Aurealis

This trio allies the spirited lightness of the Italian scene with the pastoral feel of the Swiss. Italian bassist Daniele Patumi and Swiss pianist John Wolf Brennan already played together in Pago Libre, an ensemble sharing a lot of affinities with Aurealis which almost feels like a side project. American flutist Robert Dick constituted the surprise factor here, but his approach is in perfect symbiosis with his partners. The track list alternates free improvisations with compositions. The former tend to be more contemplative and spiritual (like Brennan's CD Pipelines), while the latter barely contain an exuberant joie de vivre. "A From U," "Tarradiddle," and "Chi" are bouncy, light pieces. If it weren't for the audacious harmonies, one could almost mistake them for pieces by the acoustic jazz group Oregon. Only "Stellar Nursery," a suite of six short improvisations, becomes more serious and overtly cerebral. "We Want That Owl!," "Steppes," and "Which Craft?," three two-to-three minute improvs, illustrate all possible duo combinations. Aurealis is much easier to listen to than Brennan's more challenging Momentum trio. And Dick's fluttering flute is a delight to hear. Recommended. ~ François Couture, Rovi