Enrico Rava: New York Days (2009)

Enrico Rava (born 20 August 1939 in Trieste, Italy), is a prolific jazz trumpeter and arguably one of the best known Italian jazz musicians. He originally played trombone, changing to the trumpet after hearing Miles Davis. His first commercial work was as a member of Gato Barbieri's Italian quintet in the mid-1960s; in the late 1960s he was a member of Steve Lacy's group. In 1967 Rava moved to New York City. He has played with artists such as Carla Bley, Jeanne Lee, Paul Motian, Lee Konitz and Roswell Rudd. Chiefly an exponent of bebop jazz, Enrico Rava has also played successfully in avant-garde settings. His style may partly recall Kenny Wheeler's in its spareness and lightness of tone, albeit Rava's is harmonically simpler.

In the 1970s and 1980's he worked with Pat Metheny, Michel Petrucciani, John Abercrombie, Joe Henderson, Richard Galliano, Miroslav Vitouš, Andrea Centazzo, Joe Lovano, Gil Evans and Cecil Taylor.

With trumpeter Paolo Fresu, Rava recorded a series of four CDs on the influence of Bix Beiderbecke, Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, and Miles Davis (Bix, Pop, Shades of Chet, Play Miles Davis). Also of note are his recordings Rava, L'Opera Va' and Carmen; his own interpretations of operatic arias and overtures. In 2001, he founded a new quintet with pianist Stefano Bollani, and toured with Gato Barbieri and Aldo Romano. In the trio Europeans he is working with German bass-player Eberhard Weber and Swiss percussionist Reto Weber.

Tracklist:

01. Lulu (9:34)

02. Improvisation I (4:24)
03. Outsider (6:17)
04. Certi Angoli Segreti (10:56)
05. Interiors (10:42)
06. Thank You, Come Again (7:06)
07. Count Dracula (3:21)
08. Luna Urbana (7:40)
09. Improvisation II (7:52)
10. Lady Orlando (5:32)
11. Blancasnow (4:22)
New York Days (Ocrd)
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Ingrid Jensen: Vernal Fields (1994)

Although trumpeter Ingrid Jensen has a wide range and a potentially fiery style, she holds a great deal in reserve on her debut recording, letting one peek at her emotional intensity now and then but mostly making lyrical statements. Her supporting cast (altoist Steve Wilson, George Garzone on tenor, pianist Bruce Barth, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummer Lenny White) is quite impressive and adds a great deal to the CD without taking the spotlight away from the leader. Ingrid Jensen sounds particularly strong on "Marsh Blues" and the standards "Ev'rytime We Say Goodbye," "I Love You," and an ironic "By Myself," but all nine selections have their moments. The music is basically advanced hard bop, with Jensen (when she is playing open) sounding like a logical successor to Freddie Hubbard and Woody Shaw while resembling her teacher, Art Farmer, a bit when utilizing a mute. This is an impressive beginning to what should be an important career.

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Vernal Fields (RS) / Vernal Fields (DF) / Vernal Fields (HF)

Joshua Redman: Timeless Tales (1998)

On Timeless Tales, saxophone hero Joshua Redman examines ten popular standards from a variety of musical eras. Opening with a expansive version of "Summertime," Redman's tone is both hearty and buoyant. With the tasteful accompaniment of Brad Mehldau on piano, Larry Grenadier on bass, and Brian Blade on drums, he covers a range of once-contemporary pop and rock classics including "Eleanor Rigby," "The Times They Are A-Changin," and even a tune by Prince. Using the tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones in his instrumental arsenal, Redman reveals a vibrant imagination while staying solidly within the mainstream of jazz. Embracing beautiful ballads like "How Deep Is the Ocean" and jaunty old compositions like "Love for Sale," Joshua Redman exhibits discerning taste in his chosen selections and distinctive playing style. --Mitch Myers

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Timeless Tales (RS) / Timeless Tales (HF) @ 320K

Charles Lloyd: Hyperion with Higgins (2001) [lossless, scans]

The December 1999 sessions that produced The Water Is Wide yielded enough material for a second album. Hyperion With Higgins is the result, and its title reflects the sad fact that Billy Higgins, Lloyd's friend and soul mate and the session's drummer, passed away not long after the music was put to tape. The music's spiritual quality is heightened by the after-the-fact dedication. Quite unlike The Water Is Wide, Hyperion With Higgins is comprised entirely of Lloyd's original compositions, although the same lineup is featured: Lloyd, Higgins, John Abercrombie, Brad Mehldau, and Larry Grenadier. After a couple of fairly straightforward jazz pieces ("Dancing Waters, Big Sur to Bahia" and "Bharati"), the quintet delves into two longer works: "Secret Life of the Forbidden City" and the Coltrane-esque "Miss Jessye." They then romp through the title track, a spirited mid-tempo blues, before tackling the album's centerpiece: the five-part "Darkness on the Delta Suite," an ambitious, free-leaning melange of Eastern and rural blues connotations (with a brilliant solo interlude by Abercrombie). The last two pieces — "Dervish on the Glory B" and "The Caravan Moves On" — depart almost completely from jazz vernacular. The former recalls the upbeat, folk-like drone of the sunset portion of "Forest Flower," while the latter, featuring Lloyd on taragato, evokes not only the Middle Eastern desert, but also the inexorable march of time. Thus does a fitting homage to the departed Higgins conclude this exceptionally focused, all-original statement from Charles Lloyd.

Kurt Rosenwinkel: Deep Song (2008) [lossless]

Guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel's Deep Song is an intimately atmospheric album that finds the ever-reaching jazz musician in the company of a stellar ensemble. Rosenwinkel has always displayed the strong influences of such expansive players as Pat Metheny, John Scofield, and Pat Martino, and tracks such as the continually overlapping "The Cloister" do nothing if not reinforce such high comparative praise. In fact, Rosenwinkel's moody take on "If I Should Lose You" brings to mind such cerebrally mellow Martino classics as We'll Be Together Again and Cream. Joining him here are the deep-color talents of saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Brad Mehldau, bassist Larry Grenadier, and drummers Jeff Ballard and Ali Jackson.

Charles Lloyd: The Water Is Wide (2000) mp3 @ 320K

Charles Lloyd was on a roll in the 1990s, each new CD offering some small surprises. On his new 2000 release, The Water Is Wide, Lloyd boasts a great lineup. Guitarist John Abercrombie and drummer Billy Higgins are back from Lloyd's Voice in the Night, but they are joined here by Brad Mehldau and the pianist's regular bassist, Larry Grenadier. The choice of material is also something of a surprise--Ellingtonia, such as "Black Butterfly," "Heaven," and "Lotus Blossom," the Scots folk song "The Water is Wide," Hoagy Carmichael's "Georgia," and several appealing Lloyd originals. The mood throughout is meditative, gentle, and carefully considered. Lloyd's tenor is sometimes sensuous, sometimes stark, Mehldau and Abercrombie matching him with minimalist but elegant support. Only on "There is a Balm in Gilead" does the tempo increase, and only on Cecil McBee's composition "Song of Her" does an arrangement become obvious. Yet this is music of great charm, made more so by its understatement and the delicacy of Lloyd's phrasing and the distinctiveness of his tone. Records like this used to come from Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster, but there aren't many saxophonists today who could pull off something so straightforward and unpretentious. --John F. Szwed