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2009 Taichung Jazz Festival Headliner Series: Enrico Rava
By Douglas Habecker
Translated by Naomi Lai
For its seventh year, the Taichung Jazz Festival will feature Italy's best-known jazz artist as one of its headliners. Trumpeter Enrico Rava, who will perform in Taichung on Oct.17 at Citizens Square, has a professional musical career that spans almost half a century, a period which has seen him make over 100 recordings, including 30 as a leader. Over the years, he has also worked with some of the best-known international names in jazz.
The long-maned trumpet player and composer, who recently turned 70, was born in Trieste and originally studied trombone. However, he switched to trumpet, reportedly after hearing Miles Davis. His career began in the mid-1960s when he started performing free jazz with Gato Barbieri and other musicians. Late in that decade, he moved to New York City, where he was introduced to free avant-garde forms and subsequently performed with a variety of quartets, usually as director, in New York, across Europe and South America. His first recording as leader came in 1972 with "Il giro del giorno in 80 mondi". This began a prolific, nonstop stream of recordings, such as a four-CD series (including "Shades of Chet" in 1999 and "Montreal Diary/A: Plays Miles Davis" in 2004) made in collaboration with fellow Italian trumpeter Paolo Fresu and influenced by jazz greats like Louis Armstrong, Chet Baker, and Miles Davis. Even more unique among his releases are three which represent his interpretations of operatic arias and overtures.
Rava's collaborations through the years include a pantheon of jazz artists such as Franco D'Andrea, Pat Metheny, Michel Petrucciani, Jimmy Lyons, John Abercrombie, Joe Henderson, Richard Galliano, Miroslav Vitous, Andrea Centazzo, Joe Lovano, Gil Evans and Cecil Taylor. While he is known for his focus on bebop jazz, his range includes avant-garde, post-bop and other styles. Among the widespread recognition he has earned in his career is a fourth-place ranking on the Down Beat 2006 and 2007 trumpet players special chart.
In more recent years, Rava has continued touring and performing around the globe, as well as recording, including his most recent January, 2009 release, "New York Days". A nostalgic musical return to NYC of sorts for Rava, this album is made with his protege Stefano Bollani and a trio of all-star American jazz musicians--drummer Paul Motian, bassist Larry Grenadier and saxophonist Mark Turner.
The Taichung Jazz Festival, being held for its seventh year, is Taiwan's largest jazz event, attracting top artists and groups from around the world and tens of thousands of participants. This year's nine-day festival will open on Saturday, Oct. 17 and continue to Sunday, Oct. 25, with the main stage at its usual location on Citizens Square (GongYi Rd) and two smaller nearby stages along JingGuo Boulevard. For more information, check the official website at www.jazzfestival.com.tw.
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September 2009
