The Milanese pianist Stefano Bollani belongs to the premier league of Italian musicians who rejuvenate the face of jazz. He's especially known for his remarkable collaboration with the nestor of Italian jazz trumpeter Enrico Rava. Thanks to him Bollani gave up pop music - he even quit the tour op pop star Jovanotti in order to opt for the musical language of freedom and improvisation. Rava and Bollani recorded a duo CD at the Montreux Jazz Festival. After that Rava, like a true jazz mentor, kept encouraging his pupil, who joined his band, to record beautiful albums. And that is just what Bollani did, for instance for Label Bleu between 2002 and 2004. The solo album he recorded for ECM is one of the highlights of his career. On that album he demonstrates his capacity for both chamber music infected improvisations and down to earth swing jazz. Bollani is a real virtuoso who, like no other, knows how to mix jazz, classical and his own Italian roots.
