REVIEWS
Opinions that matter
Jazzit, 2010 - review by Luciano Vanni.
"Flamingo" cd.
Andrea Tofanelli | ACM Records (2010)
“Flamingo” is the final product of a long work of orchestral musical organization, commissioned by the Italian trumpeter Andrea Tofanelli in America. The idea is to equip a big band with infinite stylistic means, drawing on both more retro sounds and more modern solutions. The beginning of the album has a flavor of other times, which evokes the memory of the sound of Maynard Ferguson's orchestra, but already starting from the homage to the composer Giacomo Puccini with the swing elaboration of the "Nessun Dorma", the expressive spectrum becomes decidedly more velvety. The album also contains highly lyrical and intimate moments, such as the duo with pianist Mauro Grossi in “The Last Legend”, Latin fragments tinged with “Father” and smooth funk with “Deal With It”. Andrea Tofanelli's instrumental voice stands out for its virtuosity, for the very brilliant use of vibrato and for a strong emotional charge impressed in every single note emitted.
Jazz Music, July 2010 - review by Gian Mario Maletto
"Flamingo" cd (Blue Stamp: RECOMMENDED BY MUSICA JAZZ)
Andrea Tofanelli | ACM Records (2010 )
There are, even in Italian jazz, musicians of a mold worthy of being defined as “classic”, so much in their expression that they recall the comparison with the great soloists of history. In particular, they have an admirably achieved perfection of style and apparently (but only apparently) privileged on the search for the new and on instinct. In this rare group there is certainly the trumpet player from Versilia Andrea Tofanelli, who is supported by the long collaboration with Maynard Ferguson and the cult he maintains towards the Canadian champion. His new record sees him stand out at the center of an orchestra gathered in California among valued musicians and directed in turn by the arrangers, who make use of all kinds of texts, including Puccini and Modugno (and also the Pino Iodice of "Melodia Infinita "). On the sidelines as an organic are the two songs written by Tofanelli himself: the quartet of “Dania's Theme” and the duo of “The Last Legend”, a very fine dedication to Ferguson, which Mauro Grossi knows how to masterfully share. A good record, "classic" in fact.
Frank Foster
composer and arranger of the Count Basie Orchestra
2-time Grammy Award winner
Liner notes of the cd "More Than Just Friends", winner of the "SWISS JAZZ PRIZE 2010".
Dani Felber Big Band, first trumpet Andrea Tofanelli.
... the song "Discommotion" gives the band the opportunity to demonstrate their musical prowess ... After an exciting interplay between sax and brass, the dazzling ensemble finishes this song with a blinding roar, but not before a very high trumpet (Andrea Tofanelli) you overheat it further with some torrid solo lines that culminate with the ferocious explosion of a C Trisacuto. I have never heard anything like this on any other previous big band recording. "I must emphasize once again that this wonderful ensemble performs practically superhuman deeds in this surprising cd "
International Trumpet Guild, USA - January 2011 - reviewed by David Bohnert, Wayne State College, NE
"Earth Games 2012" cd. Nicola Ferro composer - Andrea Tofanelli soloist | Summit Records (2010)
"Earth Games 2012" is a heterogeneous set of styles, performed by some of the best musicians in the world today. The instrumentation includes a brass quartet (including Andrea Tofanelli, Joe Alessi, Nicola Ferro himself and Justin B. Clark), with a rhythm section and the tuba, but the repertoire is anything but typical for a brass quartet. . The disc is a collection of 4 suites intended to be a "virtual journey through time and space", inspired by the prophecy of Pacal Votan (Mayan ruler of the seventh century) who indicates December 21, 2012 as the closing date of the cycle of this era. of the world. Many sounds on the record are manipulated or created electronically and represent an interesting fusion of jazz, pop, blues, oriental and alternative styles. The performances are exceptional, and Tofanelli's stellar way of playing the trumpet showcases his extremely wide high register and his ease in controlling it.
International Trumpet Guild, USA - January 2011 - reviewed by Thomas Erdmann, Elon University, NC
"Flamingo" cd
Andrea Tofanelli | ACM Records (2010)
Blending popular music with the virtuosity of the high register, Andrea Tofanelli's American recording debut is a collection of original and popular pieces performed in an orchestral jazz style. Tofanelli never disappoints, backed by a solid big band, including trumpet players like Wayne Bergeron, plus a full-bodied orchestral full of strings treated in the Sinatra style. In summary, the Italian trumpeter has never sounded better. Its timbre is even more rounded, its upper register more full-bodied, and its usual perfection in the stratosphere of the trumpet is more acute than ever, which, speaking of Tofanelli, means saying everything. Whether in ballads like his "The Last Legend" or in Puccini's "Nessun Dorma", Tofanelli offers 40 minutes of flamboyant pyrotechnic adventures. The few improvised solos he takes show however that he is as skilled as any other contemporary jazz player.
All About Jazz, ITALY - review by Valerio Prigiotti - 2010
All About Jazz 2010, USA - Review by Nicholas F. Mondello
"Flamingo" cd
Andrea Tofanelli | ACM Records (2010)
In 1974, a reckless French tightrope walker named Philippe Petit walked at a dizzying height on a cable that connected the Twin Towers to New York. He was able to electrify the pre-internet, pre-YouTube world by crossing the distance between the two buildings 8 times, an act of incredible skill, competition and courage which he then recounted in detail in his book "To Reach the Clouds" (North Point Press, 2002). Similarly, with this record "Flamingo" the Italian trumpeter Andrea Tofanelli has performed his incredible feat in a magnificent way, playing with skill and brilliance at prohibitive heights. Tofanelli has climbed the heights of the trumpet world, with an almost superhuman ability to bring this instrument into and beyond that rarefied realm frequented by the likes of Maynard Ferguson, Cat Anderson and Bud Brisbois. By avoiding strangling these sounds and playing them as a purely gymnastic exercise, Tofanelli demonstrates instead that he is a pure musician and a magician in all registers, managing to reach the limits of the audible, where no one has ever reached before. "Flamingo" kicks off with a fresh reworking in a Latin key of "Volare", a success of the '60s by Domenico Modugno. The pun is on the word “fly”, and in fact Tofanelli flies beyond the stratosphere, in all its areas. The title could come directly from the repertoire of Ferguson or Stan Kenton, while the inclusion of songs such as "Nessun Dorma" and "Melodia Infinita" highlight the musicality with which Tofanelli uses its extension and its potential. No sounds like that have been heard since Maynard Ferguson (for whom Tofanelli composed and performed "The Last Legend") reigned in the trumpeter Olympus. The skill and the sober taste of the flugelhorn shine in songs like "Father" and "Dania's Theme", which show how he has the artistic intelligence and the heart to always think about music and phrasing, and not only about acute register. In fact, he carefully avoids using the soft sound of the flugelhorn on shrill and high-pitched registers, as many do. And, to his credit, this acutist is also capable of jazz: in the song “To Bop” his phrasing is stellar. With “Who's Your Daddy?”, A seething Latin piece with Sandoval-style high notes, it completes what we can define as a real “tour de force” of its acute potential. Compared to Tofanelli, any other trumpeter could be intimidated by this question ("Who's Your Daddy?" Literally means "Who is your father?", Or "But who are you?"), To which Tofanelli really answers in a definitive way. The rhythmics put together to record this record tastefully support it in “Deal With It”. The songs have a European flavor, but the execution is swinging, intense and with a lot of shooting. The big band also supports Tofanelli with pride and energy. The total judgment on this production is excellent, certainly a challenge also for the powerful executive skills of Tofanelli. Surely Maynard Ferguson, Cat Anderson and Bud Brisbois will be smiling from the "room upstairs", knowing that their baton has passed into the hands of this wonderful musical talent. The name of Tofanelli can easily be added to those of the Pantheon of the great acute players. While music aficionados and musicians themselves will likely pause to consider his artistic prowess, trumpet players will instead bow to the talent, skill and musicality of Andrea Tofanelli, a stellar phenomenon.
source: www.allaboutjazz.com
“Rendez-Vous”, Official Journal of Luxembourg - 02/2007
"Trumpet Summit: Randy Brecker, Claudio Roditi, Andrea Tofanelli, Ernie Hammes (2 March 2007), a summit of the most incredible trumpet players in the world, something never seen in Luxembourg"
Review of the Maynard Ferguson Tribute concert at Rowan Jazz Festival, Philadelphia USA, 2007.
"Some musicians take months to learn music," said prof. Gorge Rabbai from the Music Department “But with Tofanelli everything came out really well with just one rehearsal”.
source: Magazine www.thewhitonline.com