Viento is saxophonist Mabumi Yamaguchi’s second release on Days of Delight following his chord-less trio recording Trinity (2022), but he’s been playing and releasing albums for over five decades. In that time, he’s worked with stellar domestic and international musicians including drummers Motohiko Hino (“best jazz drummer in Japan” award winner throughout the 1970s) and George Otsuka for a landmark 1978 tour with Kenny Kirkland (piano), John Scofield (guitar), and Miroslav Vitous (bass). His recording Mabumi (1981) also featured Kirkland and Vitous with Tony Williams (drums) joining the lineup.

Yamaguchi’s live jazz activities started in the 60s and 70s at the venerable Tokyo jazz clubs Naru and Pit Inn. It’s remarkable that after nearly fifty years, Mabumi still consistently appears for fan-favorite and fulfilling jazz sessions at Naru (stay tuned for an upcoming spotlight on that beloved jazz haven, coming soon).

His new album Viento is a collection of eight of Yamaguchi’s originals, all written with the concept of using soprano saxophone in the forefront. This characteristic makes a strong impression as Yamaguchi’s bright tones extend like tendrils of vines embedded in cracks and grooves, skillfully navigating dramatic paths and always pushing forward through songs covering straight-ahead and modern jazz terrain.

This musical landscape shifts back and forth from dark, mellow, and mysterious (#1 “Sequel to a Dream”, #2 “Evening”), to fantastical and churning (#4 “Thalia”, #6 “Viento”), and to exciting and positive (#3 “Let Your Mind Alone”, #5 “True Face”, #7 “Empty Mirror”) when the uplifting mood is heightened as the good-feeling swing or cool funk sets in. The last track, the sweetly elegant song #8 “Toi Yakusoku” (Distant Promise), closes the album perfectly with Yamaguchi and pianist Katakura playing as a duo in a sentimental rubato with a Strayhorn/Ellington-ish emotional impact.

Liner Notes

(Translated from excerpts of Akiomi Hirano’s original Japanese liner notes.)

Tomorrow a small percent different from today

If possible I don’t want to repeat what I did yesterday, I don’t want to play what I already know. So says Mabumi Yamaguchi.

“The ideal is to create from scratch each time. Of course, that’s impossible, so if I can do it just a few percent, that’s good. Even if it’s just a few percent, if I do that every time I play live and keep it going over a long time, a little bit of my personality will emerge, don’t you think?”

These humble words represent his character well. Spoken shyly and haltingly, it is hard to believe they come from a maestro who has maintained a presence at the core of Japanese jazz for half a century through many famous performances and recordings.

There is a certain quality common to truly compelling artists and creators, not just with jazz musicians. You may not see the signs of the hardships they endured through the accumulated years of severe training. Their demeanor is gentle and not arrogant.

Even when you hear their actual story, it’s rare to sense the strange hardships experienced by performers in the upper levels of their field. Perhaps there’s an aesthetic that makes it embarrassing to express difficulties through words, or maybe they don’t really think that they have suffered through hardships.

I’ve seen this in many artists and creators, and in my experience, Mabumi is of that type.

So, how on earth did Mabumi acquire the skill of making “Tomorrow a small percent different from today”?

“While playing I search for the sound. From where you are now, where do you go next? The vital point is when putting out a sound, don’t go back, move forward. You can’t turn around and go back. Concentrate on moving straight ahead down one path. That’s the ideal. While playing I’m trying things out, so of course there are plenty of mistakes, haha.”

For now, look forward. Don’t look back.

…

The first thing that strikes me from the outset is that soprano saxophone is played through the entire album.

Actually, for a long time now I’ve found it strange that there are so few albums with an “all-soprano” format. This may be due to some players and listeners who regard the soprano sax as a substitute instrument brought in for a change. But to someone like me who is an avid soprano sax fan, it’s an extremely appealing format.

Furthermore, Mabumi’s tone is undeniably beautiful. His soprano has an expressive power that ranks among the best in the world of Japanese jazz. It is perfectly matched to his original compositions, as well. Mabumi’s originals all possess his distinctive personality, but when played with soprano, they take on an intelligent and floating quality that is especially fascinating. For this album, we decided to collect original songs which were written to be performed on soprano sax.

Regardless, why I am so attracted to Mabumi Yamaguchi’s original compositions? What does he think about when he is writing a song? What makes a song have good or bad qualities in the first place…?

What are the conditions for a good song? When I asked about this, this is what Mabumi said to me.

“For example, Wayne Shorter’s ‘Footprints’ is very simple, but just like Charlie Parker’s ‘Now’s the Time’, it is a masterpiece ingrained in jazz history. The amazing thing is that even though the motif is simple, it is fashioned into a large piece of music. With just a few phrases you can feel the size of it. It’s because there is strength in the theme. It’s the same with Charlie Chaplin’s ‘Smile’, right?”

Now that I think about it, the theme of “Footprints” certainly does have a mysterious power. It’s hummable, and it stays in your head. It’s the same as the one from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Even though it’s been decades since I’ve seen the movie, those five notes are unforgettable. Maybe a masterpiece is something that affects a person’s brainstem like this.

“I want to create themes or motifs that are simple and strong. Of course, it’s not easy. There are many fragments of tunes that I’ve scribbled down at home, but if the seeds don’t have that strength, I have to toss them out.”

The magnetism of Mabumi Yamaguchi’s songwriting is that he grasps the “vital point of songwriting”, and he is steadfast in following through without compromise.

…

Making “tomorrow a small percent different from today” requires a tough spirit to resist the temptation to pass the ball back, a strong will and concentration to maintain the drive to create, excellent leadership to draw out talent, and above all, the integrity of a jazz musician who wants to constantly evolve.

When I see Mabumi Yamaguchi, I feel this keenly. And the next generation of top players are watching this figure. They are taking him in as a role model. There’s no doubt that this structure is a valuable resource for the world of Japanese jazz.

Akiomi Hirano (Days of Delight)

Founder/Producer

Audio and Video

• Promotional video for this album:

• Live solo performance of “Thalia”, track #4 on this album:

• Excerpt from track #5: “True Face”

Links

• Days of Delight record label

• Days of Delight album releases (e-onkyo music)

• Days of Delight videos

The jazz performance and original compositions on this album are focused on a few themes. One, perhaps most important and reflected in the title, is the sense of gratitude that Tanaka feels for others: her companions, musical partners, and no doubt her listeners and supporters as well.

Another goal for the pianist was to release an album full of her original songs. This includes one of her popular live show attractions, her tune “M.T.”, a fascinating uptempo swing number dedicated to and invoking certain comic book reptile heroes.

In addition, there are other perfectly swung tunes, respectful of tradition while pushing forward with new songs and talent. Highlights include the rolling rhythms and skipping frolic of #1 “Hydrangea Flower”, the solid and inventive title track #4 “Appreciation”, and the cool mellowness of #5 “Aries”, aiming to be unbound by genre limits to appeal to all.

Tying it all up in a lovely bow is the final track (and the only cover song on the album), #9 “Konomichi”, played by Tanaka as a soulful piano solo that captures a sentimental fondness in lovely light colors like the so many purple, pink, and blue flowers surrounding her in the cover image.

Liner Notes

(Translated from Naoko Tanaka’s album liner notes originally in Japanese.)

Thank you for getting this album.

I’ve always wanted to fill an album with my original songs, and I’m greatly thankful to the many people who helped this project become a reality. It’s a treasure for me to be able to record this love-filled album with my favorite musicians.

The recording truly reflects my account. When I listen back to the recording, it’s as if I can grasp the feeling of every moment of that time with each song. Such a record of myself is somewhat embarrassing, but I hope that you enjoy it.

Hydrangea Flower

I created this song with the image of my favorite hydrangea flowers with vivid colors and sparkling, raindrop-touched flower petals. The hydrangea were especially beautiful on the day of the recording, and as such this song became even more memorable. It became a great take with dynamic brilliance from the two horns.

Monk’s Birthday

This is a song dedicated to Thelonious Monk, one of my favorites. On October 10th, without knowing it was his birthday, I had a sudden desire to listen to Monk’s music. It’s a celebratory song that I happily wrote from this episode.

M.T.

It’s a song I’ve been playing for many years, one which some may consider to be my masterpiece (haha). I depict the world of the American comic that I love, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It’s a song full of tricky ninja-like moves and a thrilling performance for the trio.

Appreciation

This is a song I wrote for a live performance that marked the anniversary of my 2015 album Memories. As the meaning suggests, I performed this piece to express my gratitude to all of the people I’ve met along the way. Saxophone player Mabumi Yamaguchi, whom I greatly respect, often plays this song with me at live shows, so I summoned the courage to invite him to record this song with me.

Aries

As someone active in various musical genres, I wanted to record a song that was not bound by genre, and I chose an old song that I had written in the past. An image of the starry sky came to me, so I chose the title of Aries. There are a number of times when songs I wrote in the past take on a new, fresh feeling. It will be great if the younger generation also thinks “Wow, jazz is cool!”

mine mine

I was able to get a relaxing song that felt like floating near the seashore. Please enjoy the comfortable and poetic alto sax performance of Takayuki Sato.

A New Day

Actually, this song uses almost the same chord progressions as the jazz standard “Day by Day”. It’s fun to make a new song using a different melody, and to sometimes quote the original song. In fact, this melody came to me on the day before the recording and I quickly wrote it down. I could relax and perform with my favorite trio members who love to play standards.

Strength

This is one of the songs I wrote during a period of two months when I couldn’t perform any live shows in these times. I filled the music with the feeling of the music I want to make and the paths I want to take, and how strongly I felt that in times like these. With courage, I continue to work hard to make the music I love.

Konomichi

I performed Kosaku Yamada’s “Konomichi” as a solo piece. This song has had an idyllic image for a long time. I feel that there is something in common in the jazz spirit, of being proud of your hometown and where you came from. It’s a song that my grandfather loves and one that I always feel close to.

Audio and Video

• Video for “Hydrangea Flower”, track #1 on this album:

• Video for “Aries”, track #5 on this album:

• A live version of “Appreciation”, track #4 on this album:

• Excerpt from track #3: “M.T”

With eight original songs penned by Yamaguchi, the music is solid, confident, dramatic, and melodically entrancing. From the gripping opening track “Sequel To A Dream”, the songs flow with a fantastic balance of stimulation and control, offering various styles from peppy bossa rhythms, loose, modern swing, sweet ballads, and brightly positive tunes mixed with stimulating dark tinges.

Liner Notes

(Translation of an excerpt from Yo Nakagawa’s original Japanese liner notes.)

***

This is an album that was recorded two months after Mabumi decided to do it. He said something like “I just suddenly felt like doing it”. All of the recorded songs are Mabumi’s originals, and I would like to describe them using his own words.

“Sequel to a Dream”

With its beautiful melody, Mabumi’s soprano sax, and the opportunity to hear each member playing, it’s the perfect opening number. “It’s a song I wrote at the end of 2016 and made minor changes by performing it live. When I compose, the ideas come to me through music I’ve been listening to as well as being delivered through particles in the air, but when finishing I sit at the piano and I wring it out by the process of “not this, not that”. (In conversation with Mabumi Yamaguchi)

“Little Sorrow”

“In general I think samba has a strong image of being bright and cheerful, but this spring I composed a samba with a bit of sadness in it.”

“Let Your Mind Alone”

The album title track is both beautiful and heartrending. “I’ve also played this with Masahiko Sato and Mayuko Katakura. This song, written three years ago, is best suited when played as a duo with piano than with a band, I think.”

“Incantation”

“This title has the meaning of a spell. The melody almost sounds like a spell, so I chose this title.” It’s clear that Mabumi Yamaguchi is also part of the current jazz trend that has followed Mark Turner.

“Aerial Passage”

“I wrote about half of this in 2015 and finished it up for this. It’s the path of airflow, and while there’s a rhythm, I imagined a feeling like the soft weightlessness of air.”

“The Plot II”

“The Plot” is a song composed about thirty years ago for the SQUAD led by Motohiko Hino and Yoshio Suzuki. This number is the second part of that, and the dialogue between the rhythm section and Mabumi Yamaguchi is so enjoyable.

“Carmen”

“This is a song I wrote about 14-15 years ago when I had a session with some rock musicians at Shinjuku Pit Inn. I changed the keyboard part to piano as well as experimented with changing the pattern.” It’s a really interesting result where a modern beat can be felt.

“Arm of the Sea”

“I composed this song for the doctor and famous pianist Hiroshi Irie (1955-2014). He was a genius talent, particularly when it came to rhythms.” The improvisation is filled with tears and touches the heart.

***

While many of the musicians are young and may not be generally well-known, they are without exception talented musicians who are definitely polishing their skills. Good performances are heard throughout the entire album. Mabumi Yamaguchi introduces the members:

Yoshitaka Shoji (guitarist, 1960, from Kanagawa Prefecture). In a word, “authentic” definitely comes to mind.

Misato Okumura (pianist, 1981, from Osaka Prefecture). When I’m playing a solo and I hear her comping, I feel like we’re dancing a tango (of course, I’ve never actually danced a tango).

Ryohei Komaki (bassist, 1981, from Kagoshima Prefecture). The type of bassist I’ve been waiting for a long time has appeared. I think that he has tremendous potential.

Nobuyuki Komatsu (drummer, 1977, from Niigata Prefecture). A drummer supporting the Japanese jazz scene. We’ve been working together for about twenty years and I’m looking forward to even more leaps and bounds.

After finishing this album, Mabumi Yamaguchi said his appetite for composing was spurred on and that he wants to write more music after this. May that rising immersive happiness continue on from here.

Audio and Video

• Mabumi Yamaguchi quartet performing live in 2010:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Sequel to a Dream”