Argenti & Rosa: To The Old Friendship (2003)

Jim Santella

Senior Contributor since 1997

Jim Santella has been contributing CD reviews, concert reviews and DVD reviews to AAJ since 1997. His work has also appeared in Southland Blues, The L.A. Jazz Scene, and Cadence Magazine.

Recent articles (1,677 total)

Published: May 1, 2003

Two forward-leaning jazz artists team up for this session of modern sounds. The 40-minute program features creative improvisation based on all original compositions. Pianist Ferdinando Argenti pushes the envelope with deep percussive thrusts in support of his soaring melodic airs. Guitarist Enrico Rosa comes from the Wes Montgomery school of melodic interpretation. Together, the two swing deftly and with passion.

Both artists originally hail from Italy. Now based in New England, Argenti graduated from the Boston's Berklee School of Music. Rosa and his wife, Eva, live in Copenhagen, where they teach and continue to fuel their love of mainstream jazz. While the reuniting of two old friends carries with it a certain amount of emotion, the duo’s album goes much further. Ballads, blues, and fierce jazz syncopation color their meeting with powerful, straight-ahead hues. Theirs is the kind of session that you can sink your teeth into — along with nodding head and dancing feet.

Audio samples from the album may be found at enricorosa.com .

Track Listing: Sqwaqwaz; Copenhagen; Mondiale; Three Minutes Blues; Dubbio; Boston.

Personnel: Ferdinando Argenti- piano; Enrico Rosa- guitar; Eva Rosa- alto recorder on

Record Label: DO-RE
Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream