Alessandra Celletti, "Way Out"
Alessandra Celletti has previously interpreted Glass, Gurdjieff and Satie with her splendidly vivid piano style. This third album of dramatic original material adds vocals and drums on some pieces and, incidentally, reminds me why I listen to music.
In the wrong hands, the sound of piano can easily tip into music that is either unpleasantly flowery or cold and unaffecting. Celletti consistently avoids these pitfalls with a light yet energetic approach. Some of her creations exude a sense of mischief while others rely on solemnity or a stark beauty. Most tracks on Way Out feature drummer Fabio Ferri and also transcendental, utopian, English-language lyrics written by Renzo Pin. From the violent passion of "Foolish Child" to the gentle, playful, almost café pop of "Hundred Points," Pin's words are cosmic enough to contend with the emotional range of Celletti's voice. Ferri's dynamic style is a good match too, most obviously on the instrumental "Burning," a blistering yet clean track of which Tortoise might be proud.
The balance is right on the mesmeric piece "Seventh Heaven" too, parts of which sound like the watercolor pastoralism of Virginia Astley merged with Gregorian undertones and the whispers of cheerfully insane ghosts. As a bonus, the beautiful title track from Celletti's album "Chi Mi Dara le Ali" is included with vocals by Giuseppe Atria.
Celletti released her first album Les sons et les parfums (works by Debussy, Ravel and Satie) in 1994. Then with Viaggio a Praga she explored Bohemian composition. Amongst the recognition of her music have come scholarships, commercial success, and the use of her interpretation of Satie's "Gnossienne #1" in the movie Revolver. In November 2007, The Golden Fly an exquisite album of her solo piano compositions was released in Italy. She plays the piano with admirable clarity, intellectual substance, hypnotic restraint, and an expressionistic, theatrical soul. All of which makes me wonder how on earth I have avoided her until now. Certainly, such a discovery makes worthwhile the hours spent diligently listening to countless humdrum disappointing releases. Ciao Alessandra, Goodbye Heart.
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