Chaussette Verte

Jazz 'n' dipity

Chaussette Verte is Guido Silipo, guitar; Denis Pechoux, keyboards; Filippo Leporelli, electric bass, and Pino Marroccella, drums.

What is immediately striking about this group is its non-competitiveness; unlike its stateside counterparts, ultra-complex arrangements and flashy technical displays are avoided in favor of atmospheric, motive-based improvisations. And thankfully, in the true spirit of improvised art, expressive content emerges from form. A case in point is the piece "La Niege," a gentle ostinato distantly resembling a paraphrase on McCoy Tyner's early piece, "Aisha." Underlying the proceedings is Marroccella, the magnificent timekeeper; this is percussion artistry of the rarest sort.

by James D. Armstrong, Jr.

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