Fabio Turchetti is an experienced musician, composer and producer from northern Italy. He also runs a record label that focuses on the musical traditions of Cremona and this latest release is a live recording from Teatro Filo (in Cremona) with Turchetti’s ensemble Capricci Cremonesi. The music takes its inspiration from the work of the 17th century composer Tarquinio Merula (falso from Cremona, of course). Merula’s brief fugues and other baroque compositions are usually followed by Turchetti’s lengthier interpretations, which frequently use the same theme as the preceding Merula original, but fashioned in a variety of jazz, folk and roots styles.
The recording has the form of a suite of mainly short pieces that successfully covers a wide range of textures and styles, but retains continuity due to the Merula connection. The musicians play the baroque material with clarity and precision, but are versatile enough to be able to switch to the different disciplines and rhythmic emphases of jazz and folk genres. Many of the compositions have previously appeared on CD in the form of a studio recording, but the spontaneity of the experience and the quality of the performance make the material well worth another visit.
Michael Hingston, FRoots (UK) feb 07