Ralph Alessi
Imaginary Friends
2019 - ECM Records GmbH, München: ECM 2629 / 770 1817 
https://www.ecmrecords.com/catalogue/1542275038

* Ralph Alessi : trumpet
* Ravi Coltrane: tenor saxophone, sopranino saxophone
* Andy Milne   : piano
* Drew Gress   : double bass
* Mark Ferber  : drums
 
http://www.ralphalessi.com/ 
http://www.ravicoltrane.com/ 
https://www.andymilne.com/ 
http://www.drewgress.com/ 
http://markferber.bluemusicgroup.com/

Recorded by Nicolas Baillard at Studios La Buissonne, Pernes-les-Fontaines,
Carpentras, Vaucluse, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France, on May 2018.

Reviews
~~~~~~~

By George W. Harris 
https://www.jazzweekly.com/2019/02/ralph-alessi-imaginary-friends-2/

Trumpeter and leader forms a rich post modern team of Ravi Coltrane/ss-ts,
Andy Milne/p, Drew Gress/b and Mark Ferber/dr on this latest ambitious release.
Alessi’s horn is wide ranging in its expressiveness, gasping in the shadows
of “Pittance” sighing with Coltrane’s tenor during “Good Boy” and lurking
with Milne on “Around the Corner.” The team gets muscular and assertive on
“Melee” with Alessi blowing brightly and Coltrane’s soprano delivering frisky
ideas along the galloping groove, while the team is declaratory during the
title track. The harmonies of the two horns create some rich 3 dimensional
textures as on the pastoral “Tide” and elliptical “Improper Authorities” with
the Ferber and Gress keeping the stallions roped in. Impressive modern emotions.

--

By Matt Collar 
https://www.allmusic.com/album/imaginary-friends-mw0003235097

By Mike Jurkovic 
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/imaginary-friends-ralph-alessi-ecm-records-review-by-mike-jurkovic.php

By Mike Shanley 
https://jazztimes.com/reviews/albums/ralph-alessi-imaginary-friends/

Dr. Nagy Sándor (hu) 
https://www.jazzma.hu/lemezpolc/kulfoldi-eloadok/alessi-ralph/imaginary-friends/kritika/alessi-ralph-imaginary-friends

Dionizy Piątkowski (pl) 
https://jazz.pl/ralph-alessi-imaginary-friends-ecm-records/

Ivan Rod (dk) 
http://www.ivanrod.dk/2019/02/01/ralph-alessi-imaginary-friends/

Peter Füssl (de) 
https://www.kulturzeitschrift.at/kritiken/cd-tipp/ralph-alessi-imaginary-friends

Par Guillaume Bourgault-Côté (fr) 
https://www.ledevoir.com/culture/musique/554059/vitrine-musique-imaginary-friends-ralph-alessi

Por I.Ortega (es) 
http://www.distritojazz.com/discos-jazz/ralph-alessi-imaginary-friends