Romano, primarily known as a drummer, leads this group but it's the trumpet player that steals the show and makes this album so excellent. Here's what's it's about and what a few others had to say about "Canzoni": Aldo Romano Although born in Italy, Aldo Romano moved to France with his family at a young age. He was already playing guitar and drums professionally in Paris in the '50s when he heard Donald Byrd's group with drummer Arthur Taylor. Since then, he has dedicated himself to the drums and contemporary jazz. In Paris jazz clubs like le Chat Qui Pêche and the Caméléon, Romano has accompanied visiting Americans like Jackie McLean, Bud Powell, Lucky Thompson, J.J. Johnson, and Woody Shaw while also exploring free music with Don Cherry and Gato Barbieri, Frank Wright and Bobby Few, Michel Portal, François Tusques, Jean-Louis Chautemps, and Steve Lacy. Romano's boundless curiosity for any living music brought him in contact with electric jazz in the '70s, playing at the Riverbop with longtime associate/bassist Jean-François Jenny-Clark, in addition to François Jeanneau, Henri Texier, Charlie Mariano, and Philip Catherine. In 1978, he released his first album as a leader with Claude Barthélémy (Il Piacere, OWL), followed by 1980's Night Diary with Didier Lockwood and Jasper Van't Hof, and 1983's Alma Latina with Philip Catherine. In 1980, Romano brought pianist Michel Petrucciani to the world's attention, introducing him to the producer of Owl Records. His Italian roots were lovingly remembered with the foundation of his Italian Quartet with Paolo Fresu, Franco D'Andrea, and Furio Di Castri. Furio Di Castri bass Franco D'Andrea piano Paolo Fresu trumpet Aldo Romano drums titles: 1 T'ho voluto bene 2 Roma nun fa la stupida stasera 3 Munasterio a Santa Chiara 4 Sapore di sale 5 Torna a Surriento 6 O sole mio 7 Anima e core 8 Reginella 9 Come Prima 10 Senza Fine A beautiful collection of popular Italian songs (including ‘O sole mio’ and ‘Come Prima’), played in a sentimental mood. After happening through the diverse musical experiences: free like member of the quinteto of Don Cherry, the jazz-rock with the violinista Jean-Luc Ponty, the race of Roman Aldo has been characterized lately reason why we could call a greater emphasis in melodía. The clearest example has been this surprising Japanese recording, registered for 5 years, in which it confronts with valentía the risk of starting off of an unusual repertoire made up of Italian popular subjects, with the happy result of a disc of absolutely orthodox jazz whose listening is an authentic delight. Excellent work of the pianista veteran Frank D'Andrea and mainly of the young trompetista Paolo Fresu, main protagonist of the album, whose style of clearly davisianas influences (that the delicate sound of Chet could even here remember Baker) it confers a singular beauty to this review of the song book of his country, confirming that is one of the most interesting musicians of the European panorama. $22.00 plus postage.