Paolo Fresu: his legacy in three anniversaries

Revealing the meaning of this work is not a simple thing. As he writes Paolo Fresuthe term “Legacy” essentially means inheritance, legacy, legacy.

“Legacy” is a musical project by the 63-year-old trumpeter from Berchidda Paolo Fresu, composed of three completely improvised recording works: “You improvise“, “Impromptus” And “Repens“.

The project celebrates three important anniversaries in Fresu's career: i 40 years of the Quinteti 20 years with the Devil Quartet hey 22 years of collaboration with Uri Caine. The term “Legacy” means inheritance and represents a cultural and artistic legacy for future generations.

Paolo Fresu writes about this project:

“The past and the present”
I started making music young and this became my life.
I feel lucky and privileged to have found extraordinary people and artists along my path with whom I have been able to share many things.
If this happened it is thanks to those who listened and observed my feelings, giving shape to the dreams and aspirations that I continue to share with them and with many others.
“Legacy” is therefore a legacy to be passed down. A legacy for tomorrow and a duty to myself and to those who come after me.

“Impromptus”, “Impromptus” and “Repens” are three totally improvised recording works. To demonstrate how precious time and space are in sustaining and supporting us through a dialogue that has existed for forty years with the Quintet, twenty-two with Uri Caine and twenty with the Devil Quartet.
If music moves us towards the light, it is relationships that draw the libertarian glimmer that seems to be missing today.

The project includes a box set with three CDs, each with a different lineup: “You improvise” with Uri Caine, “Impromptus” with the Devil Quartet and “Repens” with the Quintet. Each CD contains twelve songs plus a “ghost track”. Furthermore, there will be a case with three limited edition and numbered vinyls, containing original songs not present on the CDs. The titles of the songs on the vinyls will follow an increasing numbering from the thirteenth onwards.

In addition to the improvisations, there are only six songs “written” and composed by: Barbara Strozzi, George Gershwin, Giacomo Puccini, Alice Cooper, Vincenzo Bellini And Domenico Modugno.

Three of these are present as “ghost tracks” on the three CDs (at the end of the albums and after a minute and a half of silence to underline the difference compared to the improvised songs) while three others will instead go on the three vinyls (this time not in the form of ” ghost track” but as the final songs of the respective sides B).

The song by Alice Cooper “Only Women Bleed” has always been the final theme of the Quintet's concerts and was recorded for the first time on the album “Qvarto” and then on a couple of live albums including “Live in Montpellier”. Some further songs have already been recorded in other contexts while several of these were recorded for the first time, in particular “Tu si 'na cosa grande” by Domenico Modugno.

The digital version will include only the songs from the three CDs and the six “ghost tracks”, with alternative titles related to the colors. The vinyl tracks will be released later. Four videos were also made by different directors, documenting the creative process and studio recordings.

The cover of the triple CD and triple LP consists of three works by the American artist Liz Nielsen. The photographs in the project were taken by Gianpietro “Elettro” Grossi, Paolo Soriani and Roberto Cifarelli, with some images created with the help of AI.

The African proverb “When the roots are deep there is no reason to fear the wind” underlines the depth and solidity of the artistic and human connections that supported the project.

“Legacy” was recorded, mixed and mastered between 2022 and 2023 at the ArteSuono Studio in Cavalicco (Udine) by Stefano Amerio, while the 2024 mastering was handled by Andrea “Pelle” Pellegrini at the Larione10 Recording Studio.

Videos dedicated to the work include:

– “Repens Five”https://www.rockol.it/”Lampone” (Daniela Bellu)

– “Impromptus Two”https://www.rockol.it/”Nero” (Stefano Campus)

– “The lying lover” (Alessandro Sanna)