The Cremona-based accordeonist Fabio Turchetti has built a reputation in researching and performing medieval Italian music. On his latest collaboration, he has expanded his scope by collaborating with Palestinian oud player Butrus Bishara and Luca Congedo, a flautist from Lecce in southern Italy. The trio perform the suite Dialogo, a collection of traditional music from Provence, Andalucía, Galicia, Greece and Catalonia. As if to add to the international flavour, Turchetti has chosen to play the bandoneòn, the instrument that although of German origin is primarily associated with Argentinean tango.
The first seven tracks of the CD make up Dialogo and are taken from a live broadcast on the radio station Antenna 5. The remaining five tracks are a studio recording of Turchetti compositions inspired by the poetry of Mariella Mehr.
The recordings are all instrumental, apart from some vocals from Bishara on a couple of tracks. The three instrumentalists pass around the theme and devise variations with a feel that is somewhere between flamenco and an Indian raga. There are some fascinating interactions, but there is not much variation in mood and with just three instruments, the textures are limited.
Michael Hingston, fRoots febbraio 2012