It has to be said that jazz could walk by me in the street and I wouldn’t notice. Not now though, as Silivia Anglani’s album “Complice” has turned my head. Of course, standard cocktail jazz wouldn’t do that and this album is most certainly not standard.
There’s no doubting the musical ability of Ms Anglani’s band on this album. Even given the electronic nature of some of the songs, their organic contributions are near seamless giving the sonic equivalent of a top quality paint job. Of the songs, “Odio Decembre” sounds like it has been pulled and polished from an eighties Dave Grusin album and simultaneously imbued with supper club jazz funk style cool. A conventional start then but “Conversazione” shifts up a gear as Italodisco influences and Michael Rosen’s saxophone doodlings bring out the best in Ms Anglani as she turns from jazz singer to total song dominatrix with the kind of style that is the mark of greatness.
Even in the conventionality of the title track, “Complice” – Accomplice to those of you without access to an Italian dictionary – becomes something magical as Ms Anglani, with the merest hint of a rasp to her voice, wraps up the song and sends it straight to you with nothing less than love. She then turns into the urban environment and, with Michael Rosen again duelling with her for our attention, add some jazz funk to “Tempo Al Tempo” and takes it right into the 21st century. As for “Demon Angel”, let’s just call that song a ballad beautifully done.
Not a foot is set wrong in the Paris café feel of “Il Rimedio” either, with the bandoneón of Gianni Iorio adding to the atmosphere. Similarly, Ms Anglani’s perfectly balanced interpretation makes “A Piedi Nudi” the perfect soundtrack to walking barefoot in the sand.
“Complice” is much more than a jazz album. From the evident care and imagination that has gone into the sound design to Silvia Anglani’s naturalistic yet elegant way of bringing lyrics to life, “Complice” is the kind of album that you will return to time and time again. Quality, that’s Silvia Anglani in one word.