Shakkei by Alexandra Grimal & Giovanni di Domenico

released January 24, 2025

PRESS

www.poisonpie.com/publishing/reviews/text/musicreview_2025_0131.html

culturedarm.com/alexandra-grimal-giovanni-di-domenico-shakkei/

daily.bandcamp.com/best-jazz/the-best-jazz-on-bandcamp-january-2025

dustedmagazine.tumblr.com/post/773480060178055168/alexandra-grimalgiovanni-di-domenico-shakkei


Shakkei (RPR1216) = 'geliehene Landschaft' (die bei jap. Gärten miteinbezogene Natur) entstand in Gent in der Begegnung von ALEXANDRA GRIMAL an Saxophon mit GIOVANNI DI DOMENICO an Keys. Mit 'Komori 木守' = Baumpfleger, 'Ishi No Irai 石の依頼' = Bitte des Steins und 'Kuden 口伝' = mündliche Überlieferung geben sie sich ganz japanisch. Sopranistisch und pianistisch kristallin oder mit handfestem Touch und tenoristisch angerauter Borke. Bei 'Sanmai 三昧' = Samādhi, die meditative Versenkung, mit schillernder Kirchenorgel, bohrender, tremolierender Insistenz und dramatischem Celesta-Finish. Mit 'Yorishiro 依代' = Etwas, das Kami (Geister) anzieht, klingt das gastfreundlich aus.
Bald Alchemy

www.vitalweekly.net/number-1476/

www.citizenjazz.com/Grimal-di-Domenico.html

lesdnj.over-blog.com/2025/02/alexandra-grimal-giovanni-di-domenico-shakkei.html

www.jazzword.com/reviews/alexandra-grimal-giovanni-di-domenico-2/


ALEXANDRA GRIMAL / GIOVANNI DI DOMENICO - Shakkei (Relative Pitch RPR 1216; USA) Featuring Alexandra Grimal on tenor & soprano saxes and Giovanni Di Domenico on grand pianos, celesta and pipe organ. I know of French saxist Alexandra Grimal from her work with Lee Konitz, Joelle Leandre and Francois Tusques. Even more prolific is Italian keyboardist Giovanni De Domenico (currently living in Brussels, Belgium. Mr. Di Domenico can be found on more than seventy releases since 2010, working with a diverse number of gifted improvisers like Akira Sakata, Jim O’Rourke and Arve Henriksen. Ms. Grimal and Mr. Di Domenico have been recording together for more than a decade with around a half dozen discs released so far.
“komori” begins with stark solo piano, fragile, solemn with Ms. Grimal’s sax slowly coming in with equally soft sounds. As the piece unfolds, Ms. Grimal plays ethereal soprano sax with dream-like piano resonating down below. Mr. Domenico switches to celesta on “request of the stone” which gives the piece a more precious, quietly eerie sound with Ms. Grimal still playing her soprano in a most dreamy yet playful way. “kuden” has a dark yet spacious sound. As the piece unfolds, it becomes more intense and turbulent like a storm brewing in the distance. Both musicians expand their sounds on “sanmai” with Domenico on pipe organ and Grimal on tenor, the sax sounding like a foghorn. Something that I notice about this disc is that each piece creates a different mood or vibe. The last piece is called “yorishiro” which translates as: “In Shinto terminology is an object capable of attracting spirits called kami, thus giving them a physical space to occupy during religious ceremonies.” This piece is short yet it does capture a certain spirit-like sound or vibe. This entire disc has a rather ritualistic vibe which permeates throughout. - Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery, New York

daily.bandcamp.com/best-jazz/the-best-jazz-on-bandcamp-january-2025

blogs.mediapart.fr/jean-jacques-birge/blog/010425/sobres-evidences-dagnel-grimal-et-di-domenico