One of the most obscure albums ever recorded by Italian trumpeter Enrico Rava – and one of the greatest as well! The set is a rare meeting between Rava and some key players on the Argentine scene of the mid 70s – a great quartet that features Fernando Gelbard on Fender Rhodes, Adalberto Cevasco on bass, Nestor Astarita on drums, and Chango Faras Gomez on percussion – all working with Rava in a groove that's maybe warmer and more soulful than both his spacious and more experimental sides recorded in America and overseas! We always love Gelbard on Rhodes – and his work here really adds a lot to the record – never dominating, but always shaping the sound and forming the rhythm patterns – while Rava soars out with some open, well-placed solos. Titles include "Chico", "Ate Um Dia", "Barco Hasta El Cielo", and "Enrico Seis Octavo". CD

A legendary overview of jazz on the Italian scene at the start of the 60s – a great document of the new modes that was really setting the work of Italian jazz musicians apart from those in other parts of Europe – working with fresh ideas and a new conception that's completely sublime! The work here often has a great balance between structure and individual voice – and many numbers feature strong soloists who'd go on to great fame in a variety of settings – already graced here with talents that seem greater than their young years. Trumpeter Enrico Rava leads things off in a quartet with pianist Maurizio Lama, on a version of the tune "Line For Lyons" – and Lama follows with a trio reading of his own "Tema For Franco". Trumpeter Sergio Fanni is joined by the great Eraldo Volante on tenor and baritone on the tunes "Duo" and "Circeo". Later soundtrack artist Piero Umiliani serves up his "Picolla Suite Americana" – followed by the Modern Jazz Gang of saxophonist Sandro Brugnolini (with later sound library giants Enzo Scoppa and Cicci Santucci), on the tracks "The Drum Is A Tramp" and "Blue Mirria". Trombonist Dino Piana delivers the tune "Tempo Di Febbraio" with help from the great Gianni Basso on tenor – and the set also features a reading of "Bag's Groove" with Giorgio Azzolini on bass, Piano on trombone, and Attilio Donadio on alto. LP, Vinyl record album

One of Enrico Rava's more over-the-top albums – recorded with a full-on trumpet sound that reminds us a bit of Freddie Hubbard in early CTI years, set into some harder jamming post-Miles arrangements! The backing is by a John Abercrombie on guitar, Palle Danielsoon on bass, and Jon Cristensen on drums – but you'd swear that there's a larger ensemble working away on the record, given the full sound beneath Rava's lofty trumpet solos – yet the set is really just the efforts of this core quartet, working with a surprising amount of dynamism, especially considering the ECM setting. Titles include "Bella", "Pilgrim & The Stars", "Pesce Naufrago", "By The Sea", and "Blancasnow". CD