Aldo Romano

April 2003, at the fourth JAZZPAR Prize Concert in TIVOLI Copenhagen, Mayor of the Danish capital, Jens Kramer Mikkelsen, presented Prize Winner Andrew Hill with the JAZZPAR Statuette and a cash award of DKK 200,000 (approximately USD 30,000)

On the same occasion, The International JAZZPAR Prize Committee announced the five nominees for the 15^th JAZZPAR Prize, the world’s largest award of its kind. It is now official that The JAZZPAR Prize Winner 2004 is the Italian drummer, composer and ensemble leader Aldo Romano – the second Italian and sixth European out of 15 prize-winners since 1990.

Romano will perform with a combo at a number of concerts culminating with the Prize Concert in TIVOLI, Sunday afternoon April 25, 2004.

Attached you will find a biography and discography of Aldo Romano. Further information regarding the JAZZPAR Project, including high resolution press photos to download, is available on the site www.jazzpar.dk.

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Aldo Romano

Italian drummer, composer and ensemble leader,

born January 16 1941, Belluno, Veneto.

French or Italian?
The Romano family moved to France when Aldo was seven years old. Ever since he has worked and lived in the European center of jazz: Paris. But he still has his Italian citizenship.

The beginning
Romano studied guitar and was already playing professionally in Paris in the 1950s. After hearing Donald Byrd’s group with drummer Arthur Taylor through the air-shaft in the street, Romano took up the drums 20 years old. He is basically self-taught and an admirer of Philly Joe Jones, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Ed Blackwell and Billy Higgins. In the early 1960s Romano was employed with Barney Wilen’s and Michel Portal’s local modern groups. This led to Romano playing with visiting Americans including Jackie McLean, Bud Powell, Stan Getz and Kenney Drew.

“Free Jazz”
Romano met bass player Jean-François Jenny-Clark from whom he was inseparable for a long while. As early as 1964 the drummer was involved in one of the first European free jazz formations. Over the next few years the drum playing of Sunny Murray among others influenced him. Also playing regularly with Don Cherry (JAZZPAR Nominee 1991) and Gato Barbieri made an impression. Romano fondly remembers his first visit to Denmark in 1966 when he played at the Café Montmartre in Copenhagen with Cherry’s band including Barbieri. With these two musicians, plus notably Enrico Rava (JAZZPAR Prize Winner 2002) and Steve Lacy (JAZZPAR Nominee 1998), Romano took part in the recording of New Feelings, under the responsibility of Giorgio Gaslini. He worked simultaneously with Barney Wilen and Michel Portal (JAZZPAR Nominee 1997), and also with less avant-garde musicians such as Eddy Louiss, Jean-Luc Ponty, Phil Woods or Charles Tolliver.

Rock and the combining of aesthetics
Romano met Joachim Kühn and worked regularly with him over a number of years. In 1967, they made two records together on a trip to the United States, where Joachim and Rolf Kühn’s quartet was performing at the Newport Festival. Early on Romano proved to be interested in the possibility of combining the aesthetics of free jazz with the binary rhythm of rock music. This spawned a number of albums in 1968 where Romano played a vital part. In 1969, a particularly fertile year, he recorded with Kühn, Portal, Lacy, worked with Keith Jarrett for a while, and in 1970 formed Total Issue with flautist Chris Hayward, guitarist Georges Locatelli and bass player Henri Texier, an attempt at fusion in which Romano revealed a new facet of his talent because, as well as playing the drums and guitar, he sang. The commercial failure of Total Issue eventually caused the group to split. Romano then spent most of his time playing as a sideman, often in the company of Jenny-Clark, for French and American band-leaders.
In 1974 Aldo Romano formed Pork Pie with saxophonist Charlie Mariano, keyboardist Jasper Van’t Hoff, guitarist Philip Catherine and Henry Texier, rapidly replaced by Jenny-Clark. In 1977 he reunited with Enrico Rava who took him and Jenny-Clark on in his quartet with trombonist Roswell Rudd. On one of the quartet’s trips to Rome, Romano recorded an album made up exclusively of duos with Jenny-Clark, dedicated to Pavese – this extraordinary album includes a recital of the Italian poet's texts. Romano released his first album as a leader with Claude Barthélémy and the following years the group Alma Latina brought together several young musicians discovered by the drummer, in particular Jean-Pierre Fouquey and Benoît Wideman, and also old friends such as Philip Catherine.

Small groups
During the 1980s Romano looked back to his earlier style, to the small-group free music. He brought pianist Michel Petrucciani to the world’s attention, by introducing him to the producer of Owl Records. In trios they made several records. Then Romano recorded with Catherine and with Texier and saxophonist Eric Barret. In 1988 Romano’s Italian roots were fondly remembered with the foundation of his Italian Quartet with Paolo Fresu, Franco D’Andrea, and Furio Di Castri. This quartet recorded a collection of Italian songs on Palatino – named after the Rome-Paris night train – which also includes Glen Ferris on trombone.

The nomad
A versatile and original instrumentalist, Aldo Romano has gradually proved himself to be an imaginative musician and composer, anxious to go further than some people’s academic boundaries of jazz, without, however, developing any kind of musical demagogy. This was demonstrated by the trio he formed in 1995 with Louis Sclavis (JAZZPAR Nominee 2002) and Henri Texier for a three-week tour of six Central African countries. In the resulting melodic album each note and every rhythm conjures up a whole universe. Three years later the three companions renewed the experience with a trip around Eastern Africa. His taste for foreign ambiences brought Romano to compose Corners accompanied by Tim Miller (g), Mauro Negri (cl) and Ronnie Paterson (p).
Aldo Romano is inspired by certain places across the world. His music is sometimes happy. But more often Romano is “nostalgic for the unknown land without man’s dangerous lack of concern”, he has said. Intervista (Verve, 2001) – with bassist Palle Danielsson, saxophonist Stefano di Battista, and Brazilian guitarist Nelson Veras – is a overview of his musical career, with Ornette Coleman inspired tunes, Latin-American compositions and operatic arias.

Bechet
Recently Aldo Romano has recorded the album Because of Bechet with electronic and sampling colors. Only a musician of Romano’s caliber could re-examine Sidney Bechet from his own story’s viewpoint and that of our present. Bechet seems to have been locked away forever. To re-read the great clarinet and soprano player, the whole tradition must be known from the inside. But it is a daring process trying to isolate the part of the timeless, which make the greatest artists distinctive. Romano was content to listen to Bechet as he was, and play with him like he might have done with a Coltrane. And so, in the course of a phrase improvised by the remarkable saxophonist there might be an echo of A Love Supreme? All of a sudden, the Rues d'Antibes, Les Oignons, even the Petite Fleur, that everyone had been churning out for years, flourish with a color and swing in mint condition. This has nothing to do with cosmetic uplifts according to the taste of the day. Bechet’s soprano, teleported by contemporary computers and sampling, springs up all on its own and lets itself be carried, like the most natural thing in the world, by the drumming of Aldo Romano.

His music
Aldo Romano is playing with a raw insouciance. He vigorously moves between free drumming and the time-keeping role. Any group with Romano will have some relaxed insouciantly moments as well as music with a pugnacious swing.
His compositions have a recognizable Franco-Italian style, compounded of bebop elements with a folk strain, dance and formal concert music, and exceed the mainstream.
The 62 years old Aldo Romano has lifted the music on an impressive list of records with well-known as well as less known artists. Throughout his career he has been faithful to his own and his fellow musicians’ artistic ambitions. But he hasn’t received the international recognition he deserves.

Aldo Romano selected discography

As sideman / collaborate

• Don Cherry: Togetherness (Durium, France 1965)
• Steve Lacy Trio: Disposability (RCA, Italy 1965)
• Giorgio Gaslini Ensemble: Nuovi sentimenti (HMV, Italy 1966)
• Michael Mantler, Steve Lacy, Carla Bley and Kent Carter: Jazz Realities (Fontana, Holland 1966)
• Steve Lacy: Sortie (Polydor, Italy 1966)
• Rolf Kuhn: Impressions of New York (Imp, USA 1967)
• Francois Tusques: Le nouveau Jazz (Mouloudji, France 1967)
• Rolf and Joachim Kuhn: Transfiguration (MPS, Germany 1967)
• Gato Barbieri: Obsession (Affinity, Italy 1967)
• Barney Wilen: Dear Prof Leary (MPS, Germany 1968)
• Giorgio Azzolini: Crucial moment (Car, Italy 1968)
• Joachim Kuhn: Sounds of feelings (Byg, Germany 1969)
• Michel Portal: Our meaning and our feelings (Pathe, France 1969)
• Steve Lacy: Epistrophy (Byg, France 1969)
• Steve Kuhn, Steve Swallow: Childhood is forever (Byg, France 1969)
• Joachim Kuhn: Paris is wonderful (Byg, France 1969)
• Total Issue (United Artists, Paris 1970)
• Karin Krog: Different days, different ways (Philips, Sweden 1970)
• Robin Kenyatta's Free State Band (America, France 1972)
• Chris Hinze, James Moody, Jeremy Steig, Sahib Shihab and Joachim Kuhn: Flute Summit (Alt, Germany 1973)
• Pork Pie: Transitory (1973)
• Jasper van 't Hof: Transitory (MPS, Germany 1974)
• Charlie Mariano: Jazz a confronto, Vol. 15 (Horo, Italy 1975)
• The Paris Quartet: Jazz a Confronto Vol.28 (Horo, Italy 1975)
• Franz Koglmann: Opium for Franz (Pipe, France 1975)
• Francois Jeanneau: Techniques douces (Owl, France 1976)
• Michel Graillier: Ad Lib ( Musica, France 1976)
• François Jeanneau: EPHEMERE (Owl, France 1977)
• Jean-Francois Jenny-Clark duo: Devieto di Santificzaione (Horo, Italy 1977)
• Massimo Urbani: Invitation (Philology, Italy 1977)
• Enrico Rava Quartet (ECM, GErmany 1978)
• Henri Texier: A cordes et a cris (JMS, France 1979)
• Gordon Beck: Sunbird (Cobalt, France 1979)
• Philippe Petit: For all the life, you are in my heart (Musica, France 1979)
• Clarinet Summit: “Live” You better fly away (MPS, Germany 1979)
• Christian Escoude: Return (Red, Italy 1979)
• Jasper Van't Hof, Bob Malach, Didier Lockwood, Bo Stief: Eyeball (CMP, Germany 1980)
• Jasper Van't Hof + Eyeball: Jazzbühne Berlin ’80, Vol 8 (Wave Special, Germnay 1980)
• Michel Graillier: DREAM DROPS (Owl, France 1981)
• Michel Petrucciani Trio: Estate (IRD, Italy 1982)
• Philip Catherine: Transparence (Inakustik 1986)
• Henri Texier: Izlaz (Label Bleu, France 1988)
• Henri Texier: Colonel Skopje (Label Bleu, France 1988)
• Steve Kuhn: Oceans In The Sky (Owl, France 1989)
• Ron McClure and John Abercrombie: YESTERDAY’S TOMORROW (EPS, France 1989)
• Michel Petrucciani: PLAYGROUND (Blue Note, USA 1991)
• Pietro Tonolo: Tresse (Splasc(h) 1992)
• Michel Benita: Soul (Label Bleu, France 1993)
• European Music Orchestra: GUEST (Soul Note, Italy 1994)
• Michel Portal: CINEMAS (Label Bleu, France 1994-95)
• Jasper Van't Hof: Face To Face (Intuition Music, Germany 1995)
• Louis Sclavis and Henri Texier: Carnet De Routes (Label Bleu 1995)
• Louis Sclavis and Henri Texier: Suite Africaine (Label Bleu 1999)
• Joe Lovano: TEN TALES (EmArcy 2003)

As leader

• Il Piacere (Owl, France 1978)
• Night diary (Owl, Holland 1980)
• ALMA LATINA (EmArcy 1983)
• To Be Ornette To Be (Rhino, Italy 1989)
• Water Dreams (Owl, Italy 1990)
• Ritual (Rhino, Italy 1991)
• Non Dimenticar (Verve 1994)
• Prosodie (Verve 1995)
• Canzoni (Enja 1997)
• Palatino (Label Bleu, France 1998)
• CORNERS (Label Bleu, 1999)
• Intervista (Verve, 2001)
• Because of Bechet (EmArcy, 2002)

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The international Prize Committee
The panel of acknowledged jazz authorities headed by its non-voting chairman, Cim Meyer (Denmark), had the following members in 2003: Filippo Bianchi (Italy), Alex Dutilh (France), Peter H. Larsen (Denmark), Dan Morgenstern (USA), Brian Priestley (Great Britain) plus Boris Rabinowitsch (Denmark).

The JAZZPAR Prize Criteria
Many candidates are discussed every year. To reach its decisions The Committee has only a few predetermined criteria or rather guidelines to follow, the most important being that The Prize can be awarded only to an internationally known and fully active jazz artist who is specially deserving of further acclaim. A great number of jazz musicians fully satisfy such criteria.

Openness a keyword
It has never been the intention of JAZZPAR that The Winners should represent a special artistic approach, style or line. On the contrary, it has always been essential for The Committee to manifest openness. The aim is not to bestow still another honor on those already firmly established in Easy Street – but an opportunity to broaden the scope and stimulate and facilitate the activity of choice artists. The quality of the music and the situation in which it is created are the decisive factors. The long-term vision is that society some day will fully acknowledge jazz as one of the important art forms of our time.

The JAZZPAR Concerts
At the 2003 Copenhagen JAZZPAR Prize Concert in TIVOLI the American pianist, composer and bandleader, Andrew Hill, was the ninth American to be awarded The JAZZPAR Prize. Danish mayor of Copenhagen, Jens Kramer Mikkelsen, presented The Winner with The Prize. In return Hill and 12 musicians, including the Danish band leader and saxophonist Lars Møller, fronted a quartet, with Geri Allen (Prize Winner 1996), Buster Williams and Billy Hart, specially assembled for the JAZZPAR Project 2003, played a sterling concert that gave ample proof of their extraordinary powers as musicians. Also astonishing was their art and craft exemplified by a number of compositions and arrangements written especially for the JAZZPAR Project.
A live-recorded version of the Prize Winner’s music, as well as the music of Lars Møller’s ensemble, will be released on separate CDs in the spring 2004.
Commencing in 1990 this was the 14^th JAZZPAR Event. Every year The Prize Concerts in the Danish capital is preceded by provincial appearances.

The JAZZPAR Prize
This Prize – managed by Jazzkontakten – is the world’s largest international jazz award of its kind, presented every year and managed solely by people from the jazz world. Along with the honor and a bronze statuette by the distinguished Danish artist Jørgen Haugen Sørensen, it carries a financial reward of Danish Kroner 200,000 (approx. USD 30,000).

Former JAZZPAR Winners
Muhal Richard Abrams (1990), David Murray (1991), Lee Konitz (1992), Tommy Flanagan (1993), Roy Haynes (1994), Tony Coe (1995), Geri Allen (1996), Django Bates (1997), Jim Hall (1998), Martial Solal (1999), Chris Potter (2000), Marilyn Mazur (2001), Enrico Rava (2002) and Andrew Hill (2003).

The Exclusive JAZZPAR Sponsor
Skandinavisk Tobakskompagni (Scandinavian Tobacco Company) is the holding company of a number of companies within the manufacturing and/or wholesale of tobacco as well as a number of other consumer goods. From the planning stage in 1988, ST – chiefly represented by Managing Director Per A. Fossum and Product Manager Janne Laursen – has been involved in creating and organizing The JAZZPAR Prize and Activities. Still, the company’s principle – never as a sponsor to exert any influence on the artistic intentions of the sponsored party – has in no case been violated.

The next Prize Presentation
The JAZZPAR 2004 Gala Concert will take place in Copenhagen, Sunday April 25, 2004. The JAZZPAR Project continues to include a number of activities: rehearsals, a prize concert tour, radio and television broadcasts, recordings for CD releases, etc. – all taking place for the 15^th time next year.

Latest JAZZPAR CD releases
Enrico Rava: Happiness is… (Stunt 03062) & Thomas Agergaard: Little Machines (Stunt X 20312)