Tommaso Cappellato - Dancing Around Fire (2023)

"Dancing Around Fire" is the new album by LA-based drummer and composer Tommaso Cappellato in partnership with Pavimento Fertile, the Italian break dance collective founded by Paolo "Frigo" Montesi. Inspired by the energy of dance and improvisation, this album serves up a dynamic fusion of experimental soul and timeless grooves that command the body to move.

This unique collaboration between dancer and musician was born out of Cappellato’s live performance at the Pavimento Fertile dance jam in 2021. Seeing how Cappellato’s rhythms brought out new layers in the dancers’ movements inspired Montesi to commission an album of original music that celebrates the culture of drum breaks and sampling which fuel freestyle dance.

The album’s seven tracks, composed by Cappellato in as many days, take the listener straight to the dance floor. Cappellato weaves the soulful vocals of Lalin St. Juste (on “Made of Golden Light”) and Cameron Kinghorn (on “Heart to Mend”) alongside percussive electronic tracks (like “Battle Moves”) that emphasize the importance of the drum in unleashing the power of human expression.

Described by Gilles Peterson as a “brilliant, amazing drummer”, Cappellato is known as a master manipulator of musical forms and technology who first made his mark on the progressive jazz scene through acclaimed releases such as “Aforemention” (Mashibeats/Ropeadope Records) and “Butterflying” (Mother Tongue Records). Cappellato recorded the album in Los Angeles featuring singer Lalin St. Juste; King Pari founders DJ Stepmom and Cameron Kinghorn; saxophonist Michael Blake; and bass player Andrea Lombardini. The album was mixed by Garfield Adams and mastered by Kelly Hibbert.

“Dancing Around Fire” is the debut release on Montesi’s new record label, Pavimento Fertile, and is a must listen for all who appreciate the role that dance plays in shaping the musical form.