Sometimes one comes across an album and can only wonder why it has taken so long to be released. Apparently it was recorded all the way back in May 2017, but was only released this year, which is nothing short of criminal. Perhaps that is because of the instrumentation being used, as this is a solo bass album, with no loops and overdubs on just one of the 12 songs. Now, I must confess the thought of a bass solo normally fills me with dread, and if at a gig I start to wonder if there is time to get to the bar and back again, but here we have a master musician performing numbers which have been carefully constructed and nurtured so it feels much more like a classical music masterclass as opposed to something which makes one want to rip off their ears.
Vincenzo Virgillito has recorded and played extensively in different styles, including jazz, blues, r&b, rock, ethno pop, and classical music and this feels closely rooted to the last although there are elements of the rest throughout his performance. Here he provides acoustic bass, electric bass, as well as Fretless five and four stringed basses, easily moving between the different instruments as he allows the music to breathe, with space being an important part of everything he does. The only way to listen to this is when one has the time to do just that and not be distracted, playing it on headphones, and one can then wonder in the beauty and warmth of the music. Some maestros feel the need to always show how clever they are, and while there are sections in this album where one can only marvel at his technical ability, it is always the music itself which is the most important part. It is thought-provoking, and the highest praise I can give this is that one quickly stops thinking about it is just a bass providing all the tonal quality and melody and instead falls deep inside his world. I have no idea why it took so long for this to be made available, but it truly is a delight.
Rating: 8/10