Record Reviews
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  | HERB GELLER / ROBERTO MAGRIS ~ AN EVENING WITH…
JMOOD 012 (Barcode: 820869034424) ~ USA ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2009 Released: 2014
This is a live album by veteran American saxophonist / composer Herb GellerFind albums by this artist, recorded with a trio led by Italian pianist Roberto MagrisFind albums by this artist, with Slovenian bassist Nikola MatosicFind albums by this artist and Italian drummer Enzo CarpentieriFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven tracks, one of which is an original composition by Geller and the rest are standards.
The music is a classic Jazz quartet setting, playing classic mainstream Jazz material, which is superbly performed by all the participants. Geller was eighty-one years old at the time of the recording (he died four years later), but his sweet, delicate and beautifully melodic tone is in perfect condition herein. This was, sadly, his last recording. Magris and his trio are perfect accompanists and play supportively, leaving the center stage to Geller, treating him with respect and obvious appreciation. Of course the refined listeners can enjoy the refined parts Magris performs in the background and the rhythm section is right on time for the entire duration. The music, spiced with the European aesthetics, is probably the finest example of his talent.
Overall, this is definitely an excellent classic Jazz album, which should be wholeheartedly enjoyed by any true Jazz lover the world over, especially in view of the fact that Geller’s legacy is relatively modest in comparison to his contemporaries.
| | Updated: 08/05/2026Posted: 08/05/2026 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | ROBERTO MAGRIS ~ ENIGMATIX
JMOOD 010 (Barcode: 889211409952) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz-Funk Fusion
Recorded: 2013 Released: 2015
This is an album by Italian pianist / composer Roberto MagrisFind albums by this artist, recorded in the US with American musicians: bassist Domonique SandersFind albums by this artist, drummer Brian SteeverFind albums by this artist and percussionist Pablo SanhuezaFind albums by this artist. Vocalist Monique DanielleFind albums by this artist guests on one track. The album presents seven tracks, five of which are original compositions by Magris and two are Pop standards with Jazz arrangements.
This album presents Magris in somewhat unusual (for him), more Blues, Groove, and even Pop oriented musical environment, featuring his piano skills extensively, which are, as usual, beyond reproach. This “lighter” approach makes the music immediately accessible to a wide range of listener, without of course lowering any standard of its aesthetics. This recording emphasizes the fact that Magris is always opens for new paths in his music.
The rhythm section supports him amicably and the bass, switching between acoustic and electric, again allows the music to sound somewhat groovier and funkier, despite the complex piano parts. Since Magris recorded several albums with this rhythm section, their rapport together is truly exemplary.
Overall, this is somewhat unusual album by Magris, outside his mainstream Jazz activity, which presents explosive piano explorations on top of Groovy / Funky rhythm section accompaniment. The “enigmatic” label fits the music quite accurately.
| | Updated: 16/05/2026Posted: 16/05/2026 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | ROBERTO MAGRIS ~ KANSAS CITY OUTBOUND
JMOOD 000 ~ ITALY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2007 Released: 2008
This is an album by Italian pianist / composer Roberto MagrisFind albums by this artist, recorded with legendary American bassist Art DavisFind albums by this artist (who died just three weeks after this recording) and drummers Jimmy “Junebug” JacksonFind albums by this artist or Zack AlbertaFind albums by this artist. Two of the tracks are solo piano recordings. The album presents twelve tracks, four of which are original compositions by Magris and the rest are standards.
This album was the first release on the JMoodFind albums on this label Records label, founded and owned by Paul CollinsFind albums by this artist, who was Magris’ US agent, and their cooperation since 2006 resulted so far in twenty-seven albums featuring Magris playing with a plethora of musicians from many countries and released on this label.
The music is a classic Jazz piano trio setting, superbly performed by all the musicians of course. Davis’ round and brilliantly melodic bass pulsations immediately reaffirm his reputation – after all he played with many of the greatest American Jazz Masters, including John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist and others. Magris doesn’t seem to suffer from any inferiority complex playing along the veterans and his compositions also fit the bill perfectly.
Overall, this is definitely an excellent Jazz piano trio album, which should be wholeheartedly enjoyed by any true Jazz lover the world over. This album was definitely a beginning of a wonderful friendship, as described above. I can guarantee it – after all I produced a recording by Magris already in 1990, i.e. seventeen years earlier, and we are still Friends!
| | Updated: 04/05/2026Posted: 04/05/2026 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | ROBERTO MAGRIS ~ LOVE IS PASSING THRU
JMOOD 023 (Barcode: 741718929039) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2005 Released: 2024
This is an album by Italian Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader and my Friend Roberto MagrisFind albums by this artist, recorded in a quartet setting with Italian Jazz musicians: saxophonist Ettore MartinFind albums by this artist, bassist Danilo GalloFind albums by this artist and drummer Enzo CarpenteriFind albums by this artist. The album presents thirteen tracks, which offer solo, duo, trio and quartet recordings. Two of the tracks are original compositions by Magris, nine are standards and two are renditions of Italian Pop songs. The album was recorded in 2005 and was originally intended for release on the legendary Italian Black Saint / Soul Note labels, but the labels were sold and the album remained unreleased. The current passing of Carpenteri prompted Magris to finally release the album on his home label, the American JMoodFind albums on this label Records. The sound quality of the recording is remarkable.
The general theme of the album is love, and the compositions are all somehow connected to that theme, but the music offers a diverse stylistic range, from melodic mainstream to Free Jazz. Despite that stylistic variety, the music offers perfectly coherent continuity, proving that the Jazz spirit is completely independent of the specifics and can’t be limited to one aesthetic approach.
Magris and his cohorts are all seasoned musicians with wide experience and more importantly the special Italian “thing”, which surfaces in almost every Italian Jazz album, a sublime melodic approach, which goes back hundreds of years in Italian music tradition. As a result, many of the tracks on this album offer a heartwrenching melancholy, which is only to be expected.
Overall, this is a wonderful piece of music, which offers a nice collection of familiar tunes in new interpretations as well as some unusual music, altogether an excellent listening experience and first class musicianship. Good to have this material out at last, as it certainly is worth being listened to. Well done my Friend!
Side Note:
Magris recorded an album for my JazzisFind albums on this label Records label in 1990 with his quartet, expanded to a sextet by two Israeli musicians, called “Life In IsraelFind albums with this title”, and we have been in touch ever since.
| | Updated: 24/04/2024Posted: 24/04/2024 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ROBERTO MAGRIS ~ LOVELY DAY(S)
JMOOD 025 (Barcode: 736649929814) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2024 Released: 2025
This is a solo piano album by Italian Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader Roberto MagrisFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, one of which is an original composition by Magris and the rest present a wide range of composers, covering a widespread stylistic range between Leonard BernsteinFind albums by this artist and Andrew HillFind albums by this artist, with some Thelonious MonkFind albums by this artist and Steve KuhnFind albums by this artist in between. Seven of the tracks are studio recordings and two were recorded live.
I have had the pleasure to producing a live album with Roberto in the early days of his career, which was released on my label JazzisFind albums on this label Records in 1990, and of course I have been closely following his path since then. He managed to build up an impressive career over the years, which includes dozens of albums as a leader, but strangely he never attempted a solo piano album before, which makes this album really special.
Of course solo piano albums are the most “naked” form of a Jazz musician’s exposure, and this album demonstrates this phenomenon perfectly. Rather than performing his own compositions, which is always very tempting, Magris presents a selection of compositions by composers, who influenced him over the years, and which becomes in a sense a tribute to the great musicians, who inspired him. Stylistically the music covers the entire range of Jazz, including the fundamental Blues moves and the entire mainstream Jazz universe, and even touching marginally on the Avant-Garde. Although challenging, the music finds Magris completely relaxed, but fully engulfed in the music, adding his very personal touch.
The fact, that the music is so diverse and performed somewhat playfully, makes listening to the music a wonderful experience, which is both entertaining and aesthetically satisfying, and as such making it accessible to a wide range of listeners from the entire Jazz spectrum.
Overall, this is a beautiful solo piano Jazz album, which is as entertaining as it is educational, paying a tribute to some of Jazz most revered composers and including some rarely performed Jazz treasures. Thank you, my Friend, for the gift of music!
| | Updated: 12/10/2025Posted: 12/10/2025 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ROBERTO MAGRIS / EUROPLANE ~ CURRENT VIEWS
SOUL NOTE 1425 (Barcode: 885444074936) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2001 - 2003 Released: 2009
This is the 3rd album on the legendary Soul NoteFind albums on this label label by Italian Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader and my Friend Roberto MagrisFind albums by this artist, recorded live during extensive tours with his ensemble EuroplaneFind albums by this artist, expanded into a septet (and an octet on two tracks) and called “Orchestra”, which might appear somewhat exaggerated, but well deserved when the result is heard. The complete list of participating musicians includes seventeen players, from eleven countries, including such mavericks like the Belgian guitarist Philip CatherineFind albums by this artist, Czech bassist Frantisek UhlirFind albums by this artist (another one of my Friends), Polish bassist Vitold RekFind albums by this artist, Italian saxophonist Roberto OttavianoFind albums by this artist, and many other first class instrumentalists. The album presents seven tracks, six of which are original compositions by Magris and one is a standard.
The music is based on beautiful melodic themes, which Magris is able to create one after another seemingly effortlessly, and the arrangements create an aural impression indeed very much of a Big Band / Jazz Orchestra. Spiced with superb soloing by these great musicians, this album is a wonderful experience, which should make any Jazz lover truly satisfied. With the European Jazz aesthetics prevailing and the music flowing briskly, the music is over much too soon and one might be tempted to put the player on “repeat”.
Overall, this is an album, which deserves regular revisits, like in this case, and after not hearing it in a long while, I regret putting it aside for way too long. If you are able to find a copy these days, don’t think twice! Satisfaction guaranteed!
| | Updated: 24/04/2026Posted: 24/04/2026 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | ROBERTO MAGRIS / EUROPLANE ~ FREEDOM IS PEACE
JMOOD 026 (Barcode: 736649929821) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2024 Released: 2024
This is a live album by Italian Jazz pianist / composer / bandleader and my Friend Roberto MagrisFind albums by this artist, recorded with his reunited (after a twenty years break) ensemble EuroplaneFind albums by this artist, with includes Hungarian saxophonist Tony LakatosFind albums by this artist, Austrian saxophonist Florian BrambockFind albums by this artist, Slovak trumpeter Lukas OravecFind albums by this artist, German bassist Rudi EngelFind albums by this artist and Slovenian drummer Gasper BertonceljFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tracks, five of which are original compositions by Magris, one is by Israeli songwriter Boaz SharabiFind albums by this artist, one is by South African pianist / composer Hotep Idris GaletaFind albums by this artist, and finally one is by Andrew HillFind albums by this artist.
The music is highly energetic mainstream Jazz, passionately performed by all the members of the ensemble, who are all highly experienced and with impressive recording legacies under their belt. All the compositions are solid and the arrangements by Magris are perfect for this lineup, emphasizing the optimal musical effect at every given moment.
Overall, this is a wonderfully entertaining mainstream album, which although does not break any new ground, presents mainstream Jazz with a dose European sophistication and elegance, which makes listening to this music a great pleasure for the entire duration.
| | Updated: 16/04/2026Posted: 16/04/2026 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | ROBERTO MAGRIS / DENIS RAZZ ~ IN ACTION
JMOOD 028 (Barcode: 736649929845) ~ ITALY ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2024 Released: 2025
This is an album by a quartet co-led by Italian pianist / composer Roberto MagrisFind albums by this artist and Croatian saxophonist Denis RazzFind albums by this artist (a.k.a. Denis RazumovicFind albums by this artist), with Croatian bassist Karlo IlicFind albums by this artist and drummer Rajko ErgicFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents eighteen tracks (and a bonus track with a spoken word by Paul CollinsFind albums by this artist, the JMoodFind albums on this label Records owner), nine of which are original compositions of the quartet members and nine are standards, including two compositions by Sun RaFind albums by this artist.
The music is a wonderful display of classic mainstream Jazz, perfectly and admirably performed by an archetypal Jazz quartet, which proves beyond any reasonable doubt that the American cliché: “White Man Can’t Jump” is absolutely ridiculous in every sense, especially so when applied to European Jazz, which managed not only to emancipate itself from the bondage of the American tradition, but in time left it far, far behind in an intellectual desert. These European Jazz musician play with the same fire and zest as their colleagues beyond the pond, but they have the spice of the European sophistication, which their Western counterparts sadly miss. Of course this does not apply only to playing Jazz music, but is as true, if not more so, as far as the compositions are concerned, as the music on this album easily and distinctly proves.
Overall, this is a truly wonderful “classic” Jazz in every respect, brilliantly performed and offering brilliant music, both original and that originating from the vast treasury of American standards, which is everlasting. It also shows that Croatia has not only some of the most beautiful European landscapes, but also great Jazz musicians (and basketball players). And the Italian guy ain’t so bad either;)
| | Updated: 19/04/2026Posted: 19/04/2026 | CD 2 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
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