Wandering

The Italian pianist Enrico Pieranunzi has had a long and distinguished career but still isn’t very well known in the U.S., a country where he rarely performs. He’s played with figures such as Chet Baker, Johnny Griffin, and Lee Konitz, and has released more than 60 albums as a leader. Pieranunzi sometimes brings a classical touch to his playing, and has incorporated the film music of Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota into his repertoire. 2009’s *Wandering* finds the pianist playing his own compositions without accompaniment. “Teensblues” opens with jabbing chords before the song finds a groove driven by a walking pattern in the left hand. The brief “Improstinato 1” rivets with its striking rhythms and angular lines, while the lovely “Foor-fee” displays Pieranunzi’s way with ballad-like material. The pianist turns in a dynamic performance on the finely shaped “Improvisations 1,” and “Dark” creates a tension-filled mood that brings to mind McCoy Tyner. “For My True Love,” the album’s longest track, closes *Wandering* with Pieranunzi in a reflective mood, taking his time as he sensitively crafts variations on the melody.