Stefano Bollani Kwintet

Stefano Bollani (born Milan, 1972) is a theatrical improviser but one with a great sense of how to make a statement. His approach is lyrical and fragile, exacting but also compelling. Bollani's music is a very subtle reflection of the Zeitgeist: individualism, humour, toughness, superficiality, enthusiasm, dissention and even a sense of fin-de-siècle. It's all in there: from Debussy to Prokofiev, from King Crimson to Frank Sinatra and Chet Baker, from Lee Konitz to Gato Barbieri. On the outside, show and bravura are alien to him, his music is honest and comforting. In his communication with his quintet, Bollani's eloquence prevails. It is a solid, warm ensemble, ranging from colourful through melancholic to sharp and explosive.