enzo rocco
  • Stefania e il naso
  • Mavalà
  • Habablanca
  • Todos los pepinos del mundo
  • Lol Coxhill/Enzo Rocco Duo: One of Two
  • Il beccheggio
  • Il paese dei nasi
  • Lu
  • Sonia, Tania, Olga e le altre ragazze del Volga
  • Garibbà
  • Keffah
  • Schrippentrappenkrantz
  • Mazzalarossa
  • Itadakimasu
  • Veryan Weston/Enzo Rocco Duo: VVsections
  • Stefania e il naso
    Genre: Jazz
    WAV (06:49) [68.81 MB]
  • Mavalà
    Genre: Jazz
    WAV (04:32) [45.77 MB]
  • Habablanca
    Genre: Jazz
    WAV (06:16) [63.27 MB]
  • Todos los pepinos del mundo
    Genre: Jazz
    WAV (07:17) [73.59 MB]
  • Lol Coxhill/Enzo Rocco Duo: One of Two
    Genre: Avantgarde
    WAV (09:47) [98.83 MB]
  • Il beccheggio
    Genre: Jazz
    WAV (05:14) [52.86 MB]
  • Il paese dei nasi
    Genre: Jazz+Funk
    WAV (05:55) [59.64 MB]
  • Lu
    Genre: World Fusion
    WAV (06:03) [61 MB]
  • Sonia, Tania, Olga e le altre ragazze del Volga
    Genre: Jazz
    WAV (03:55) [39.53 MB]
  • Garibbà
    Genre: Jazz
    WAV (03:26) [34.73 MB]
  • Keffah
    Genre: World Fusion
    WAV (04:26) [44.7 MB]
  • Schrippentrappenkrantz
    Genre: World Fusion
    WAV (05:16) [53.16 MB]
  • Mazzalarossa
    Genre: Jazz
    WAV (06:24) [64.59 MB]
  • Itadakimasu
    Genre: Jazz
    WAV (05:37) [56.69 MB]
  • Veryan Weston/Enzo Rocco Duo: VVsections
    Genre: Avantgarde
    WAV (16:05) [162.38 MB]
Press

the guardian on bancroft/rocco
Manchester Jazz Festival

The Guardian - Friday July 28, 2006

James Griffiths

Scottish drummer and composer Tom Bancroft is well known for the surreal sense of humour that informs much of his big-band writing. In Italian guitarist Enzo Rocco (billed somewhat ominously as "zany" in the programme notes), he has met his perfect sparring partner. This duo performance was a riot of musical mischief from the start, with Rocco blowing into a ref's whistle while brewing up a storm of Latin flavoured funk.

The first thing to notice is that this is, quite categorically, the wrong venue for this type of music. The Haden Freeman Hall's sumptuous classical acoustics too often blurred the edges of what would be a pin-sharp club performance. Still, the audience had a ball, with what was essentially an hour of seat-of-the-pants improvisation combined with generous helpings of absurdist performance art.

A tune called Beautiful Girl and Her Nose set out the duo's stall: a syncopated carnival march full of abrupt stops and starts, devious harmonic detours and an impudently frolicking guitar melody. Rocco's style is difficult to pin down but seems to combine eastern modes, blues scales and folksy rhythms, as well as a pure jazzer's mandatory taste for lighting fast strings of notes. As the concert went on he regaled us with smouldering tango, surfer-rock and the theme to Last of the Summer Wine.

Rocco and Bancroft obviously have great musical empathy; they anticipate and echo each other's phrasing, while their accelerations and diminuendos are beautifully synchronised.

When the "zaniness" kicked in, it was Bancroft leading the way, attacking his drums with an increasingly bizarre selection of objects. There was a child's doll, a feather duster whirring round on the end of an electric drill, and a sink plunger which made his tom-toms go "doing!" Call it zany or inspired, this was an evening with a big silly smile etched right across its face.

All About Jazz (glenn astarita)
Italian Modern Jazz Guitarist - Enzo Rocco

By Glenn Astarita

While guitarist/composer Enzo Rocco has been a major force on the Italian and European modern jazz scenes for quite some time, he has not garnered a whole lot of press on these American shores. Yet the Italian jazz scene for one has been a major force within this genre for quite some time as many Italian artists convincingly represent that fabled Romantic spirit along with a somewhat classic and time-honored penchant for ingenuity. In any event, Mr. Rocco is a modern thinker who demonstrates remarkable versatility. A characteristic that compliments his easily identifiable style as a superb technician who injects a myriad of concepts into his multifaceted musical persona! However, on each outing Rocco surfaces as a mastermind of invention along with his equally capable musical friends who seemingly share the guitarist’s keen visions and altogether comprehensive outlook on modern music.
Rocco’s 1999 release titled, Bad News From Tubatrio is an amalgamation of whimsically portrayed Italian folk themes, modern jazz improvisations and tight ensemble work. The band launches the proceedings with a piece titled, “IL Ritorno Del Naso” which features a marching band type motif intermingled with linear lines and fleet-fingered work by Giancarlo Schiaffini who performs on tuba and trombone. The guitarist contorts folksy or perhaps simplistic childlike themes and weaves them into up-tempo vehicles for improvisational extravaganzas on pieces such as “L’uovo di Eugenio” and “Funkybbutz”. Woodwind ace, Eugenio Colombo adds nuance, contrast and counterbalancing tonalities to many of these pieces yet the music is firmly rooted in modern jazz origins. Throughout, Rocco walks his guitar through various motifs as he implements gentle strokes, linear developments and punchy unison choruses with Schiaffini, while Fioravanti commands the solid underpinnings as the band often extends these quaint themes into sprightly free-jazz romps. Overall, the music and mode of execution is refreshing, dense and radiant as the tight arrangements and outstanding soloing renders an exciting and thoroughly winning formula.
* * * * (out of * * * * *)
Enzo Rocco; Guitar: Giancarlo Schiaffini; Tuba & Trombone: Ettore Fioravanti; Drums: Eugenio Colombo; Soprano & Alto Saxophones, Flute (on selected tracks)
Contact: roccomus@tin.it
Caligola Records Venice, Italy: tel# 041962205
Marketed & Distributed by: High Tide, tel#041959055, fax# 041959991
If you thought drum/guitar duets might represent a somewhat limited approach, that is not the case with Marche Aux Puces. Rocco and drummer Stefano Bagnoli get the job done in often-brilliant fashion on this beautifully recorded 1999 release. Pieces such as “Gare De Lion” and “Petite Bonne Esperance” combine raw power, a disciplined yet at times fancy free approach with captivating melodies and playful interplay as Rocco’s brisk, mid-toned lines and complex chord voicings serve as a near perfect match for Bagnoli’s polyrhythmic means of time-keeping. With this release, synergy, clever advances and tight coordination come to the forefront. Again, Rocco injects Italian folk themes into modern jazz style processes while Bagnoli pushes, prods and generally projects an expansive scope as a powerhouse drummer who also utilizes tiny percussion instruments to add shade and accent. On several occasions the musicians branch off into rapid-fire interplay without losing the groove or backbone of these compositions. “Garibba” is an all out blitz as the musicians soar skyward in loquacious fashion, further enhanced by Rocco’s blazing single note runs....Simply put, the musicians display a certain chemistry that is beyond reproach. There’s quite a bit for everyone here, as they rock, swing, mix it up with furious activity yet balance the proceedings with compositions that stick! - A superb effort brimming with heartfelt enthusiasm.......
* * * * * (out of * * * * *)
Enzo Rocco; Guitar: Stefano Bagnoli; Drums
Contact: artichaut@tin.it & roccomus@tin.it
Music Center – Milan Italy tel# 039/484774 – fax# 039/463211
On Pasodoble, Rocco teams up with his relatively well-known compatriot, saxophonist Carlo Actis Dato for a series of works that average two to four minutes in length, which makes for a compact and quite entertaining listening experience. With the first piece, “IL Bouzuki Blu” the guitarist commences with charmingly melodic single note licks that skirt the fringes of Spanish or perhaps flamenco stylizations, as you get the inner feeling that something unorthodox is about to occur. Here, Dato performing on baritone sax, blows low pitched drone-like extended notes amid Rocco’s deft picking as the duo abruptly shifts gears while stating a sublime melody featuring Dato’s raspy throated phrasing that contrasts Rocco’s intricate yet captivating lines. The musicians engage in a bit of cat and mouse on “Rufisque” via skittish interplay and jolting improv while “Le Tre Sorelle” sounds like a bedtime lullaby twisted into a jazz framework. Where, “L’ insistenza” is all about free-style expressionism as the artists delve into serious minded call and response that borders the – red zone – for all of it’s intensity and sheer power. All in all, no two pieces sound alike within the context of these nineteen tracks. - Essentially, the duo conveys an air of innocence - supplemented by an infusion of camaraderie and purposefulness. An amiable and rather tasty brew indeed!
* * * œ (out of * * * * *)
Enzo Rocco; Guitar: Carlo Actis Dato; Baritone & Tenor Saxophones, Bass Clarinet
Contact: roccomus@tin.it
Splasc(H) Records, Italy: tel# +39 (0)31-525450, fax# + 39 (0)31-525452
Enzo Rocco encounters the British free-jazz scene on this 2000 release titled, London Gigs as he continues his pursuance of duet settings, here performing side by side with some of Britain’s finest improvisers. With this recording we are presented with six pieces performed live at various venues in London as the guitarist engages a series of duets with the legendary saxophonist Lol Coxhill, bassist John Edwards, drummer Steve Noble and pianist Veryan Weston. Rocco and drummer Steve Noble turn it up a few notches on the fiery and somewhat jolting piece titled “Episode 21”, where the musicians go for the proverbial jugular as they rumble and tumble via an artfully conceived collision course that is apt to shock one’s senses. During the entire escapade, Rocco dissects his guitar with speedy single note flurries and crushing chord progressions as he matches the power and intensity of Noble’s shifty maneuvers and punishing rhythms. Rocco’s duets with soprano saxophonist Lol Cohxill might imply a counterattack style of execution, whereas, the twosome often mimic each other’s ongoing permutations, while Rocco bumps, grinds and offsets bassist John Edwards’ angular and steely edged plucking on “John’s Divertimento”. The final selection titled, “Vvsections” is an interesting sixteen-minute encounter with the great pianist, Veryan Weston as Rocco sheds his skin and bears it all while adding another chapter to his diverse and extremely impressive resume.
* * * * (out of * * * * *)
Enzo Rocco; Guitar: Lol Coxhill; Soprano Sax: John Edwards; Bass: Steve Noble; Drums: Veryan Weston; Piano
Contact: roccomus@tin.it
A “Prominence” recording
As of this writing I do not have any detailed information for North American distribution. However, you might want to check some of the well-known distributors who specialize in imports and recordings that are not normally sold through more familiar channels.

jazzbreak.com on ActisRoccoDuo
::: LE CRI DU PORT VOUS INVITE A UNE SOIREE A L'INSTITUT CULTUREL ITALIEN DE MARSEILLE :::

Le Cri du Port, membre de la Fédération des Scènes de Jazz et de Musiques Improvisées a choisi de consacrer cette année, en relation étroite avec l'Institut Culturel italien, une deuxième édition à Jazz au parfum d’Italie avec un programme consacré aux artistes transalpins (prochainement la chanteuse Valentina Casula avec Giovanni Mirabassi, le duo Guinga-Mirabassi (Gabriele cette fois), le quartet de Flavio Boltro).Dans ce bel édifice Art déco de la rue Fernand Pauriol, encore connu sous le nom de "Casa d'Italia" - Marseille est une des villes phares de l'émigration italienne au début du vingtième siècle - on pouvait assister samedi 7 février dernier à un roboratif numéro des deux musiciens Carlos Actis Dato & Enzo Rocco, excellente introduction à la projection en V.O (les copies sont actuellement introuvables) deProva d'orchestra de Fellini (encore un miracle à l'italienne). Ce film réalisé en 78, considéré comme le premier film politique de Fellini, **** tourné en pleine affaire Aldo Moro, chef de la Démocratie libérale dont l'enlèvement et l'assassinat par les Brigades Rouges bouleversa l'Italie. Le maestro s'appuya sur la musique composée par son fidèle complice, Nino ROTA pour réaliser une chronique de ces "années de plomb", allégorie du pouvoir dans un pays en pleine tourmente. Cette répétition d'un orchestre symphonique, dirigée par un chef non désiré, tourne à la plus grande confusion avant le drame, sous les yeux d'une équipe de télévision . Dans la série de saynètes vivement agencées de Dato/Rocco, on retrouve ce chaos phonétique qui mêle différents langages, diverses recettes épicées (un de leurs albums chez Splas(c) h records (!) ne s'intitule-t-il pas Paella & Norimaki ?) et rythmes divers : du jazz contemporain (avec une instrumentation au saxophone baryton, ténor / clarinette basse / et guitare), des improvisations délirantes, sonores autant que visuelles, des musiques populaires traditionnelles du monde entier.C'est que l'on fait un rapide tour du monde, des complaintes de la plaine du Pô (le tre sorelle) aux ballades napolitaines, de l'Amérique du Sud (Bamba rumba, mondo giusto - le Chili de Pinochet-) à l'Orient (brillante recréation à la nipponne avec Nakamura song).On s'amuse à suivre une parodie de heavy metal rock, ou une sérénade amoureuse entre guitare pincée et baryton enjôleur. Sifflant, grognant, frappant des mains, avec un jeu de scène très expressif, Carlos Actis Dato et Enzo Rocco arrivent à déconstruire des mélodies simples et à se les réapproprier, détournant des thèmes de flamenco, ou de western spaghetti.Le film de Fellini traite de cette folie qui peut s'emparer des musiciens quand ils s'identifient avec leur instrument. Sauf que dans le cas de nos duettistes, ils prennent leurs distances avec l'idée même de la "représentation" musicale. A des lieues du "sérieux" des musiciens d'orchestre, nos deux compères savent qu'ils jouent dans la cour des intermittents, en saltimbanque, une sacrée comedia dell'arte. A force de ne pas se prendre au sérieux, ils prennent le risque, selon les soirs, d'être considérés comme des amuseurs déguisés en clowns . Ce serait oublier que le duo est composé d'excellents musiciens : le Turinois Carlos Actis Dato, rompu à l’exigence du travail d'improvisation, a joué dans tous les types de formations, et en particulier dans l'excellent Italian Instabile Orchestra . Avec le guitariste de Crema, Enzo Rocco plus versé dans les productions théâtrales, ce sont les parfums d'Afrique et d'Arabie qui sont instillés dans les compositions. Ce qui donne au final un équilibre savant, même si c'est le burlesque qui prédomine (on pense aussi parfois à Benigni pour la verve et la truculence du débit). Car ils préfèrent jouer en (s')amusant, avec ce fond de dérision... italien et très politique.Notre Europe artistique verrouille encore bien ses frontières. C'était donc une occasion à ne pas rater de découvrir cette musique lyrique, drôle, exécutée par des instrumentistes de très haut niveau, qui ont arpenté beaucoup de contrées, en attendant une reconnaissance méritée chez nous.Et on vous invite à suivre la prescription de la plasticienne Armel Bour, dans son joli programme bigarré (de février à mai 2004), qui unit, en les annonçant, les programmateurs des différentes salles de jazz à Marseille : "Ecouter du jazz fait du bien" Oui, le jazz est à consommer sans modération. Faites passer !
:: Sophie Chambon ::.

clarin interview (buenos aires)
CLARIN - Lunes 15 de abril de 2002

ENZO ROCCO
Los sonidos de la libertad

El personal guitarrista, uno de los referentes del jazz contemporáneo en Italia, pasó por Buenos Aires en medio de una gira argentina que aprovechó para grabar con los mendocinos de Los Tres Atriles.
SANDRA DE LA FUENTE

El guitarrista Enzo Rocco es a los 38 años un referente importante del jazz contemporáneo italiano. Su música mezcla con desparpajo la tarantella y el free jazz con algo de rap, tango y folclore de cualquier lugar del mundo aprendido en alguna de sus giras.Aunque la frescura de su música parece negarlo, Rocco ha pasado por la Universidad de Bologna y ostenta el título de musicólogo especializado en semiótica de la música. "Fui discípulo de Umberto Eco. Lejos de inhibir mis raíces, Eco me ayudó a multiplicar la tarantella que yo llevaba adentro", afirma con una pronunciación que no suena extraña a ningún oído porteño."Lo mío empezó con el free jazz, pero la música popular italiana y la de otros países conviven en mí. El free jazz es una liberación total de la forma, aunque seguramente después de una hora de música queden solamente cinco minutos rescatables —asegura Rocco—. El free jazz estuvo conmigo junto al rock y la tarantella cuando tenía quince años; mucho antes estuvo Verdi. Mi papá me leía el libreto de Rigoletto, me explicaba que por qué sufría la Traviatta."- ¿Y el jazz cómo apareció?- Mi primer disco de jazz fue uno de John Coltrane con Eric Dolphy. Después descubrí que el jazz era mucho más que eso, que estaban Charlie Parker y muchísimos otros que no me interesaron especialmente. Me gustaba la energía del free jazz, es comparable a la del heavy metal. En algún momento me di cuenta de que no quería estudiar jazz en una escuela, que la academia sirve sólo para la música clásica. Quería hacer una música en la que sonara el jazz, la lírica, el heavy metal y el folclore. Naturalmente tardé muchos años en encontrarla. Algunos dicen que mi música es una fusión.- ¿Te gusta el término?- No, para nada. No me gusta en absoluto la idea de fusión y tampoco la de world music que se puede definir como ritmo americano o música occidental con un poco de perfume de tango o de alguna otra música local. La world music mata la música verdadera; intenta demostrar que lo importante es el ritmo americano. La palabra fusión tampoco me gusta porque me suena un poco a laboratorio, mezclar un poco de cada cosa buscando un buen resultado. Creo que el futuro de la música es la mezcla inconsciente. Me gustaría hacer una música en la que no se reconociera su origen. En Francia se habla de un folclore imaginario, una definición que a mí me gusta muchísimo: se escucha un folclore que extrañamente no tiene un origen particular.- ¿Cuál es la situación del jazz italiano?- En Italia hay muchísimos músicos que imitan el jazz americano y hay una gran corriente de músicos que tratan de hacer algo local. Me parece que el jazz europeo más importante viene hoy de Francia y de Italia. Por suerte no tenemos una Berklee School en Italia y el resultado de esto es una gran libertad que tienen los músicos. La Orquesta Inestable de Italia, por ejemplo, es una orquesta de 20 músicos que hacen lo que hago yo: una especie de free-tango-tarantella japonés espectacular.- ¿Qué te trajo a Buenos Aires?- Hace dos años me invitaron a un festival de jazz de San Rafael, que lo auspicia una bodega de Mendoza. Al director del festival le gustaba mi música y me organizó una pequeña gira por Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario y Buenos Aires. Este año volví para ampliar la gira y grabar con el grupo mendocino Los Tres Atriles.- ¿Por qué elegiste tocar la guitarra si te gustaba el saxo de Coltrane?- Mi primer instrumento fue el piano. Después de un año y medio de tocar arpegios y practicar solfeos, le imploré a mi papá que me permitiera abandonar ese suplicio. Un día pasamos por un negocio y vi una guitarra. Inmediatamente le pedí a papá que me la comprara, le prometí que no iba a abandonarla y no lo hice. Eso sí, soy autodidacta. - Sin embargo en tu música aparecen referencias a la música clásica.- Sí. A la música clásica llegué mucho más tarde. En un principio no me gustaban todos esos compositores que ya estaban muertos y que para colmo eran alemanes: Brahms, Beethoven, Bach; le tenía más cariño a Mozart, pero claro su música era más internacional y por lo tanto, más italiana. Ahora me gusta Beethoven, tiene una fuerza comparable al heavy metal, como el free jazz. La música de Bach no puedo escucharla por más de una hora. Los músicos de formación clásica creen que existe una única forma de interpretar cada obra. A mi me parece que a Bach le gustaría más escuchar las Variaciones Goldberg en manos de Gould que en las de otros miles de pianistas que tratan de seguir fielmente ciertos dogmas de interpretación. Creo que es mejor elegir la originalidad que la técnica. Por eso me interesó la libertad del jazz contemporáneo. Tengo la suerte de sentirme libre. A mí me gusta no tener una familia y vivir de hotel en hotel. La música que hago es el resultado de este tipo de vida. - Decías que una hora de Bach era suficiente, ¿cuánto tiempo resistís con el jazz contemporáneo?- Quince minutos.


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