A Congregation of Folks is the debut album from saxophonist and composer.
Daniele Germani and his quartet. Thirteen original tracks feature Germani’s tight group of musicians from around the world: Justin Salisbury on piano from the United States, Giuseppe Cucchiara on double bass from Italy and drummer Jongkuk Kim from South Korea. These four musicians met as students at the Berklee College of Music, and connected musically and as friends immediately.
As music students, Daniele, Justin, Giuseppe and Jongkuk spent every day together, playing music, studying, wandering around Boston, talking about life, movies and music. The music in these tracks reflects those days spent together. The ease and interweaving melodic lines are the songs of friendship.
Daniele played every single Friday at Wally’s Café Jazz Club on Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, then with the Cosimo Boni Quintet. A rotating “congregation of folks”, including the quartet on this album, played at Wally’s many nights of the week, for years. Some of the musicians even share the same tattoo, bearing “427” on the left arm, honoring the address of Wally’s. Daniele and his bandmates learned how to play together on stage, and how to trust each other every night. As Daniele puts it, “It was the place where we dreamed with our eyes open.”
After Boston, Daniele moved to Brooklyn, where he continues play with Justin, Giuseppe and Jongkuk, where the dream lives on.
Daniele tells a story about how he put this record together:
In July 2019, I was at the house of Leo Genovese, a great pianist and great friend from Argentina. I remember that day very well – we hung all day in his apartment, playing his original compositions. He had many manuscripts of original compositions over many years, and the sound of each song was fantastic. Each one felt that it was the best composition I had ever heard, and we went on and on playing them for hours. I decided right then to challenge myself to write a song each day for one year. Now I have 400 compositions, and some of those very songs are on this album.
On the cover of A Congregation of Folks is a photograph of Germani’s parents' wedding taken in1986 in his hometown of Arce in the province of Frosinone in Italy. With a little ingenuity, Lia Rivera Flavia included Germani’s band mates in the picture, too – representing the past, the present and the future.
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A Congregation of Folks ranges across songs that are sometimes haunted, sometimes joyous and raucous, sometimes asking a question over and over. The title track “A Congregation of Folks” begins with a gorgeous saxophone solo, to call the beloved folks together. If the listener flips the cover, she’ll see that array of people of past and present on the church steps, feeling the love of a community stretching across time. Germani’s long meditative song speaks of peace, in the tranquil chords and gorgeous rising and falling melody, and a plaintive call across time and distance to reunite that congregation.
In the first track, “They Move In On the Action” does indeed move in, with high energy, but ending in peaceful ringing tones. From there, we move to the beauty of “One Moment To Moment”, beginning with a lyrical and joyous piano, seeming to be asking again, what is next? Where shall we go? Salisbury’s piano weaves the music, with a free, easy movement, yes, from moment to moment.
Similarly, “Half Believe It” drives forward, running free, with a palpable feeling of believing but not quite believing, starting over, running, and then fully carefree. Cucchiara’s direct bass line anchors a solid foundation for Germani’s navigating through the song, while Kim’s chameleon-like drumming floats above the melody. Kim takes the lead at the end, rolling into the final notes, everyone coming along. The quartet shines here, generous, together, brilliant.
One of the most interesting songs on Germani’s album, “No Clouds in the Air” begins with a heavy drone, haunted and prescient, waiting to begin, almost like a raga, as the sax and rattling percussion, piano, and bowing of the double bass dip in and out until it all melts together and just vaporizes. What sounds foreboding at first resolves into thin air.
“Salisbury Introduces YLWFBL” is our forty-nine second introduction, building waterfalls and pouring us straight into “You Like Won’t Find a Better Listener”, which is just joyous and playful, piano and sax chasing back and forth, like the best late-night conversation, full of effervescence and depths, both.
But this listener has a favorite: “Eres Luz”, which wanders through a beautiful melody, musing and turning, into a simple and peaceful resolution. And the fifty-three
second variation is like a bubble, a fascination, a moment to push “Eres Luz” away from too much seriousness, and back to joy.
“Farewell (A Congregation of Folks)” reprises the camaraderie, the joy, the togetherness of Daniele Germani and his quartet. Starting together, they fade out together, leaving the listener brightened, energized, touched, soothed. “A Congregation of Folks” is a lovely album, innovative, fresh, full of energy and deep feeling. Farewell, folks.
Dedication
I believe that cooperation in our society is very important. Since life arrived on the planet earth, all the species have cooperated among themselves to arrive where we are today. This came about not only from individuals but from a whole community of people, together.
I dedicate this album to the people who inspired me – my family in Italy and in the United States, my friends all over the world, my girlfriend Lia, and the masters: Leo Genovese, Wayne Shorter, Joe Lovano, Lee Konitz, George Garzone. Without these people who inspired me, supported me and loved me, I would not be here. I dedicate this record to all of them, my own “congregation of folks”.
Daniele Germani