MAX IONATA “Tivoli”

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ARTIST

Max Ionata

ALBUM TITLE

“Tivoli”

LABEL

Mingus Records

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A kind of fatal attraction – that is what binds Max Ionata to Copenhagen: its light, its atmosphere, and, naturally, its musical milieu. A firmly established figure on the Italian jazz scene, the tenor saxophonist boasts some seventy recordings to his name, along with collaborations with leading figures of Italian jazz – Giovanni Tommaso, Dino Piana, Enrico Pieranunzi – and international artists such as Billy Hart, Robin Eubanks, Steve Grossman, and Mike Stern, not to mention occasional forays into high-quality popular music alongside Ornella Vanoni, Renzo Arbore, and Sergio Cammariere.

With “Tivoli”, the Abruzzo-born musician signs one of his most convincing projects to date. Central to the album’s success is the Special Edition quartet, a group that represents the natural evolution of the pianoless trio which attracted attention in 2023 with “Like”, also released on Mingus Records, the label run by the Danish bassist Jesper Bodilsen. Here, alongside the well-established rhythm section featuring Boldisen and drummer Martin Maretti Andersen, the presence of Swedish pianist Martin Sjöstedt proves decisive, adding an extra dimension to the group’s sound, particularly on the harmonic level – an elegant accompanist and a measured, refined soloist.

From the very opening track – the beguiling “Canción para Sara” by Argentine composer Sergio Rubén Aranda – what immediately stands out is the ensemble’s sound: compact, fluid, and marked by a strong collective breath. The overall atmosphere is intimate and relaxed, yet never predictable. The repertoire finds its strongest moments in the ballads: the gently melancholic “Consolation”, by the late trumpeter Kenny Wheeler – “an artist who has always inspired my way of conveying emotions”, as the leader notes; the nocturnal, velvety “When We Were One” by Johnny Griffin; and the lyrical “Det Lysner” by Bodilsen, which unfolds gradually, almost in a subterranean manner, before opening into a liberating finale for all four soloists.

Among Ionata’s three original compositions – all well crafted and engaging – special mention goes to the radiant “Tivoli”, whose title refers to the famous gardens and amusement park in the Danish capital.

Ivo Franchi

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