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"If music be the food of love, play on!" - William Shakespeare

Third Reel

A collaborative group brimming with creative potential, Third Reel packs much musical information into the sixteen vividly expressive tracks of its debut album. Trio members Nicolas Masson, Roberto Pianca and Emanuele Maniscalco are committed improvisers and gifted writers, each with a distinct compositional signature. The contrasts, and a shared sensitivity for space, shape the group’s sonic identity.
“Often we’re playing around the beautiful melodies that Emanuele brings along”, says Masson, characterizing their diverse methods. “Roberto’s pieces are frequently concerned with the exploration of chordal colours, and my own writing tends to be contrapuntal.” Third Reel’s album was recorded at Auditorio Radiotelevisione svizzera, Lugano, last February, at the instigation of Paolo Keller, and mixed and edited with Manfred Eicher. “The very pure sound in the recording room in Lugano definitely contributed to the way the album evolved. It was almost like having a fourth member of the band. That level of clarity encouraged us to aim for, as far as possible, a ‘perfect’ version of each tune, with no unnecessary embellishment.”