Customer Reviews

Tati

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The trumpet of Enrico Rava can be recognized from his own personal phrasing althought he comes from a minimalist tradition of trumpet players and great musicians such as Miles Davis and Chet Baker. His last work is a confirmation of a maturity and elegance which are giving us a few golden notes to live better. The interplay with the young italian world famous piano player, Stefano Bollani, is wonderfull and by themselves are sufficient in exploring the essence of the music. Paul Motian does not look like being at his best, he is not interplaying with the expected energy and decision to underline the wonderful moments Rava and Bollani are gifting us. The duo, Rava - Bollani, would have deserved 5 stars.

Released in 2005, this album probably came as a surprise to many long-time listeners of Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava. Not only is there no bass player, but also no cornet, no flugelhorn, no trombones, no saxophones, and no guitars. Just trumpet, piano, and drums. It's a very intimate and personal recording, and this will no doubt lead other reviewers to complain it's too slow and doesn't swing. Yes, without being too derivative, it is reminiscent of the darker, after-hours tones and textures of ECM labelmate Tomasz Stanko.

Rava's golden tone and time-honored style are heard to their best advantage in "The Man I love" and "Golden Eyes", while on the impressionistic title track, he's far too piercing and shrill to be dismissed as "smooth jazz". The clouds part for the three best songs on the album, "Mirrors", "Jessica Too", and "Cornettology". All Rava originals, they feature faster tempi, fiery trumpet outbursts, excellent piano accompaniment from Stefano Bollani, and intense pounding from legendary drummer Paul Motian. Other tracks are simple dirges ("Birdsong", "Gang of 5") or improv pieces ("Fantasm", "Overboard").

The black-and-white booklet photos from the sessions help add to the late-night, noirish atmosphere. Bollani shines throughout, with Motian adding much brush and cymbal work behind the horn lines. This has unobtrusively become one of my favorite Enrico Rava albums, and he deserves much credit for simultaneously wandering off the beaten track while remaining true to his own individual style. At 54:49, Tati does not outstay its welcome, but it does look forward to Rava's much-too-long 2008 album, The Third Man (which does without both bass AND drums). Were it not for Manu Katche's Neighbourhood, this would be a serious competitor for jazz album of the year.

I saw Enrico a few weeks ago with Bollani (but without Motian) and picked up this CD after the gig.

The music was pretty much the same as this recording. Many of the tunes are the same, as is the very spacious quality.

I have seen Chet a few times, Miles a half dozen, but not when Miles was playing this way with Herbie (to some extent.) With Chet and Miles gone, this is your best chance to hear this kind of trumpet playing live, so go check them out at once! You won't find this kind of maturity in music often.

Indeed, I saw Rava & Bollani in concert too and I'd never heard them before that. I found Rava's music completely transcending. It takes you to another reality. Not only that, but every sound was delivered with an absolute perfection, and an awareness for the space around and living things in it. I lost my first CD but I'm getting it again, along with "Easy Living".

Great music... Full of depth and emotion. Rava plays as dramatically as he always does, while Bollani on piano and Motian on drums underscore the melodic lines with skilful adherence. With musicians like these, you don't even need a double-bass to fill the space.
Tunes are impressive, tender and thoughtful, with a touch of classical nuance. "Birdsong", for instance, reminds me of Satie's Gymnopédie. And what about Puccini's famous "E lucean le stelle"? Incredible.

It seems Rava and Bollani are giving concerts all around the world! I also saw them a few weeks ago. They are just perfect partners. Rava gives enough space to Bollani as to let him grow and express. Enjoyable and never lasting good jazz

Though I was previously unfamiliar with Enrico Rava, I bought Tati after a recommendation from a fellow jazz aficionado who heard it online. I listened, read the reviews here, and listened again. Five stars? C'mon! Though Tati is an excellent CD to enjoy while kicking back on a lazy day, it doesn't come close to five-star status. It is so laid back that one could describe it as a barbiturate for the ears!

That's not to say I don't like it. Tati is just fine, but there is not a single cut that truly stands out. I agree with those who would compare Enrico Rava's music to that of Chet Baker, Miles Davis, or even Tomasz Stanko and I will try out another of his recordings. But I will save Tati for cool, rainy days like today.

Quite a unique jazz experience, Rava enters the scene which is highly populated by saxophone players and shows that like Miles Davis he can produce a beautiful sound on the trumpet, enjoy and follow him up!

Opener, The Man I Love, is lazy uncreative fare from a group interplay perspective but beautifully subtle and understated in term's of Rava's playing when listened to from a solo perspective. Next is Birdsong, a lazy, simplistic steal from Erik Satie's Trois Gymnopedies.

Much of the piano improvising is old fashioned pap. Motian's drumming is often just plain irritating, responding in an often seemingly random way to the moment rather than evincing any thought to the overall structure of the music.

"Ping pong jazz" occurs at times where in the absence of any original way to respond you just echo what someone else has just played.

A pity as Rava has such a beautiful expressive way with his horn, such a ravishing sound.

The reason for the extra star is that the CD works for me as background music when I can just focus on Rava's keening yet easily digested poetry.

Exploiting Rava's breezy qualities a little too much for the worse, these underdeveloped if inoffensive laid back sketches are heavy on style but short on substance.