Alto saxophonist Randal Despommier grew up outside New Orleans, where exposure to a rich gumbo of musical styles fueled his thirst to explore even more influences from his studies in New York, Boston and Italy. Punk and grunge rock, R&B, jazz, sacred church music, Italian popular song and European classical art songs have found places inside his musical psyche. Dio C’è is impressive in his debut as a leader, showcasing his versatility as a player and multi-faceted composer.
The opener, “Giorgia,” is at once bouncy, silky and pensive. It was inspired by and named for a carefree Italian girl who danced her way into his life. “SoHo Down” is an intense romp that explores the leader’s musical feelings about what he describes as finding yourself in the world. Aubrey Johnson’s wordless vocals soar through—and over—the leader’s searing alto and the other hard-driving instrumentalists. “Saying Goodbye,” a wistful ballad featuring Despommier and frequent collaborator Jason Yeager on piano, was written when the “dance” came to an end. “Bye Butterfly,” arriving three tracks later, is the leader’s thoughtful solo piano interpretation of the same melody.
Yeager shifts to Fender Rhodes to set the tone on the bluesy, funky “Brother Nature.” This one features the twin horns of Despommier and flugelhornist Oskar Stenmark, as well as co-producer Jimmy Haslip on electric bass. Stenmark digs deep here and is showcased beautifully. (Former Yellow Jackets bassist Haslip and Stenmark also join on “SoHo Down”).
The title track, “Dio C’è,” combines blues, Gregorian chant and gospel influences into an eight-minute mini-suite. The title phrase, which translates to “God exists,” is also a common reference along Italian roadways that signal “heroin is sold here.” Despommier chose to take the higher road, also celebrating his work over the years by directing church choirs. Allegra Levy, Tomás Cruz and Patrick Laslie join Johnson in the vocal chorus.
The recording closes with two very different covers. Despommier reworked the Stone Temple Pilots’ hit “Big Empty” into a distortion-heavy romp with added improvisation featuring guitarist Ben Monder and drummer Rodrigo Recabarren. Monder gets the last word with an edgy grunge guitar finish. “Almeno tu nepp’universo,” popularized by Italian singer Mia Martini in 1989, became the romantic theme song from the 2003 Italian movie Ricordati di me. (Remember Me, My Love). It takes on an intimate and reflective treatment here that features Despommier, Yeager and bassist Aaron Hulthuis.
Despommier, who grew up in Metairie, has been based in New York City since 2013.
