It is not going to be easy to describe this album in a single sentence. Grancia is a classically-influenced work of original material that somehow combines a singular gift for melody along with jazz sensibilities. Pianist/composer Peter Primamore is nominally a musician with a significant background in composing music for television. His wish in preparing for this album was to assemble a group of players that were from both the musical worlds of classical and jazz, with the understanding that the musicians would have to be able to improvise. The most noteworthy aspect of the finished product is that many of these compositions are quite memorable. For example, a song like “Chatham,” named after the upstate New York town, could easily become an Academy Award winner for best musical score if this were part of a film score. It features Primamore, Chieli Minucci playing guitar with the grace of Oscar Castro-Neves and Tony Levin on bass. On other selections, the soaring work of Antoine Silverman on violin; Charles Pillow on any number of reed instruments (oboe, English horn, flute, clarinet) and the multi-reed work of Tim Moran (alto flute, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet) add immeasurably to the respective compositions. Most of the tracks are large orchestral ensembles with the exception of two duets. “Crossing Over” sets Pillow on oboe against the plucked harp of Carol Emanuel, while “Lullaby/Elegy” pairs Primamore with Levin. Some of the exceptional melodies include “Windswept,” a Brazilian influenced piece that makes the most of guitar, violin and piano, and “The Book of Erin Flowers,” which is based upon a possible supernatural experience of Primamore’s. The resulting composition is melodic and dramatic. One track that doesn’t work well is a tribute to the Allman Brothers Band. While you might envision “Free Western” as a mash-up of classical/jazz/rock, it’s the album’s one misstep. Grancia is provided in hybrid SACD format and is an aural treat to hear. Among the other curiosities is that Tony Levin and drummer Jerry Marotta have been singer Peter Gabriel’s rhythm section at various times over the years.

Most instrumental CDs, and I’m sure you’re familiar with this, throw out 10 or 12 tunes and leave it up to the listener to interpret moods and what inspired them. Bless Peter Primamore for taking away some of the guesswork on his debut CD with a sort of Cliffs Notes approach. The keyboardist and TV-jingle writer actually takes the time to explain the genesis of each of his 12 songs, which goes a long way to enjoying them even more. That’s something you don’t get when downloading, and reminds us why packaged CDs can still be the way to go when purchasing music. Recorded live in his Manhattan studio, Grancia leans liberally on his jazz, Western, Brazilian and rock influences, but at its heart this is a jazzy chamber recording with viola, cello, harp and woodwinds. Primamore’s notes come in handy quickly with the lead track, “Silver Stones.” It has a light Latin feel, but gets its title from the wreckage of the fallen Twin Towers. Listen to it—it works. Likewise, Primamore explains that “Free Western” is his homage to the Allman Brothers, with guitarist Chieli Minucci going off on free-spirited solos.

Peter Primamore's background is in TV and movie soundtracks, a fact which is pretty obvious on Grancia, his debut album as a named bandleader. Fronting a band that includes bassist Tony Levin, drummer Jerry Marotta (yes, that's Peter Gabriel's rhythm section), guitarist Chieli Minucci, a string section and assorted other players, Primamore has done something that you wouldn't necessarily think was possible -- he's created an album of sweetly melodic, classically-inflected instrumental pop music that remains effortlessly accessible throughout but somehow avoids both neo-romantic treacle and simplistically mystical new agey-ness. Granted, the various tracks do sort of run together a bit as you listen, but that's not necessarily a bad thing -- after all, you could say the same thing about a whole album of Vivaldi violin concertos. What's interesting is that Primamore's music is most powerful when he's not trying to rock out. The pentatonic melodies and open harmonies of the mid-tempo "Silver Stones" pack far more of a wallop than the much more rhythmically driven but paradoxically wimpy "Free Western" or "Russia Through Your Eyes," a number that sounds like it's trying to fly but never quite gets off the ground. Even those tracks, though, are quite enjoyable and the album as a whole is a pleasure.

This debut album by pianist-composer Peter Primamore is a very attractive set of original compositions that highlight Peter's considerable skills. Fluidly floating through distinctive moods, the ensemble players all acquit themselves admirably, yet this is really a showcase for Peter as both composer and pianist. Drawing inspiration from sources that are sometimes startlingly varied - the Allman Brothers, English literature, Brazilian music, matters mystical and earthy - Peter presents a rich tapestry of musical sounds all of which are played (and recorded) impeccably. His accompanists here are too numerous to mention but all play with skill and understanding