FILIPPO DALL’ ASTA

THE HOT CLUB OF TENERIFE

Independent Label

Filippo Dall’Asta, lead guitar/composer; Kepa Martinez, clarinet/vocals; Yeray Herrera, rhythm guitar; Agustin Buenafuente, double bass; Fernando Angulo, drums; Ada Kwasniewicz, 1^st violin; Krzysztof Katana, 2^nd violin; Aldona Trybulec, viola; Monika Würsten, cello.

Italian guitarist, Filippo Dall’Asta is known for his modern spin on Gypsy Jazz, a music developed from Romani culture.  The original Romani music was born in Hungary and Italy as far back as the 1400s. It spread to several countries in Europe and was labeled Gypsy folk music. Django Reinhardt’s music became popular much later in the 1930s, nearly 100-years ago.

Unlike some other Gypsy musical groups inspired by Django Reinhardt, Filippo Dall’Asta has added drums to his production and a complete string ensemble.  He is the lead guitarist. This is an instrument he has been studying and developing since the age of five.

Dall’Asta has toured with a multitude of artists, performing in Italy, France, Spain, England, India and more.  He has made appearances at England’s Royal Albert Hall, the House of Parliament, the Tower of London, Union Chapel, and many festivals in both France and Italy.

For this album, Dall’Asta has composed four original songs along with classic jazz standards. All are arranged to reflect the Reinhardt attitude and style.  They open with the old familiar standard, “After You’ve Gone” played at a happy shuffle and featuring the clarinet of Kepa Martinez. This sounds more like a mixture of 1920 jazz and Gypsy music.  None the less, it’s very lyrical and stuffed like a piñata with joy and happiness. Dall’Asta takes a memorable guitar solo.

This is followed by the jazz standard, “Cherokee.”   At first, they use a modern twist on the introduction that sounds like the beginning of an Ike and Tina Turner song.  Then, the ensemble sings the melody without lyrics, with the guitar and bass strumming the rhythm beneath the vocals. After several bars, they transform the rhythm into a brief jazz waltz tempo.  It’s a very modern and intriguing arrangement that unfolds into a four/four shuffle with Dall’ Asta’s guitar singing atop the shuffle, like a swing dancer’s bop-step.

Track #3 is an original song that Dall’Asta has penned.  It’s quite melodic and is a song inspired by his spontaneous move to the island of Tenerife in Spain, along with his wife and two children.

“Once we arrived on the island, I embarked on an experiment.  For an entire year, I relied on my body’s instincts when making decisions.  If my body signaled positivity, I committed to saying ‘yes’ regardless of any conflicting thoughts,” Dall’Asta explained how his compositions manifested from that attitude.

“The Hot Club of Tenerife” stands as a testament to the power of trusting one’s instincts over rational thought, and embracing life’s adventures without knowing their outcomes,” Filippo Dall’Asta gives testimony to his creativity and this resulting album.

The repertoire of this unique album by The Hot Club of Tenerife combines modern arrangements with Gypsy jazz, mixing pop songs and jazz standards into the pot like a spicy island stew. The island of Tenerife, referred to in the album title, is the largest and most populated island of the Canary Islands.  It’s quite famous for its stunning black and golden beaches, some formed by volcanic eruptions over time.  On Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies” I can almost picture myself lying on the Tenerife beach, my body absorbing a peaceful, island afternoon sun with blue skies, and the guitars singing summer songs..

This album makes a surprisingly unique and unexpected blend of today’s music with a genre created hundreds of years ago.  Hearing Bobby Vinton’s “Lonely” tune revised by the Hot Club of Tenerife, move from a slow ballad intro into strumming guitar excitement, was a surprise. With vocals in Italian, the Hot Club of Tenerife locks hands with rhythm, the groove, and the listener.  These modern twists on the Gypsy genre, spotlight the historic Hot Club.  This album brings new perspective and enjoyment to enrich today’s spirit of jazz. Their album will be released in October of 2024.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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