Having listened to Italian bassist and composer Jacopo Ferrazza’s 2017 trio album “Rebirth”, it was

clear to me that there was a sense of theatre to his music, even given the sparseness of a
guitar/bass/drums recording. The bassist’s latest offering “Fantàsia” however, takes the theatrical
nature of his compositions onto a whole new level altogether… and then some. Imagine a full-scale
Broadway musical, with vocals, ensemble, written and performed with jazz sensibilities, add in a
pinch of fairytale magic, and hey presto, this album is what happens.

There’s huge scope and ambition to this latest project from Ferrazza. It’s dynamic, engrossing and
entertaining, lavishly produced and wonderfully crafted. The soundscapes created twist and turn, as
dreams become nightmares and light becomes dark. If “Fantàsia” was a movie, it would have been
made by Guillermo del toro, a storyteller blurring the lines between good and evil, repentance and
delight, intertwining visions of dark mysterious worlds, and innocence and beauty.

Jacopo Farrazza, the band-leader, bassist and composer, is joined on this recording by vocalist
Allesandra Diodati, pianist Enrico Zanisi, cellist Livia de Romanis, drummer Valerio Vantaggio,
trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso, and saxophonist Marcello Allulli. The level of musicianship throughout
is impeccable, as the musicians bring Farrazza’s wondrous compositions to life, taking the listener
on a journey of dramatic adventure and discovery.

The ensemble sounds larger than it actually is, due in no small part to the flamboyance of the
writer’s tunes. Melodramatic and filled with a heady mix of tragedy and fortune, the musicians
bring the tunes to life like Shakespearian actors in a modern-day play. Depending on how the mood
takes me, the characterful soundscapes bring pictures to my mind; at times of a deep, meaningful,
unknown universe, brimming with colour and dynamism. Or on the other hand, I could be watching
a Walt Disney movie… but there’s nothing wrong in that!

“Fantàsia” is a delightful album from Ferrazza. If you like your musical theatre, you’ll love this. As
they say, there’s something for everyone to enjoy here.

Mike Gates for UK VIBE

https://ukvibe.org/album_reviews/jacopo-ferrazza/