Jazzy Gentle – NuJazz from Italy | stefan oberthaler aka keyminator

Jazzy Gentle – NuJazz from Italy

Filed under: General by Stefan

Last week I had a very interesting conversation with Romeo Sandri, the mastermind behind the NuJazz project Jazzy Gentle.

Q: short bio?

Jazzy Gentle, side project by Romeo Sandri, producer and player (tenor saxophone, flute and electric pianos) with Acusmatic Group, looking for a future jazzy softness ..
After two trial remixes that were never published (Jazzanova and Femi Kuti remix for some remix-contests) here come the official productions, a remix for Acusmatic Group (my own nu-jazz, cinematic project) and one for Fromwood (electronic, breakbeats sicilian project).
The third remix (for Papik) is just out. All productions are published by Irma Records.

Q: all time favourites?

Miles Davis “Kind Of Blue” and dozen of modal-jazz records (starting from Bill Evans, J. Coltrane and so on)

Lee Morgan “The Sidewinder” and dozen of hard bop and soul-jazz records (starting from Horace Silver, Joe Henderson, Duke Pearson, Hancock and so on)

Lalo Schifrin “Bullitt ost” and dozen of jazz soundtracks from jazz composers like H.Mancini, Q.Jones, P.Umiliani, E. Morricone, John Barry, Bacharach and so on)

Curtis Mayfield “Superfly” ost and dozen of blaxploitation, soul-funk soundtracks from the seventies (starting from Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Roy Ayers, B.Womack/J.J. Johnson and so on)

Portishead – first 2 albums

Fugazi – “Repeater”

and my current passion Dorothy Ashby

Q: situation in italy and your region?

I live in a small region, so I’d skip about it and talk about the Italian situation. I think that there’s a lot of good producers growing. In my opinion they represent the future. Past and present are embodied by big names such as Nicola Conte, Gerardo Frisina, Papik, Milano Jazz Dance Combo, Aaron Tesser, Modulo5, Fromwood, S-Tone inc. and many more. I think in Italy we have a lot of great music, but the funny thing is that all those great names are better known abroad than here. Almost the same thing is true for all the great labels we have (Irma, Schema, Record Kicks and more). Maybe the real problem is that in Italy few people are interested in this kind of music?

Q: your description of NuJazz and reflection in your work?

I don’t like too much music genre definitions.I think they are important in order to give us a broad sense of what we are talking about but they don’t have to become something that set rigid boundaries.

In my opinion, now, nujazz means all that can be traced as having some jazz influence, not specifically for the music composition, or language . Yes, you can speak about a new language, but not necessarily the swing or the be-bop language. It could be only a kind of open chord, an electric piano sound, a rhythm intention and so on.
I think that 2 exemples are better than 1000 words. I’m proud to live in a (music)world where a jazz pianist like Robert Glasper can titled a song of his album J-Dillaude, and where a jazz vocalist like José James works with Flying Lotus, sings and swings on one of a best dubstep songs by Benga. I think that’s the future way for jazz.
Jazz purists in 1959 didn’t like (or understand?) what kind of sound Miles was trying to create on the Kind Of Blue sessions. Similarly, I think that now jazz purists don’t like the jazz fusion with the modern electronic sounds and scene.
How does the Nujazz reflects in my work I really don’t know. I play and study jazz and harmony, I eat a lot of contemporary music from many different styles, I like to live in the present and I’m looking for my personal way to compose my music, during the digestion. I’m looking for a sort of future “jazzy softness”.

Q: your equipment for producing music?

Beyond my tenor sax, my flute and my electric piano, I produce music in my home studio connecting a master keyboard with Ableton Live, on a Mac G5 and a microphone. That’s all I need.

Q: new production or CD?

I am working on a new remix for John Type, an italian producer/dj, coming out soon on Irma Records. Then I hope to have the time for my own productions as Jazzy Gentle.
With my other project, called Acusmatic Group, we just finished a remix for the canadians Afternoons In Stereo, out soon on Timewarp Music, and we’re working on the new album.

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2 Comments »

2 Responses to “Jazzy Gentle – NuJazz from Italy”

Rachel, on Februar 21st, 2010 at 01:53 Said:

Hi Stefen!
Read your article and found the jazzy gentle idea kindof nice..
Music is always evolving, and now with all the global interaction, it is much more so.
I wish you all the best in your creating!!
Rachel
Stefan, on Februar 24th, 2010 at 11:31 Said:

thanx rachel, thats always in important point of view. this global interaction brings dynamic flow in creativity, not only in NuJazz.