ENRICO RAVA — Tati (review)

ENRICO RAVA — Tati album cover Album · 2005 · Post Bop Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Steve Wyzard
NOIRISH UNDERCURRENTS

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. Naturally, this provides for a very intimate and personal recording, and no doubt some will complain it's too slow and doesn't swing. Without being too derivative, Tati is reminiscent of the darker, after-hours tones and textures of ECM labelmate Tomasz Stanko.

Rava's glistening tone and time-honored style are heard to their best advantage on "The Man I Love" and "Golden Eyes". Those expecting innocuous background music are directed to the piercing and shrill tones of the impressionistic title track. 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, while Motian adds shimmering brush and cymbal work behind the horn lines. This has unobtrusively become one of my favorite Enrico Rava albums, and he deserves credit for simultaneously wandering off the beaten track while remaining true to his own individual style. At 54:47, Tati does not outstay its welcome and remains a frontrunner in all "Best Jazz Album of 2005" lists.
Share this review

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Solo Bern 1984 - First Visit Avant-Garde Jazz
ANTHONY BRAXTON
Buy this album from MMA partners
Ernesto Rodrigues, Nuno Torres & Johannes von Buttlar : Cosmic Collision Jazz Related Improv/Composition
ERNESTO RODRIGUES
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

Songs My Mom Liked EPK - Anthony Branker
ANTHONY BRANKER
js· 1 day ago
Jean-Pierre (feat. Darryl Jones)
BILL EVANS (SAX)
snobb· 1 day ago
Magic Box
CHRISTOPHE MARGUET
snobb· 1 day ago
The Peacocks
ANTOINE DRYE
js· 2 days ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us