The Pilgrim and the Stars

Enrico Rava has always had an uncanny ability to treat each album as a fresh slate. Fronting a band rounded out by John Abercrombie on guitar, Palle Danielsson on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums, he turns the seven scenes of The Pilgrim And The Stars like a zoetrope until they move as one image. “Parks,” which finds Rava in duet with Abercrombie, is a personal favorite. Other notables include the groove-oriented “Bella” and the murkily textured “Blancasnow.” The mood is generally quiet, but the exposition is anything but, allowing us room to take it in and know we’re loved.