"Multiple Reviews:
Norberto Tamburrino Solo and Ensemble" di Bruce Lindsay, All About Jazz (maggio 2010)
Pianist Norberto Tamburrino is based in the sunny climes of southern Italy, but his jazz influences come for the most part from the thriving US scene of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. He's happy to credit Bud Powell, Hank Jones, Lennie Tristano and Art Tatum as influences, but above all it's the influence of Thelonious Monk that comes across most clearly in Tamburrino's playing. Indeed, his 2009 album Reflection(s) On Monk (Philology Jazz) was clearly influenced by, as well as being a tribute to, the great musician. The spirit of Monk pervades Tamburrino's playing again on the two albums reviewed here, but there is too a strongly reflective and personal feel to his work.

Norberto Tamburrino
Revelations From The Sky
Art Notes Records
2010

Revelations From The Sky finds Tamburrino playing in solo, trio and quartet formations, exploring a range of moods and tempos. Monk's influence on Tamburrino's playing is most obvious on the opening track, "Revelations From the Sky," which sees the pianist's chordal playing underpinning the tune's dominant musical force, the tenor sax of Roberto Spagnolo, while drummer Marcello Nisi provides a slinky percussive beat. Spagnolo also dominates "Praterie Dell'Infinito," while Tamburrino's own playing is fluid and lyrical and bassist Francesco Mariella adds a strongly-played bass solo. Monk's influence is less obvious here and as the album progresses Tamburrino continues to focus on this more lyrical, smoother stylistic approach.

Benny Carter's "When Lights Are Low" is given an intriguing treatment. Initially the Monk influence resurfaces and Tamburrino then alternates between this angular, jagged approach and his more fluid playing across the remainder of the tune. For "Indaffarato," Tamburrino is joined by the rhythm section of Joseph Lepore on bass and Bruce Cox on drums—both musicians played on Reflection(s) On Monk. These experienced musicians bring a strength and confidence to the music that is at times absent from the playing of Nisi and Mariella—as a result Tamburrino's own playing seems stronger and freer, creating the most complete tune on the album.

The final three tunes are solo piano pieces. "Felinity" is another tune characterized by angular playing and rhythmical changes, "Some Brilliant Shadows" has a lovely, delicate melody and "The Son(g) is Born" is a slow and beautiful ballad which sees Tamburrino in a particularly reflective and gentle mood.

Norberto Tamburrino
Ascoltabile Piano And Atmospheres
Art Notes Records
2010

Ascoltabile Piano And Atmospheres was recorded in Taranto, Italy, between December 2007 and December 2009 and showcases Tamburrino's solo piano—with the exception of one track, "Is Atlantis On The Sky?," which features multi-tracked electric piano and keyboards. The first seven tunes are compositions, while the remainder are improvised pieces which Tamburrino refers to as "Atmospheres."

The distinction between the composed and improvised pieces is not always clear. "Ascoltabile Piano," for example, is composed but its abrupt ending gives it the feel of an improvised piece, while the structure of "Mad Wars Atmosphere" makes it sound more like a composed tune. This lack of distinction is more of an academic issue than an aesthetic one, for it makes no difference to the experience of hearing the performances. The multi-tracking on "Is Atlantis On The Sky?" gives the tune an ethereal choral feel, but the overall effect tends to overwhelm the central theme of the tune, played on electric piano. The solo piano tunes, whether composed or improvised, are much more successful; Tamburrino connects effectively with the acoustic instrument, producing attractive, thoughtful performances across a series of brief and reflective pieces.

The overarching impact of Ascoltabile Piano And Atmospheres is a gentle one. The variations in tempo and mood to be found on Revelations From The Sky are absent here and the result is a far more consistent experience. Tamburrino's playing is emotive and thoughtful, and the tunes fit together to create a quietly contemplative album.

"Ascoltabile Piano & Atmospheres" di Luca Labrini, JazzItalia 31 (luglio 2010)
Ascoltabile Piano And Atmospheres è l'album in perfetta solitudine dal pianista Norberto Tamburrino uscito nel 2010 per l'etichetta Art Notes Records. I sedici brani qui racchiusi, tutti a firma di Tamburrino, sono stati registrati a Taranto nel biennio che va dal 2007 al 2009, e divisibili in due categorie: le prime sette sono composizioni, mentre le restanti nove improvvisazioni estemporanee, chiamate per l'appunto Atmosphere.

Si tratta di un lavoro estremamente intimo e ricercato in cui Tamburrino può liberamente esprimersi in una dimensione in cui dimostra di essere estremamente a suo agio. Il tocco delicato e la scrittura elegante ed essenziale trovano qui difatti una collocazione ideale I primi sette brani scorrono via piacevolmente in uno stile in cui si possono riconoscere riferimenti al pianismo anni quaranta e cinquanta, da Tatum a Bud Powell, fino a Monk, dove ai virtuosismi viene preferita una melodia elegante e rilassante. Nella seconda parte del disco in realtà la linea di demarcazione tra composizione e improvvisazione non appare così marcata e la direzione tracciata nella prima metà continua - con coerenza - anche qui, senza risultare tuttavia mai banale o monocorde, mantenendo le caratteristiche proprie delle prime composizioni.

Sicuramente un lavoro riuscito che rappresenta un tassello importante nella discografia del pianista pugliese in una dimensione in cui a venir fuori è proprio il gusto e fraseggio di Tamburrino, che si conferma un artista completo.

 "Reflection(s) on Monk"
 -Recensione da Musica Jazz, Agosto 2009 Italia

... più che le strutture, per Tamburrino sembrano avere importanza il lirismo di Thelonious e il modo in cui, per un processo di assimilazione, è diventato un naturale elemento della sua poetica. E sta proprio in questo il punto di forza del disco...” by Giuseppe Piacentino

“.. In trio, Tamburrino miscela le raffinatezze armoniche di Bill Evans con le asperità di T. Monk ottenendo un risultato interessante grazie anche all’ottimo interplay con la ritmica americana e alla completa padronanza degli ottantotto tasti. Ma la situazione che definisce più compiutamente la poetica del pianista pugliese è quella del piano solo. Cinque brevi o brevissimi brani, quasi degli aforismi musicali nei quali la storia del piano jazz viene filtrata da una marcata vena mediterranea. Vengono qui esaltati il bel suono, l’attenzione ai particolari, la precisione del tocco, lontani da una scontata rivisitazione folklorica e focalizzati sullo sviluppo armonioso delle composizioni..” by Vincenzo Roggero