Another Dream

Bassini comes from the romantic tradition of pianists. While he is an excellent technician, he seems to engage in auto-pilot for much of this recording, making him sound more like a department store performer. That he is not can be seen on the couple of cuts in which he plays hard and especially creatively. His reworking of "'Round Midnight" is exciting and passionate, and his rendition of Ornette's "Blues Connotation" (the only piece recorded in 1987) is fast and brilliant. Still, as a whole, there is a sense that this one could have been more than it is. The broad choice of tunes (a mix of originals by Bassini and popular and neglected classics) is a good one, but for the most part, they are treated rather cavalierly. Luca Garlaschelli contributes handily throughout, but particularly on the Monk number, while drummer Massimo Pintori is adequate in support.