Kaori Vibes Quartet: Cross Point

Jazz of Japan #34 • Mar 23, 2018 • Brian McCrory

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