Live Sparks in a Small Room
Romano's drums drive a loose, exploratory set where guitar and violin fly over a restless rhythm section.
The Unique Concert opens with a loose, busy pulse. Aldo Romano's drums push the music forward with a restless energy, and the whole band sounds like it is listening hard to itself as it goes. Allan Holdsworth's electric guitar cuts through with long, liquid lines, while Didier Lockwood's violin darts in and out with a bright, nervous edge. Gordon Beck's piano fills the gaps with chords that shift underneath the front line, and Jean-François Jenny-Clark's double bass anchors everything with a warm, round tone.
This is a live, improvising band in a loose mood, and the playing has the rough freedom that comes from musicians who trust each other. The pieces wander and tighten, with passages that feel like sudden conversations between the guitar and violin. Nothing here is polished to a shine, and that is part of the appeal. You hear the risks being taken in real time.
Romano's discography is not especially large, and this record is a useful window onto his work as a drummer and leader rather than a definitive statement. If you want a starting point for his playing, look elsewhere first. But for listeners curious about the fusion-tinged European scene of the era, or for anyone who likes hearing Holdsworth and Lockwood trade lines, this is an engaging live document worth hearing.
Who's playing
Jean-François Jenny-Clarkdouble bass
Gordon Beckpiano
Allan Holdsworthelectric guitar
Aldo Romanodrums
Didier Lockwoodviolin
