Wandering

The Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi has had a long and distinguished career but still isn’t very well known in the U.S., a country where he rarely performs. He’s played with figures such as Chet Baker, Johnny Griffin, and Lee Konitz, and has released more than 60 albums as a leader. Pieranunzi sometimes brings a classical touch to his playing, and has incorporated the film music of Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota into his repertoire. 2009’s Wandering finds the pianist playing his own compositions without accompaniment. “Teensblues” opens with jabbing chords before the song finds a groove driven by a walking pattern in the left hand. The brief “Improstinato 1” rivets with its striking rhythms and angular lines, while the lovely “Foor-fee” displays Pieranunzi’s way with ballad-like material. The pianist turns in a dynamic performance on the finely shaped “Improvisations 1,” and “Dark” creates a tension-filled mood that brings to mind McCoy Tyner. “For My True Love,” the album’s longest track, closes Wandering with Pieranunzi in a reflective mood, taking his time as he sensitively crafts variations on the melody.