After many years of listen to jazz music, both traditional and skronkalicious, I figured I had most of the bases covered. Then a CD by Enrico Rava shows up. The list of jazz artists trumpeter Enrico Rava has played with is nothing short of amazing:

Gato Barbieri
Steve Lacy
Alex Schlippenbach (and the Globe Unity Orchestra)
Carla Bley
John Abercrombie
Roswell Rudd
Cecil Taylor
Don Cherry
Joe Lovano
Charlie Haden
Archie Shepp
Tony Oxley
Miroslav Vitous
.
.
.

The list actually goes on for quite a while. What amazes me is the wide variety of music styles represented and: even though I'm familiar with every person on that list, I've never heard of Enrico Rava.

The Italian-born (Trieste, 1939) Rava, in addition to his work with members of the afore-mentioned contemporary jazz army, had a successful recording career with ECM Records during the 1970's and 80's. Easy Living is his first record with the label since 1986's Volver.

Rava switched from trombone to trumpet after attending a Miles Davis concert. But, is he a Miles clone? Not at all. While some of Miles' characteristic sparseness can be heard, Rava's sound is more wide open and introspective. A crazy (maybe even useless...but what the hey) analogy might be: Jim Hall playing with the Keith Jarrett trio...if Hall played the trumpet instead of guitar.

The instrumental lineup of trumpet, trombone, piano, double-bass and drums paints quite a few moods on Easy Living, from the pensive "Blancasnow" to the propulsive "Traveling Night" to the joyous "Hornette And The Drums Thing". Even at their most quiet, this group sounds like they're having a good time.

So now that I've recovered from the shock of Enrico Rava flying below my jazz radar, it is time to check out the rest of his musical universe.

(First posted on Mark Is Cranky)