Gershwin!

The Gershwin songbook has been one of the most explored collection of American standards by jazz musicians, so expecting to hear fresh interpretations from any group of instrumentalists is a high order. Fortunately, Renato Sellani, one of several top European jazz pianists active in the early 21st century, is very much up to this challenge. Accompanied on most of this 2006 session by bassist Massimo Moriconi and drummer Massimo Manzi, who essentially make up a house rhythm section for Philology founder and producer Paolo Piangiarelli, Sellani opts for a subtle approach to many of the songs, though he adds a twist by quoting "Rhapsody in Blue" before segueing into a heartfelt solo rendition of "Love Walked In." "Summertime" is the acid test, as so many great jazz recordings of it have been made; Sellani's version begins in a delicate dramatic setting then switches to a solid, playful groove powered by the rhythm section's flawless support. "The Man I Love" is heard in three separate versions: a piano solo, a moving duet with vocalist Tiziana Ghiglioni and a second duet with Enrico Rava that is equally lyrical. Each of the three interpretations has its own unique character. This is great music from a modern European jazz master who deserves to be better known elsewhere in the jazz world.