Stefano di Battista

Blue Note's French division released Stefano Di Battista's debut, A Prima Vista, in 1998, but this self-titled disc is the alto and soprano saxophonist's first offering to be made available in the U.S. It comes on the heels of a high-profile guest appearance on Jacky Terrasson's A Paris... and, fittingly, Di Battista hired his friend Terrasson to be the pianist on his own record. Also present for the session are bassist Rosario Bonaccorso and drum legend Elvin Jones, with trumpeter Flavio Boltro sitting in on three tracks. Di Battista evinces a true melodic gift on pieces such as "Elvin's Song" and "Your Romance," but he's also capable of burning it up in a manner reminiscent of Kenny Garrett on "Nico's Dream" and "Adderley." (For those who suspect Elvin Jones' chops have lessened with age, the two latter cuts ought to dispel such notions.) There's a hint of Coltrane in Di Battista's soprano work, and on "Johnny's Time" he makes explicit his debt to the late altoist Johnny Hodges. In addition to the eight strong Di Battista originals, bassist Bonaccorso contributes a medium-slow line titled "Song for Flavia." Terrasson also brings in two charts of his own: "Little Red Ribbon" appeared on his 1999 album What It Is and is heard here as an affecting soprano sax/piano duo; and "Chicago 1987," a deliciously slow blues, closed Rendezvous, Terrasson's 1997 co-led effort with Cassandra Wilson. Terrasson in fact lends his telltale ingenuity to the entire session — don't miss his startling reference to Randy Weston's "Hi-Fly" during "Time for a Solo." ~ David R. Adler, Rovi