Customer Reviews

New York Days (Ocrd)

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

 

 

I havent seen Rava this engaged in his music since he played with Paolo Fresu in Montreal. Mark Turner is the perfect foil for him and his New York Unit far exceeds the Italian group he has been recording with for some time on ECM. The Birdland engagement was testament to this. Look he's not the Rava of the Pilgrim and the Stars but that was over 30 years ago. His sound is flawless, the ideas are strong. His playing is quite remarkable for his age. A sky full of stars for this date.

I have no idea what the more "negative" reviewers are listening to. Its a great recording.

The Lion of Trieste roars again.

This is my first experience with the Italian trumpet player Enrico Rava's work and I am impressed. To me, it captures the essence of an idealized New York urban street - a moment in time, perhaps a better time - certainly one rich in nostalgia, affording quiet contemplation and the conjuring of memories, fond and some not so.

The opening track, Lulù, is perfectly sparse - featuring a delicate interplay between the trumpet and piano, with the musicians enjoying and sharing the spaces within a tune. This sets the tone of the album - exploration, individual themes merging momentarily and then splitting once more. The second track Improvisation I is an unconscious extension of this approach - the musicians simply exploring the space, sensing out the boundaries. In Outsider the boundaries begin to be tested - it begins with an up-tempo bass run, with bursts of trumpet and more predominant brushwork splashes on Brian Blade's part.

There are truly transcendent moments within this album which are worth the price of entry alone - Count Dracula (in addition to featuring a beautiful modal piano intro) conspires to build an incredible soaring theme between the trumpet and saxophone from out of a low-key maelstrom for instance. Lady Orlando and Blancasnow are stand out tracks that capture the mood of the album. In general, he music is complex and spatially very rich mining a down-tempo improvisatory approach which may not appeal to everyone's tastes but there is a depth and passion underpinning the album that will reward deeper reflective listening.

Like most ECM studio discs these days, this album sticks mostly to the "slow and introspective" end of the spectrum. This means that you won't get anything hard-swinging.

That said, after multiple spins the strong quality of the music begins to emerge. Given the ensemble and the dark sound, Miles Davis's 2nd Great Quintet is the obvious reference point. If you like the ballads on "Sorcerer" or "Nefertiti", this will be right up your alley. Enrico Rava and Mark Turner develop a strong chemistry; Larry Grenadier and Stefano Bollani are great as well. Really, my only complaint is about Paul Motian, who is incredibly restrained through most of the disc. The guy is a great texturalist, no doubt, but it's a shame we don't get to hear him thrash around that much. The compositions are generally excellent and, once they reveal their secrets, memorable.

Maybe I'll revise my rating for this later to the full 5, but one thing for sure - it doesn't deserve a low or medium rating.

I bought this CD after seeing it listed as one of the year's best in the New York Times review. I'm not sure it's one of the best recordings I've heard this year, (William Parker's "Petit Oiseau", Wadada Smith's "Tabligh", Brad Mehldau's "Live", Bennie Maupin's "Early Reflections", Rob Brown's "Crown Trunk..." Buffalo Collision's "Duck" and Alex Cline's "Continuation" being my favorites) but this recording is good down-tempo jazz. The rhythm section of Larry Grenadier and Paul Motion is reason enough to listen to the disc. Much of their playing is subtle and understated, but excellent none the less. Mark Turner also adds some nice playing. As far as Rava himself goes, I think he plays some beautiful runs. I don't find his playing to be particularly stunning. Overall, it's a good, solid, down-tempo recording and worth a listen.

I love Enrico and I love his playing... but I didn't love this CD. It is 'ok' but not something I want to play again and again...sadly.

Enrico Rava and his group, wth the exception of one or two tracks on his album called New York, seemingly need a shot of swing steroids. The playing is almost the antithesis of New York energy. Somebody needs to remind Rava that swinging, real swinging, is instrinsic to jazz, and not doing a limp imitation of Miles Davis track after track. It's not that the group is lacking in muscianship. But somehow New York the album sounds more like music from some 50's existentialist night spot, where beats would come to contemplate their navels. Sorry guys, wake up and smell the tomato sauce. Vita e bella. And play with some real verve, track after track. Maybe a couple shots of strong espresso before the session would do it.
Ciao,
Jerry Mazza,
life-long NYC resident and jazz buff.