It’s an exciting big band sound where the instrumental arrangements are a natural forefront highlight of Nakabayashi’s music written for alto sax, tenor sax, clarinet, flute (x2), baritone saxophone, trumpet (x2), trombone (x2), piano, bass, and drums. All of the players are well-known, hard-working musicians working in and outside Japan in various forms. Special mention is made for trumpeter Takuya Kuroda, the most famous name in this group who is known for major label releases, international jazz festival activity, and collaborations with international musicians in jazz, fusion, and other genres.

The rhythms on Circles are energetic, many with modern jazz straight-eights and Latin-beat propulsion. The exciting individual horn soloists interlock grandly with written-out front-line horn section statements. This results in a live jazz sound that grabs listeners’ attention and illuminates different parts of the orchestra as the music unfolds.

As a long-experienced bassist, Nakabayashi knows how to expertly deliver the essential rhythmic and melodic roots when playing jazz to communicate intimately with listeners. As the leader on this album, he makes sure to keep driving an exciting groove throughout most of the songs, making several moments on the album equal candidates for highlights.

#1 “Circulo” introduces the exciting modern jazz sound overflowing with energy. #2 “Passing” shifts to a solid 3/4 time walk that is somehow both weighty and light. #3 “Choro for Charlie” (for Charlie Haden? Mingus? Parker?) is sleek with cool George Russellian quirks to it that keep the interest high. #4 “Partagas” is a brave adventure with a surprise piano montuno and drum solo embedded in its fusion/Latin groove.

#5 “My Ship” (tracks #5 and 6 are switched on the CD jacket), the sole jazz standard, is a laidback cool-down interval. #6 “Evenfall” is a magnificently suspenseful journey guided by an extended flute solo. #7 “Nocturne” has an emotional, graceful Ellingtonian sound, and together with track #5 offers a restful period on a disc otherwise filled with engaging whirlwinds. Finally, #8 “R.B.” is a fun, loud jazz blues that builds with popping swing-dance energy. Here the humble leader, not one to hog the mic, at last takes his only bass solo on the album (likely invoking “R.B.”, or Ray Brown, the famous long-time bassist in the Oscar Peterson trio). Nakabayashi plays a great four choruses on four strings before the ensemble locks into a lively orchestrated fanfare, a perfect way to close this Circle.

Audio and Video

• Promotional video for this album with brief excerpts:

• Promotional video for “Circulo”, track #1 on this album:

• Live performance of “Choro for Charlie”, track #3 on this album:

• Promotional video for “Pargatas”, track #4 on this album:

• Streaming/digital version of “Circles” (Bandcamp)

• Excerpt from track #6: “Evenfall”

Doi’s mature compositions embrace the sounds of jazz in various settings: mid-tempo walking jazz, energetic and frenetic jazz, and elegiac European classical sounds. Like many other modern recordings, facets of bebop, hard-bop, and cool jazz influences also surface effortlessly in the soulful music.

The woody tone of the clarinet makes the music organic and present, breathy and pure. Doi’s clarinet spins out long strands of wild jazz improvisation on “Velvet Sun” and “Kids ’24-7′” and cheerful poppy jazz on the catchy album closer “Off Duty”. Yet perhaps even more compelling are the meditatively quiet moments on “One Little Spark”, “Euphoria”, and the title track “Amalthea”, where the quartet fashions a Miles Davis/Bill Evans “Blue In Green” mood of atmospheric calm and beauty.

Audio and Video

• Several audio excerpts serving as an introduction to the Tokuhiro Doi Quartet live:

• A recent video of Tokuhiro Doi playing “Stella By Starlight” with pianist Akane Matsumoto:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Years”

Sato conceived the main theme while traveling in Norway and viewing a certain painting. The work of art, Art Rolfsen’s “The Big Station”, graces the cover and inspired “The Railway Station”, a four-part suite arranged over four tracks. This music emerges and recedes through tracks #1, 6, 9, and 12, resulting in four distinct songs with common echoes.

From this setting and throughout the rest of the album, beautiful music blossoms and inspires scenes of travel. Dramatic compositions with full, earthy sounds create moods spanning excitement, relaxation, hectic impressionism, and, naturally, melancholy. This music embraces emotions that may arise at different times during a long journey, a soundtrack to a trip, a modern work of art.

Audio and Video

• Audio samples from the CD:

• Excerpt from track #1: “The Railway Station”