Spices by G.Lenoci E.Sanna M.Orselli

Gianni Lenoci (piano)
Eugenio Sanna (guitar)
Mauro Orselli (percussions)

All compositions by Lenoci – Sanna – Orselli

Recorded in Rome (Italy) the January, 13, 2000 at V38 Studio
Sound engineer: Paolo Sinigaglia
Produced by John Rottiers
Cover painting: Alessandra Cellamare
Label: Mauro Orselli – Sergio Lenoci

It’s possible that the title of the enclosed CD reminds you of an old-fashioned Cocktail Trio that tries to entertain the customers in a better Italian restaurant, but in this case you’re on the wrong track because percussionist Mauro Orselli, guitar-player Eugenio Sanna and pianist Gianni Lenoci belong to the most inventive musicians on the Italian-scene today.
Gianni Lenoci, who’s graduated at St. Cecilia Conservatory in Rome has studied Jazz and Improvised Music with Mal Waldron and Paul Bley.
As a jazz player he’s a his very best as a member of the famous Eugenio Colombo quartet and I especially like to mention the CD “Tales of love and death” (Leo Records 302),
As soon there’s the opportunity the same Gianni Lenoci starts to exploring future and did this in the most positive way during his collaboration with the unpraised Franco Degrassi and the release of the ASC CD “Franco Degrassi/Gianni Lenoci” that was in many ways a happy surprise.
Gianni Lenoci also teaches at the Monopoli Conservatory and if I have good ears Livio Minafra, or the son of the great Pino Minafra belongs to his students.
I’m not so familiar with the works of guitar-player and composer Eugenio Sanna, but my good friend Carlo Actis Dato, or the first reedman who ever had a gig on the moon, knows him very well and told me that Eugenio Sanna belongs to the most important Italian improvisors for almost twenty-five years and did a wonderful job as a member of Mauro Orselli’s Improvising Quartet (Improvvisazioni Quartetto, CD ADA 0311).
I have always conversation problems with percussionist Mauro Orselli, but Mauro is a very nice guy who has played and recorded with so many Italian jazz-greats it’s almost impossible to mention them all: he has worked close together with Mike Cooper and Evan Parker from U.K., Ellen Christi from USA and Jean-Marc Montera from France.
Mauro Orselli also writes for theatre, dance and movie and in my opinion he’s even the most adventurous composer of contemporary music in Italy today.
The group on the enclosed CD isn’t a so-called “performing band”, but Mauro Orselli, Eugenio Sanna and Gianni Lenoci are three creative artists, who have worked out some new ideas and added a new spicy chapter to the very tasteful Italian cookbook.

John “Sugar Daddy” Rottiers
Jazz presenter Radio Central

Bogerhout (Belgium), Antwerp February 26th, 2001

Gianni Lenoci (6 June 1963 – 30 September 2019) was an Italian jazz pianist and composer.