Contemporary instrumental jazz with a few quirky twists and gamer-like tones – Marco Palmieri unites the calm and the unsettled, with the uniquely fascinating Sinapsi.
Initially built around a humble rise and fall bass-riff and subtle hi-hats, Sinapsi has a clear melodic thread about it that’s easily recognisable. Alongside this, however, we get those electronic tones initially, followed by a warped guitar gifting the effect of a piercing solo. It feels intriguing, a little sci-fi-like – it shakes up the calming ambiance unexpectedly, and at the same time, consistently feels in tune with this title and theme of Sinapsi.
Marco Palmieri is a guitarist, double bass player, electric bass player and producer. His musical direction notes influences ranging from jazz to jazz rock and even soul and RnB, and since his turn towards composing back in 2019, his releases have maintained that sense of pure musical creativity above anything simply genre or label-based.
Another highlight from Marco’s repertoire, and a track that both rings loud in his style but proves defiantly varied from the last, is Limitless. Currently noting tens of thousands of streams on Spotify alone, the humble groove and soulful freestyle top-line of Limitless is clearly connecting. The track creates an expressive and intoxicating space, within which the rhythm and warmth is maintained, as these overlying edges of guitar and the changing drums inject a passionate sense of freedom and movement.
Prior to this, 2020 saw the release of the more cinematically sensitive The Sound of My Think. A mysterious and provocative title, backed by a sultry back-and-forth for the groove, and humble experimental traits of conversation and ideas flickering in and out of view as the soundscape progresses. It’s a profoundly enthralling but seemingly simple arrangement.
Marco Palmieri manages to be all at once creatively eccentric and defiantly aware of what audiences appreciate. Here we can get lost in the music with ease – the experience is about us, the listener, rather than purely about the performer. That’s a rare quality in modern jazz, and as such, this music feels original at the same time as really letting and even nudging your imagination to wander freely.
Wrapping up your introduction to all things Marco Palmieri, the second track to accompany the brief EP Sinapsi – Green Dolphin Street is surprisingly melodic and rather raw on the recording front. The presentation is intimate, live sounding, the hum and fuzz of this minimalist gathering of instruments inviting you closer into the mix. Meanwhile we hear an interesting meeting between joyful and uncertain, as the whole thing evolves, mutates, re-expresses itself, and then redirects entirely.
This one feels like a freestyle jam in some ways, but it also holds attention for its masterful use of space. You’d think the Marco Palmieri style had already showcased the very best of its versatility, of its unexpectedness, but Green Dolphin Street tops that off brilliantly, and we’ve still barely made a dent in his extensive catalogue of original music.
Find Marco Palmieri on Instagram & YouTube. Header photo by Angela Coviello.
