Yuichiro Aratake: Music Make Us One
Yuichiro Aratake: Music Make Us One
Jazz of Japan #183 • Jun 30, 2023 • Brian McCrory
Yuichiro Aratake continues to express his compassionate vision with Music Make Us One, a live concert recorded in 2010 and released in a CD/DVD package. Through six songs, the 40-minute album features his expanded piano trio spotlighting harmonica, vocals, and an eight-member string section.
Two of the six songs are instrument-based tracks that feature Aratake’s expressive playing that supports bluesy harmonica playing together and warm string arrangements. Vocalist Ryutaro Makino joins on the other four songs, including Aratake’s “Family” and “Say We Love”. The violins, violas, and cellos in the string section add a classy texture to much of the album and, together with the song selection and arrangements, shifts the music into orchestral pop territory. The recorded live sound also captures the expansive feeling of a large stage and concert hall filled with an audience of fans.
In addition to bluesy songs, romantic ballads, and pop, the album’s jazzier moments include Makino singing Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” at a quick finger-snapping pace. Another listener favorite is Aratake’s own “Yuyake (Red Sunset)” with its modern Latin character and irresistible rhythm.
Music Make Us One by Yuichiro Aratake
- Yuichiro Aratake - piano
- Kunio Oinuma - bass
- Koichi Inoue - drums
- Koei Tanaka - harmonica
- Ryutaro Makino - vocal
- Naomi Urushibara - violin
- Leina Ushiyama - violin
- Kanae Shima - violin
- Asami Matsuda - violin
- Daisuke Tomita - viola
- Ryosuke Sato - viola
- Takefumi Shirasa - cello
- Masato Kubo - cello
Released in 2010 on Urban Jazz as 151A-0003.
Japanese names: Yuichiro Aratake 荒武裕一朗 Kunio Oinuma 生沼邦夫 Koichi Inoue 井上功一 Koei Tanaka 田中光栄 Ryutaro Makino 牧野竜太郎 Naomi Urushibara 漆原直美 Leina Ushiyama 牛山玲名 Kanae Shima 志摩かなえ Asami Matsuda 松田麻美 Daisuke Tomita 富田大輔 Ryosuke Sato 佐藤良輔 Takefumi Shirasa 白佐武史 Masato Kubo 久保公人
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