New York Days Enrico Rava, Stefano Bollani, Mark Turner, Larry Grenadier & Paul Motian

• 1 Lulù 09:28
• 2 Improvisation I 04:24
• 3 Outsider 06:17
• 4 Certi Angoli Segreti 10:55
• 5 Interiors 10:42
• 6 Thank You, Come Again 07:06
• 7 Count Dracula 03:20
• 8 Luna Urbana 07:39
• 9 Improvisation II 07:52
• 10 Lady Orlando 05:32
• 11 Blancasnow 04:23
• Total Runtime 01:17:38

Info for New York Days

A new transatlantic quintet headed by Italian trumpeter Rava, recorded in New York in 2008 and a first ECM appearance for US tenorist Mark Turner, whose distilled, lean sound references Coltrane, Warne Marsh, Wayne Shorter and others. Turner’s searching, analytical tone is in marked contrast to Enrico’s lyrical flourishes, but the two make a fascinating pairing - especially with the resolutely musical pianist Stefano Bollani finding points of contact, and making his own statements. Add in the gifted bassist Larry Grenadier (last heard on ECM with Charles Lloyd) and that most unpredictable of all drummers, Paul Motian, and you have here a truly remarkable band.

Enrico Rava, the Miles Davis-inspired Italian trumpet star and composer, plays with a pedigree transatlantic band on a 2008 New York set devoted to his mix of smoky love-song melodies and startling eruptions. All the pieces are his, save for two slowly weaving on-the-fly group improvisations. Rava is joined by regular pianist Stefano Bollani, with the American contingent represented by Brad Mehldau bassist Larry Grenadier, percussion magician Paul Motian and the sophisticated 1950s Cool-meets-Coltrane tenor saxophonist Mark Turner. Rava and Bollani's delicate agenda of rich tone-colours, illuminated by lightning-strikes of urgent sound, dominates the music. Though there are sporadic diversions into bebop at an uptempo sprint (Outsider), or a mid-tempo canter with hints of Thelonious Monk and Chet Baker/Gerry Mulligan (Thank You Come Again), jazzers shouldn't jump to the conclusion that a rhythm section this hip means all that much grooving. But Motian's dazzling drumming always swings. Bollani's piano lines glisten over his springy left-hand chording, and the two horn players - Turner often murmuring around the lower register, Rava splitting long sounds with taut upper-end ascents - both contrast sharply, and intertwine like intimates. (John Fordham, The Guardian, Friday 6 March 2009)

Enrico Rava, trumpet

Stefano Bollani, piano

Mark Turner, tenor saxophone
Larry Grenadier, double bass
Paul Motian, drums

No biography found.

Booklet for New York Days