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I’m also of the opinion that free improvisation isn’t his strong suit. When he uses computer processing and electronics to create textural, drone-based music–as he does in Masul, his duo with Swiss reedist Thomas Mejer–he can really nail it, but in more straightforward improv settings he struggles a little. Though he’s very skilled, he can be tentative when there’s no score or no clear leader.
The spry arrangements are packed with tricky zigzagging lines and tart harmonies, and a swing feel dominates, though the compositions are hardly square or retro; this pushes the front-line players toward postbop gambits we don’t always hear in their own work. There’s plenty of solo space for each member, but I think Giallorenzo makes the most of his time–probably because he knows the tunes more intimately. He also does a terrific job vamping and making provocative interjections behind other soloists.
