Review: Tema Due (Nicola Conte, Nico Lahs) - EP2 (Schema Records)

Tema Due are back with the follow-up to EP1 - yep!  You've guessed it, the imaginatively entitled 'EP2' with the fantastically imaginative young Brazilian percussionist Gabriel Prado and pianist Pietro Lussu!

And those with good memories will recall that Pietro featured on Enrico Bracco's 'Flying In A Box' (see review HERE) and both of them featured on the Conte produced 'Italia' by Till Brönner (see review HERE).

So, you'll instantly recognise that 'EP2' is firmly in the Schema 'school' of "Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Latin and all points south of the Italian base of the label for many years" along with the likes of Gerardo Frisina, 'Insight' Vol. 2 (see review HERE).

Tema Due, Conte and Lahs, know Latin jazz dance and have also given Brazilian 'Far Out' favourite Nina Miranda on 'Share Your Love' and another jazz pianist, Giovanni Guidi but it's the heavy percussion on 'Galaxy Bloom' with Lonnie Liston Smith keys backed up with 'Praise To The Sunshine' that steels the show.

Now we're in the swing of things, there will be an EP3 to preceed the album; I wonder if they can think of a better title than 'EP1, EP2 & EP3'? 

BUY LINK: Music | Schema Records

Artist: Tema Due (Nicola Conte, Nico Lahs)

Title:  EP2

Release date: 12th September, 2025

Label : Schema Records

Catalog Number : SC548

Format: 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Till Brönner - Italia (earMusic / Edel)

We all loved Italia '90 but for Till Brönner the musical decades were the 70s & 80s when, he says, “Italy created a kind of pan-European sound and an atmosphere that was formative for an entire generation.”  What better way to celebrate a nation in sound then than a new album?

Brönner has worked with countless jazz musso's over the years but this is a dream line-up of Till  (flugelhorn, trumpet, vocals, synthesizers, brass, background vocals), Roberto Di Gioia (he of Web Web and many more on piano, electric piano, synthesizers, mellotron, organ, keyboards, synth arrangements), Nicola Conte (guitar), Bruno Müller (guitar), Pietro Lussu (piano, electric piano), Alberto Parmegiani (guitar), Magnus Lindgren (flutes, saxophones, reeds & woodwinds, woodwind arrangements), Christian von Kaphengst (double bass, electric bass),  Ameen Saleem (double bass, electric bass), Teppo 'Teddy Rock' Mäkynen (drums), Gabriel Prado (percussion, background vocals), Arne Schumann (programming, recording, mixing), Katrin Mickiewicz (background vocal); quite a cast?

Brönner's 2008 album 'Rio' caught the ear of Italian Latin jazzdance expert Nicola Conte (he of Schema Records, last seen HERE) so, it's no surprise Conte would want to get onboard for as a producer for his lounge jazz easy listening exotica OST in a 'la dolce vita' groove with some much loved tunes.

And that would also include guest vocalists like Mario Biondi on 'Via Con Me' (instant hit as, "It's Wonderfull"), Giovanni Zarrella on the 60s International hit 'Quando, Quando, Quando', Chiara Civello ('Parole Parole' - watch out jazz dancers for when it speeds up but where's the 12" version?), Mandy Capristo ('In Alto Mare') and Sera Kalo (you'll love the 'Miles' phreak fusion jazz-funk of 'L'Unica Chance').

Plus, Till's debut as a vocalist, the single, 'Viva La Felicità", a cover version of theme from "Il Signor Rossi Cerca La Felicità", a 1970s Italian cartoon series (see review HERE), we said Till's horn is as amazing as ever, along with, what sounds like the Schema house band, why the fade out?  

Unfortunately, those no 12" mix on the album but there's a small gripe and everything is covered by Till's exquisite playing and there's also a "flute vs Donald Byrd"/OST style of 'Il Trucido E Lo Sbirro', the Latin swing of 'La Donna Invisibile' and cool Rio breeze of 'Travolti Di Un Insolito Destino'.

It's an album that packs a Italia cool of Tony Curtis/Roger Moore that musically represented by the likes of Ennio Morricone & Piero Piccioni (Ed. who are equally present on Temporary Blessings new single that's released on the same day - see review HERE) along with Italian cuisine and cycling precision, this is 'Italia 2025'; Arrivederci! 

BUY LINK: https://till.lnk.to/ITALIA

Artist: Till Brönner 

Title: Italia 

Release date: 5th September, 2025

Label: earMusic / Edel

Cat. No: BAM001RE

Format: 2 x LP Vinyl /CD / Digital

Review: Till Brönner - Viva La Felicità (earMusic / Edel)

Till Brönner is a big name in jazz, particularly European jazz, even before the 'Só Danço Samba' remixes by Mousse T and Nicola Conte came out and hit the dancefloor; time for an update?

Brönner has worked with countless jazz musso's over the years (including Bob James, 'On Vacation' 2020) and his 2008 'Rio' album caught the ear of Italian Latin jazzdance expert Nicola Conte (he of Schema Records, last seen HERE) there was no surprise Conte would want to get onboard for the remix.

It comes as little surprise then that when the Hamburg-based trumpet thought of an album entitled 'Italia' he'd think first of Conte as a producer for his lounge jazz easy listening exotica OST in a 'la dolce vita' groove.

'Viva La Felicità", a cover version of theme from "Il Signor Rossi Cerca La Felicità", a 1970s Italian cartoon series is the first single from the album and whilst Till's horn is as amazing as ever, along with, what sounds like the Schema house band, why the fade out?  Can only hope there's an extended version on the album itself.

A what a great cover too!  Deserves a 7" vinyl release at least.  

BUY LINK:

Artist: Till Brönner 

Title: Viva La Felicità 

Release date: 23rd July, 2025

Label: earMusic / Edel

Cat. No: BAM001RE

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Tema Due (Nicola Conte, Nico Lahs) - EP1 (Schema Records)

I said the other day that the spearhead trio of Schema Records Italian jazz scene was Gerardo Frisina, Gianluca Petrella and Nicola Conte and all of a sudden, we a new entry into the 'Champions League' positions, Tema Due!

If you're "a fan of the Schema 'school' of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Latin and all points south of the Italian base of the label for many years" as in that most recent Gerardo Frisina album referred to above, 'Insight' Vol. 2 (see review HERE), you'll wonder what's hit you with Tema Due is equal measure of Latin jazz dance perfection and modern Brazilian House.

'Macumba De Oxalà' is heavy on the percussion and jazz-vocal whilst 'La Danse de l'esprit' is 

the keyboard/flute gang fusion for the jazz dance de la Balearics.

Ask yourself, what would Airto and Flora Purim do if they had just arrived in Bari 30 years ago?

And that's what Nico Lahs brings to Conte's sharp jazz suits with house remix credits for Alton 

Miller and Detroit legend Amp Fiddler.  Obsessed with 60s jazz and modern dancefloor, this

 release is perfect. 

BUY LINK: Music | Schema Records

Artist: Tema Due (Nicola Conte, Nico Lahs)

Title:  EP1

Release date: 30th May, 2025

Label : Schema Records

Catalog Number : SC547

Format: 12" Vinyl / Digital / Bandcamp