Pat Battstone & Giorgia Santoro, Dream Notes Review

Pianist Pat Battstone is at it again; his release schedule is as prolific as his writing. This time around, he has partnered with flutist Giorgia Santoro on his latest endeavor Dream Notes. The album is inspired by Improvisations to the artwork, “Appunti Onirici,” of Daniela Chionna. Battstone explains, “From the moment I saw the works of Daniela Chionna, I had a strong affinity for them. They were a visual representation of the music that I was playing. Likewise, Daniela, upon hearing the music that I was making, found a familiar and sympathetic resonance. Her “Immersion” series of paintings were done while absorbed in the Elements and Kaleidoscope recordings. Thus, a collaboration was born. From our initial meeting, we both thought to combine visual and aural artworks. The preset work is the result of the cultivation and maturation of our shared vision.”

 Positives: Battstone and Santora have a sympathetic cohesion to their collaboration, each reacting and complimenting each other in a deep improvisational state.

 Bottom Line:  With each release, Battstone pushes the envelope of improvisation to a deeper level. From the opener “L’Albero dell’Incantatore,” that signals contemplative ease into the proceeding with a darkened aesthetic that is tender and delicate while emoting a beauty of gentleness. “The Forest Within” (part 1 & 2), begins with an affected eeriness of Santoro’s voice, almost emulating the conversations between the night creatures in the forest, scampering and foraging in the night, giving way to the morning contemplativeness of the morning dew and dappled sunshine through the trees of calmness. A highlight of the album showcasing Battstone’s melodic nature is “Blue/Ocean of Hearts,” a wave of movement washes over you creating the pulsation of what it might feel like to be in the ocean as its blue waters wash upon the shores and then the retreat to deeper waters with the rising tide. Each track is an adventure, a prism of meaning, and you let yourself go and relax into the sounds of Battstone and Santoro. That’s the short of it!

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