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About Pastel, Solo Piano
Product Description Rossano Sportiello's prodigious technique and full command of the keyboard is readily apparent while listening to this solo piano recording. His highly refined musical sense of taste and style allows him to perform with ease and grace. Sportiello is truly and grand master of jazz piano. Review In the prior review, I referred to 'the prodigious piano artistry of Dick Hyman,' and that description can also be applied to ROSSANO SPORTIELLO. On Pastel (Arbors 19454), which could be subtitled The Gentle Side of Rossano Sportiello, he has chosen an eclectic program, that includes selections from classical music, the Great American Songbook, jazz, and a couple of originals, to create 13 tracks of pure delight. He is particularly sagacious in pairing the likes of Grieg's 'Arietta op. 21' with 'Like Someone in Love,' and Debussy's 'Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum' with 'Lush Life.' Also special is his pairing of two gorgeous Johnny Mandel melodies, 'A Time for Love' and 'Close Enough for Love.' One of the distinctive aspects of Sportiello's playing is his delicate, sensitive touch. He treats the keyboard like an extension of his body, and gives it the same kind of care and respect that he does for his own being. His composition, 'Dedicated to George Shearing,' reflects his admiration for another jazz pianist who incorporated classical influences into his jazz excursions. Sportiello is among the front rank of jazz pianists, and this album gives ample proof of why that is the reality. Joseph Lang --Jersey Jazz Rossano Sportiello is a superior swing pianist with a style wider-ranging than one may expect. Born in Italy 43 years ago and a professional musician by the time he was 16, he was first discovered by the jazz world when he played with trombonist Dan Barrett in 2002. Sportiello began performing in the United States the following year and has been based in New York since 2007. This solo album finds Sportiello not only displaying the influence of Art Tatum, Teddy Wilson and Dick Hyman but also his classical background. From the start of the opener ''All Through The Night'', there is never any doubt that Sportiello is a brilliant player. This rendition is filled with sophisticated chords, rapid ideas and effortless swing. Three of the performances are medleys. A swinging ''Like Someone In Love'' (which includes some bass lines worthy of Dave McKenna) is sandwiched by a Grieg melody, ''Arietta op. 21'', taken as an out-of-tempo ballad. ''Lush Life'' is also surrounded by a dreamy melody, in this case Debussy's ''Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum'', while a pretty version of ''A Time For Love'' serves in the same function for a heated ''Close Enough For Love''. The other selections include a pair of classical melodies (''Waltz From Masquerade'' and ''Voglia e Turna''), tasteful versions of ''Dancing In The Dark'' and ''When I Fall In Love'' that keep the melody close by, a beautiful original melody (''Hymn'') that sounds like Americana from 1910, a soft-spoken ballad (''Dedicated To George Shearing'') on which Sportiello surprisingly does not sound at all like the dedicatee and a hard-swinging ''Nobody Else But Me''. In addition, two numbers (Red Callender's title track and ''That s My Kick'') give Sportiello an opportunity to pay tribute to Erroll Garner. Even with the hints at some of his predecessors, the most impressive aspect to Pastel is that Sportiello sounds very much like himself. by Scott Yanow Sept 2017 --The New York City Jazz Record
