Fearless Five is Enrico Rava's new project, a “fearless” quintet made up of a new generation of musicians, combining young, creative energies with the enormous experience of the band's leader.
 

Once again, Rava has succeeded in creating a fresh and exciting line-up. Indeed, The Fearless Five is made up of a series of young musicians of great depth: Matteo Paggi on trombone (Rava's latest surprising discovery, made at the Siena jazz seminars), the propulsive thrust of Francesco Ponticelli on double bass, drummer and vocalist extraordinaire Evita Polidoro and the confirmation of indispensable guitarist Francesco Diodati, who has already been at Rava's side for ten years and is the real center of gravity of this quintet of intrepid, “fearless” jazz musicians.
 

With this group,” says Rava, ”I feel like I'm on an ideal island, where everyone gives and everyone gets what they need. There's great freedom but mutual respect, everyone listens to everyone else, as in a perfect democracy that only jazz can represent.
 

Musicians all have this great, almost telepathic ability to listen and interact with others. But it also takes courage to be on this island. Sometimes surrounded by a threatening sea, sometimes less so, given the difficult times we live in, it remains my ideal island where I love to live and play music”.
 

In February 2024, the quintet met up at the Casa del Jazz recording studios in Rome to record an album, released in July by Parco della Musica Records.
 

Enrico Rava is undoubtedly Italy's best-known and most internationally acclaimed jazz musician. Always engaged in the most diverse, creative and stimulating experiments, he appeared on the scene in the mid-1960s, quickly establishing himself as one of the most convincing soloists in European jazz. His experiences in America, where he lived for several years (participating in numerous major groups and recording with Gato Barbieri, Steve Lacy, Carla Bley, Cecil Taylor, Archie Shepp, Lee Konitz, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Michel Petrucciani and many others), and his subsequent tours around the world, were also crucial to his success. His outspokenness, both human and artistic, sets him apart from the pack, making him a musician who is rigorous yet unconcerned with convention.