Bolling's music is pervaded by a certain happiness (or "bohneur" in French) which, I believe, comes from an unconditional and disinterested passion for music. Indeed, this absolute and total passion is a pattern we find in most of the events of Bolling's biography. It is a passion captured in his enthusiastic words for other mu-sicians (his model Duke Ellington, above all), and it is perceived in his performances (with his Big Band, with Stephane Grap-pelli, in the duets with Oscar Peterson or with Michel Legrand). The passion in his music turns into a sense of positivity, expressed in different ways and nuances. For this recording, the Adriatic Guitar Quartet has ventured into a hard and brave challenge: making a transcription (for three classical guitars and a baritone guitar) of the "Concert for Guitar and Jazz Piano trio" by Claude Bolling. The mission was accomplished: the whole piece seems to wear a tuxedo instead of the usual mis-matched suit proper of the guitar quartet, it acquires timbre uniformity, without losing its musical and expressive peculiarities. The album is an original choice, far from intellectualistic conjectures and mediatic opportunism, because it follows the same approach as Bolling’s: the pleasure of making music. A pleasure that, surely, will be also shared with the audience. (Nando Di Modugno)
