Stefano Bollani: Que Bom

Alobar

As vividly tropical as the botanical fantasia adorning its sleeve, Que

Bom sees Italian pianist Stefano Bollani return to the Latin-american rhythms and textures which informed his Carioca album of 2008. As drummer Jurim Moreira and percussionists Armando Marçal and Thiago da Serrinha lay down irresistibly sashaying bossa rhythms, Bollani’s playing flits with panache between the easeful and the capricious. Sbucata da una Nuvola strolls in animated conversation with quirkily squeaking percussion,

Criatura Dourada is delicately spelled out solo before a hiss of cymbals ushers it through rich melodic development, while darting keyboard forays cascade through Accettare

Tutto and intertwine with bright runs from the Brazilian bandolim virtuoso Hamilton de Holanda in the vivacious

Ho Perduto Il Mio Pappagallino.

Occasional vocal interludes include Caetano Veloso bringing warmth

to La Nebbia a Napoli, while Frida Magoni Bollani’s vocalising locks into

a brass trio in Uomini e Polli.