Kaori Vibes Quartet: Cross Point
Vibist Kaori Nakajima returns with her second album Cross Point featuring KVQ: Kaori Vibes Quartet (formerly Vangy!!), a jubilant combo with jazz vibraphone springing out mellow tones at the center.
Starting with the high-energy “Cross Point”, the quartet explores directions from straight-ahead jazz and relaxed swing to quiet ballads and Spanish-tinged rubato. With skilled playing and engaging compositions, highlights include the pop-catchy “Dandelion”, the edgy “Flicker”, a nod to Horace Silver and Cedar Walton on “Golden Pine”, and the soft atmospheric reverb of “Moonlights Underwater”, summoning undulating waves in the comfort of twilight.
Cross Point by Kaori Vibes Quartet
Kaori Nakajima - vibraphone
Tamashi Goto - piano
Minoru Yoshiki - bass
Masanori Ando - drums
Released in 2016 on Urban Jazz as 151A-0017.
Japanese names: Kaori Nakajima 中島香里 Tamashi Goto 後藤魂 Minoru Yoshiki 吉木稔 Masanori Ando 安藤正則
Audio and Video
Kaori Nakajima plays "At That Room", the final song on this album
Excerpt from "Cross Point", the first song on this album: