Enrico Rava: Corners

For “Corners,” Italian trumpeter and longtime label mate Enrico Rava has once again surrounded himself with a new generation of Italian musicians who are ready to break with convention. As a collective, they call themselves the Fearless Five—an all-Italian quintet, complemented here by guest saxophonist Joe Lovano. The result is an album consisting exclusively of original compositions, characterized by a spirit of adventure and wit, in which the Italian-American team draws from a shared wellspring of imagination. “Corners,” the group’s first album for the label, is rich in haunting melodies that reflect Rava’s characteristic lyrical style while also revealing new facets. These are brought to life both by his younger collaborators and by Lovano’s unique ability to adapt to every fellow musician, every musical idiom, and every space. Rava explains how the album’s program came about: “Since they all have their own bands, in which they serve as bandleaders and composers, I thought it would make sense for each of us to contribute pieces to this new album—which is why *Corners* is quite different from my other albums.”