This album is a live recording made at the popular, long-running Tokyo jazz club Alfie and captures a date with Hirata and his quartet starring Mamoru Ishida on piano, Yutaka Yoshida on bass, and Yusuke Yaginuma on drums. True to its title, this is an excellent introduction the new player with a selection of old standards played in a completely satisfying, traditional way, and the perfect swing, taste, and synchronized group energy was not only for a fun live show at the time, but produced a great recording to boot.

Liner Notes

(Translated from Mikio Hasui’s original Japanese liner notes.)

The first time I saw Koichi Hirata live, my initial impression was that he was much younger than I expected, yet with a calm and composed demeanor. That first impression of him was a perfect match to the sound that poured out of his beautiful full acoustic guitar. The first song, “A Weaver of Dreams”, began with a quiet solo introduction, and it reminded me of a famous guitar player that I also love, Kenny Burrell. I thought that Kenny Burrell must be one of the guitar players that Koichi Hirata also surely admires.

Speaking of that, that Kenny also has an album with a similar title, Introducing Kenny Burrell. Since this album’s title is Introducing Koichi Hirata, it must also contain a considerable amount of respect for Kenny. Hirata, originally from Sapporo, is currently a 22-year-old university student.

Have you been playing jazz guitar from the start?

“When I was in second grade of elementary school, I was influenced by the Beatles and started to play guitar. Initially, it was not jazz that I loved, it was blues and R&B, and I would play that a lot. Later, I discovered Larry Carlton and gradually developed an interest in jazz. I first learned about John Coltrane through one of Larry Carlton’s interviews, and through the album Blue Train and others, I became seriously devoted to jazz.”

If I had to pick one, I’d say it’s a quite orthodox jazz guitar style, right?

“I feel that rather than saying I play jazz guitar because I love jazz guitar, it’s more that I love jazz and I play guitar. When it comes to jazz, I like the straight-ahead jazz style of the 50s and 60s, so my playing style and tone end up taking on characteristics from those eras. Of course, I also listen to the performances of guitarists from various genres as well. I especially like blues, and players like B. B. King, Albert King, and T-Bone Walker. I think our generation is blessed in that we can listen to that traditional orthodox style, as well as rock, avant-garde, modern contemporary music, and other genres in the same way and absorb them all equally.”

What does standard jazz mean to you?

“As for me, standard jazz is melody, after all is said and done. I also hold the content of the lyrics to be important, but what I want to express more is how the beauty of those melodies inspires moods and emotions. And I want to share the beauty of those jazz standards that we call masterpieces with as many people as I can.”

Was there any specific intention behind the songs selected for this album?

“I chose songs from among those that I usually play with this group. If I had to say, these are standards that I particularly like. I am self-taught on guitar, so you could also say that my interpretation of jazz is also self-taught. These are all songs that I simply enjoy listening to as music.”

At the start, I wrote that Koichi Hirata’s quiet demeanor suited his orthodox guitar style well. But after intently listened to this album many times, I realized that I was mistaken. While you can hear that orthodoxy in his style and tone, I picked up on the additional attractions of soulful bluesiness and a funky side in the performance. The comments he shared for this interview are the very things that define his sound. After all, jazz is the performers themselves.

1.A Weaver of Dreams

A standard by Jack Elliott (lyrics) and Victor Young (music). Kenny Burrell’s version of this song is famous, but John Coltrane delivers a wonderful one-horn performance of this song on a Cannonball Adderley album. Hirata plays this at a slow medium tempo, and his simple but delicate improvisation honor great guitarists of the past with a mature performance that stands in contrast to his young age.

2.This Could Be the Start of Something Big

Music and lyrics by American TV broadcaster Steve Allen. Translating the title literally as something big may be about to happen, these are lyrics that create that subtle anticipation of excitement. The performance starts with Yusuke Yaginuma’s lively drumming, and his characteristic drum sound makes this uptempo standard all the more thrilling. Following Hirata’s casually swinging guitar is Mamoru Ishida’s piano, which is also thrilling.

3.The Shadow of Your Smile

With music by Johnny Mandel and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, this was the theme song for the American movie The Sandpiper. It is a ballad loved and performed by many jazz musicians, including Oscar Peterson. It’s also loved by guitarists, and Herb Ellis and Joe Pass played this song as a duo. Hirata plays it simply, without altering the beautiful melody, but with lots of emotion. The soulfulness intensifies in the second half with a four-person jam that is delightful.

4.These Are Soulful Days

This is a song by trumpeter Calvin Massey that seems to have become famous after it was included on the album Lee-Way by fellow trumpeter Lee Morgan. This session is supported by the powerful rhythm section of Yutaka Yoshida and Yusuke Yaginuma that gives this music, which is usually performed with horn sections, into something that has a completely different appeal. Yutaka Yoshida’s bass solo is hearty and engrossing.

5.Frame for the Blues

This song, a blues tune written by American trombone player Slide Hampton, starts by featuring a robustly bluesy solo by Yutaka Yoshida that seems to proclaim “Now this is double bass!” It’s a perfect fit for Hirata, who started as a lover of R&B & blues, and his quartet delivers a soulfully traditional blues. In that sense, this may be the most Hirata-esque guitar playing on this album.

6.Fungii Mama

An original song written by trumpeter Blue Mitchell. It’s a cheerful calypso tune that brings to mind “St. Thomas” [by Sonny Rollins]. You reflexively feel like dancing when listening to Hirota’s dexterous solo, Mamoru Ishida’s comping and improvisation, and Yutaka Yoshida’s sensitive bass solo. And here too, Yusuke Yaginuma’s drumming is again first-rate. Yaginuma’s distinctive style, somewhat elemental and with a sense of melody, positively directs the mood of this song.

7.My One and Only Love

A ballad composed in 1947 by Guy Wood. Lyrics were later added by Robert Mellin and it became known as a very popular ballad. The performance begins with the simple intro of a guitar solo from Hirota that brings out the beautiful melody genuinely with skillful harmonization that absolutely fascinates listeners. In the middle of the session, the performance ramps up to a jaunty medium tempo, and Hirata’s improvisation also begins to show his characteristic soulful side. Although it’s a staple ballad that is known by many people, here it becomes one that is filled with this quartet’s personality.

Obi Notes

The eighth installment in the popular live stage recording series from Alfie, the long-running jazz club in Roppongi, is finally released. The eagerly-awaited debut album from Koichi Hirata in the orthodox style of jazz guitar!

Jazz guitarist Koichi Hirata is a current college student who has began to make his mark on the jazz scene. He pours his deep love of jazz into his guitar playing and seems to have already reached the level of mastery. A recording of the finest real jazz played with his trusted musical partners!

Audio and Video

• “A Weaver of Dreams” (track #1):

• “This Could Be the Start of Something Big” (track #2):

• “My One and Only Love” (track #7):

• Full playlist (YouTube)

• Excerpt from track #4: “These Are Soulful Days”

One of those personal heroes is saxophonist Kosuke Mine, who joins the group as a special guest and adds his engagingly vibrant tenor sax sound on five of the nine tracks. Those include two of the album’s peaks for excitement (the edge-of-your-seat #2 “Flip a Coin” and the funkily thrillseeking #5 “Maverick”) as well as Mine’s introspective ballad #7 “After the Checkout” where the two saxes converse over melancholy piano chords to set a dramatic scene.

Liner Notes

(Translated from Miyuki Moriya’s original Japanese liner notes.)

As always, thank you for picking up and listening to this album.

Although Beyond the Sea is my fourth album as a leader, it feels like a continuation of my first album Cat’s Cradle which I released in 2010. For this new recording, there are songs that I’ve been working on for years, new songs written for this album, and two songs by musicians whom I respect greatly. Since this is fully packed with nine songs (at over an hour!) I hope that you stick with me through to the end.

About the musicians, two have been with me for close to twenty years and played on my first album: pianist Mamoru Ishida and drummer Sohnosuke Imaizumi. Bassist Junichi Sato has been with this band since April 2021. Incidentally, being able to meet him was a trigger to making this album.

This time we were also joined by a special guest, the beloved saxophone player Kosuke Mine, who I have endless respect for both musically and as a human being.

When I was still a youngster in my early twenties (yes, there was such a time… haha) and a total beginner in jazz, I was looked after by the owner of a local jazz spot called Swing House in my hometown of Takamatsu. One day, a regular customer told me “Kosuke Mine is coming here, and you definitely should hear him!” So, when he came to perform as a touring member with guitarist Yoshiaki Masuo, that’s when I first met and heard Mine-san. (Mine-san probably doesn’t remember that time, but ever since then, he has been incredibly kind and wonderful to me!) I bought his /Major to Minor /album at the time, and it’s continuously been one of my favorites. To be honest, I only knew about bebop then, so it was a bit of a challenge at first. But every now and then, I would pull out the record, listen to it, and think “Wow, this is really, really cool!” And, the more I continued to play jazz, the more captivated I became by his sound and his playing. A few years later in Tokyo, I was able to meet Mine-san again, and I even stood on the same stage as him. The fact that the day finally came when I could play with him on my own leader album is truly like a dream come true. I feel very blessed.

I’ll briefly introduce the songs.

1. Cicada’s Blues (Miyuki Moriya)

This is a blues inspired by the life of a cicada. They say that some cicadas remain in the earth for seven years, but apparently, the type that lives in Japan only stays underground for four to five years at most. The fact that they only live for one week after emerging is based on observations under breeding conditions, and it seems that their actual lives and behavior are not well understood. It may be that their happiest times are sleeping deep in the earth while dreaming of the whole wide world.

2. Flip a Coin (Miyuki Moriya)

It means a coin toss. This song was written for this album, and the key is the slightly tricky bass line in the intro. I imagined the anticipation, the nervousness, and the thrill that can come at times when one is readying for victory or defeat, or taking a step into a new world while trying to suppress feelings of excitement.

3. 父母ヶ浜 (Miyuki Moriya)

There is a beach in my hometown in the Kagawa Prefecture where the sunsets are very beautiful. My grandmother’s house is nearby, so when I was young, I would go to swim in the sea there in the summer. It’s a wide, shallow beach, so at low tide, a large pool of water is formed and beautifully reflects the sky like a mirror. Recently, it’s become a very popular tourist spot, dubbed Japan’s Salar de Uyuni (Uyuni Salt Flats).

4. Melancholy Marie (Miyuki Moriya)

This is a song I wrote to celebrate the birthday of Mariko-san, the cute wife of Miyazaki-san who runs the jazz bar Cochi in Koiwa. It’s a fun and relaxing place that I visit almost every month. The ever-kind Mariko-san always worries about her husband, as he loves alcohol a lot and sometimes drinks too much. They are an incredibly wonderful couple.

5. Maverick (Miyuki Moriya)

It means a lone wolf, a rebel. The barmaster of the jazz bar Salt Peanuts in Ekoda has been taking care of our band for many years. This tough character has seen the Tom Cruise movie Top Gun: Maverick at the movie theater more than 50 times! We choose the title of this song in appreciation for him.

6. Beyond the Sea (Miyuki Moriya)

I love the blue seas of Japan’s southern islands. I wrote this song during the self-isolation period in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. At the time, I was hoping to break free as soon as possible and escape to a southern island. In fact, I wrote this with inspiration taken from the song “The Color of Peace” by the wonderful pianist Hajime Yoshizawa.

7. After the Checkout (Kosuke Mine)

This is a beautiful ballad written by Kosuke Mine. It so goes that he wrote this song in the studio right after checking out of an establishment for mountain seclusion, where he would sometimes go alone in order to practice and compose. No matter how many times I play this song, I’m deeply moved. It’s one of my personal favorites.

8. PAPA Julian (Miyuki Moriya)

This is a swing number inspired by “Cannonball”, aka saxophone player Julian Edwin Adderley. I wrote this about twenty years ago and since then many people have performed it. It’s a piece that I’m personally pleased with, and it has become a familiar song at this band’s live performances.

9. After Dark (Hidefumi Toki)

This is a ballad by my esteemed instructor Hidefumi Toki. The person I have become today, who is able to continue playing jazz from then to now, is the result of my meeting Toki-san. I still treasure the things he taught me and the courage he gave me. It was an honor to be one of his students. With gratitude.

This album has a completely different atmosphere compared to my earlier two albums. My album from two releases ago, Mukashi Mukashi, paid respect to the free jazz of 1970s Japan. My previous release Uta Oto was inspired by nature, the Earth, and distant foreign lands. I hope that listeners who have been with me since earlier albums will enjoy this change. At the same time, I hope that new audiences who may be hearing me for the first time through this album will also be inspired to explore the different sides of Miyuki Moriya that I’ve created so far.

At the beginning of these liner notes, I mentioned that this album feels like a continuation of my first album. While our situations and environments have changed over the years, I’m extremely happy to be able to put out this work together. These great, hardworking musicians who I’ve played with up to now and into the future still remind me of the fresh and energetic feelings that I had when I first started playing.

守谷美由貴 Miyuki Moriya

Obi Notes

The sky, the breeze, the blue. Sax player Miyuki Moriya welcomes veteran tenor player Kosuke Mine as a special guest on her summer album that is making a splash.

Audio and Video

• Audio for “Beyond the Sea”, track #6 on this album:

• Short excerpt of the Miyuki Moriya Quartet playing “Cat’s Cradle” from her first album, live in 2011:

• Miyuki Moriya and Kosuke Mine playing “You Don’t Know What Love Is” live at Tokyo’s Hot House in 2013:

• Audio for “Chichibugahama”, track #3 on this album

• Audio for “Maverick”, track #5 on this album

• Excerpt from track #2: “Flip a Coin”

Joining Kimura’s rhythm sections are the front-line members consisting of three horn players who alternate and unite on different tracks. Alto and soprano saxes are played by Akiha Nishiyama and Kohei Ando, and trumpet by Mao Sone, who also switches to piano and Fender Rhodes for two songs.

Most of the songs feature a quartet form with sax, piano, bass, and drums, with Nishiyama and Ando switching off between the two rhythm sections. The two sax players even join up on one song with a burning back-and-forth sax dialogue on the addictively chunky #4 “Updraft”, where the reverse-step riffs and rhythms with the steadily rising notes of melody and improv appear as upward-flowing tendrils of smoke or air.

Along with his crystal clear and clean-cut drumming, this debut from Kimura also showcases to a large degree his writing style with jazz, mainly, but also pop and Brazilian musical influences. There is straight modern jazz composing with personality (#1 “Winter Pillow”, #2, “Groundwater”, #3 “Enrai”, #4 “Updraft”), melancholy infused with folk or ethnic influences (#5 “K’s A Major”, #6 “Gijibato Blues”), and cool-down, laid-back grooves (#8 “Time After Time”, #9 “When It Was New”).

While this is a drummer-led album, Kimura shares the stage generously with all of the members in these trios, quartets, and quintets; his humility extends even to the album credits where his own name is placed last in order. Aside from his locked-in drumming skills, fans of great drummers will also notice several moments on the record when he takes the spotlight. Kimura’s drum solos are featured on track #1 “Winter Pillow” and #4 “Updraft” after the horns and piano finish their solos. In addition, his propulsive percussion intros to #4 “Updraft” and #7 “Overrun” set the mood perfectly and crank up the engines for two of the dynamic highlights on the album as well.

Liner Notes

(Translated from Hiro Kimura’s original Japanese liner notes.)

First of all, thank you for checking out this album.

A warm welcome to those who may already know my name or the musicians on this album, and also to those who are hearing us for the first time. Also, to any young people who may have discovered this CD on their parent’s bookshelf someday decades in the future.

Because this is instrumental music, you can use your imagination freely however you like with this music. But when it comes to me, I enjoy looking at the descriptions on the package while I’m eating, so here I’ll write down just a bit about the songs.

Winter Pillow

From the bed of a room in the cold of winter, a world of music spreads out. This is what I imagined for this song. I wrote this song for my composition class’s final assignment while studying abroad in Boston, and I’ve been playing it ever since I returned to Japan. Come to think of it, Mao Sone also played on it when we played it for the first time in class.

Groundwater

This has the feeling of melted snow which turns into groundwater and gushes out. The members’ love for jazz also oozes out from their performance.

遠雷 (*/*Enrai, distant thunder*/)*

I wrote this song about one summer’s sudden heavy downpour. Dark clouds appeared in the distance and steadily approached, turning into a violent rain. When they eventually departed, they left a slightly chilly air behind.

Updraft

Since two of Japan’s leading sax players are on this album, we recorded this song for the two horns to show their stuff. The two players intertwine and rise to the top much like the title “Updraft” suggests.

K’s A Major

K stands for bassist Keisuke Furuki. It’s a ballad based on a memorable phrase he often plays.

Kijibato Blues

When I was stuck at home in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, I kept hearing the sound of Kijibato (Eastern Turtledoves) singing in the neighborhood. Their listless cries created an unsettled feeling and led to this melancholic melody.

Overrun

One day, there was an internet news article that read “○○ Subway Train Overruns Station Platform”. It stopped only a few meters off, and no one was injured, so I was surprised that this made the news. On the other hand, there are big accidents that occur every day during jazz performances (haha). That’s also one of the best parts. Each member overruns.

Time After Time

This is the only standard tune on this album. Some lyrics include “The twilight at one day’s end.” This arrangement somehow conveys that image of a sunset, as the end of the album also approaches.

When It Was New

This song takes the role of the album’s end credits. I hope that the soft reverberations linger for a little while.

June 20, 2021

Hiro Kimura

Audio and Video

• Video for “Winter Pillow”, track #1 on this album:

• Video for “Enrai”, track #3 on this album:

• Video for “Catch The Flow”:

• Album playlist (YouTube)

• Album stream (TuneCore Japan)

• Album stream (Songlink/Odesli)

• Excerpt from track #4: “Updraft”

Ishida’s compositions and playing contain a great balance of tradition and novelty. His style clearly reflects both the influence of and reverence for the great legends of jazz piano, but much like his fondness for wordplay and puns, he adds fine touches and subtle changes to his music to avoid playing simple imitations of jazz in the past. As an example, in several of his tunes, the chord changes or melody turn in slightly unexpected directions, intelligently and not jarringly so, with a catchy exuberance or in graduated shadings.

A quick description of the tracks and album flow includes the patient and thematic #1 “Minor”, the springy joyfulness of #2 “Chatchar”, the serious and touching nature of #3 “Donfattan” (a portmanteau of Tokyo jazz bars Donfan and Manhattan), the pretty and bobbing #4 “Crucian Carp Waltz”, the goofy good-naturedness of #5 “Mr. Airhead”, the start-and-stop dreaminess of #6 “Leo”, the laidback smoky bossa of #7 “Afterglow”, the jazz-standardish purity of #8 “SMNY-EKD”, the curiosity and back-and-forth steps of #9 “Pia-Tamu” (possibly referring to pianist-Tamura, plus “Ah Um” perhaps), and the good old blues groove of #10 “Blues for AH”.

The style is exquisite straight-ahead piano trio jazz with modern touches, at times bringing in influences from Hancock and Corea, Thelonious Monk, Vince Guaraldi, Charles Mingus, and Red Garland in the compositional choices and the trio’s playing. Along with the controlled moments of patient prettiness and lovely ballads are mid- and up-tempo brightness, jazz that is freewheeling and bouncing in pure pleasure. Ishida’s creative ad-libbing is original and comfortable, spontaneously flowing while in control.

Likewise, the occasional moments when a quote of a familiar theme pops up, or when listeners are draped in blankets of notes or swept up into a high-note range, are all the more effective as ideas develop and an overall effect of dynamism and real-time improvisation is achieved.

As for Days of Delight, this new label was created to promote Japanese jazz in a new era. It’s a project dedicated to the sound of Japanese jazz delivered through the curation of authentic jazz currently being played in Japan. Built on this foundation, the label strives to renew the feeling of the great era of 1970s Japan, when Japanese jazz was carving out new territory through originality and landmark recordings.

Label founder and producer Akiomi Hirano’s liner notes for Afterglow are fittingly illuminating of this direction for jazz, as well as Ishida’s skills: his unique presence, neat way of speaking and playing, individuality, refinement, and poetic sentiment. And above all, how Ishida doesn’t play notes without thinking, but stays calm, concentrates, and maintains control over the big picture.

Liner Notes

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

…

In fact, he is the pianist who is most removed from the style of playing by rote, temporarily filling up the space with patterns or scales. There is never the sense of playing something without meaning, or getting carried away and just goofing around.

He doesn’t have “just for now” or “good enough” modes, like “For the time being, let’s do this…” or “This probably should sound like this here”… This is a not uncommon scene at some live performances, but not with him.

“I don’t want to put out a single note on wasted sounds.” That’s the spirit I feel in his performance. To play without having fingers just moving on their own, without jazz being carried along by reflexes or momentum, but wanting to always remain composed and present and have a high-level view. To maintain the tension while in a constant state of awareness. That’s what he seems to be thinking to me.

These are the roots of Mamoru Ishida that I want to release with a high level of purity. I want to capture his unique characteristics in high resolution. This is what I was thinking when I made him this offer to record as a piano trio with all original songs. This recording is packed full of Mamoru Ishida’s aesthetic sense, presented as is in its purest form.

…

“I think I had the same ideas [back then as I do now], but I didn’t have the ability to play what I heard in my head,” says Mamoru Ishida.

When I asked what he meant by ability, he immediately responded “Time.” He said, “I struggled with myself, wondering why things weren’t sounding good, and eventually realized that the problem was time—it was a matter of time.”

You can never master time to the extent that you are not playing alongside great musicians. However, when you’re actually in that situation, you can end up being filled with nervousness and overcome by the intensity of their rhythms. You can become confused and rattled, and suddenly realize that you are the one rushing.

In the midst of that challenge, he realized an important point.

“When I was able to relax normally, there was a moment when I thought ‘Ah, it’s the first time that I was able to reach them!’ It was like being able to calmly follow a ball that was coming no matter the trajectory it was on…”

Mamoru Ishida was able to reach his current level by playing together with respected mentors and acquiring the vital points of time, rhythm, and groove. He tangibly grasped the lesson that “the most important thing in jazz is to swing”. This became possible once he was able to be free from tension.

When you’re relaxed, you can visualize the ball’s trajectory. When you become able to relax, you can concentrate. That’s what Mamoru Ishida is saying.

It’s often thought that tension is necessary for concentration, but it’s completely the opposite. Elite athletes do not tense up during a match and do not exert unnecessary force. Relaxation is an essential condition for concentration.

Because of this concentration, he can avoid playing unnecessary notes. The moment the concentration breaks is when the “just for now” or “good enough” ideas surface. A strong ability to concentrate is probably what allows Mamoru Ishida to continue radiating his unique style while maintaining tension in his music.

Furthermore, he calmly possesses a bird’s eye view of the situation while in control of his playing, even while immersed in a performance with a high level of concentration. I believe that the only way to guarantee graceful playing like his is nothing other than this kind of cool and collected manner, and this is what intelligence in jazz is.

“As much as I can, I try not to play sounds that I don’t hear in my head.”

“If I play a note that doesn’t come from inside, even if it sounds good on the surface, everyone can tell that it is inauthentic. That’s disrespectful to the listeners and to the music. Above all, it’s just kind of tasteless to perform music that you can’t hear yourself, isn’t it?”

This is jazz pianist Mamoru Ishida’s most important priority.

…

Audio and Video

• Mamoru Ishida Trio playing “Minor” live, track #1 on this album:

• Mamoru Ishida Trio playing #9 “Pia-Tamu” (short excerpt):

• Excerpt from track #2: “チャッチャー(Chatchar)”

Links

• Days of Delight record label

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

• Days of Delight videos

While some decorative intros, endings, and arrangements are subtly attached, the performances follow the original music closely to respectfully elevate the original compositions and allow the immediately felt vocals to shine.

The four-piece group of vocals, piano, guitar, and upright bass delivers quiet renditions of classic tunes to uplift the mood, such as “The Song is You”, “Pennies From Heaven”, and “Get Happy” in fairly short, three-to-five minute takes with a direct and pure sound.

Throughout, a sense of lightness and ease persists throughout the recording. While the liner notes describe a theme of visible light broadcast through the singer’s voice, there is also a sense of lightness as in buoyancy, a floating, lighter-than-air vocal quality from MIWO that successfully creates a pleasant musical atmosphere from the timeless melodies. Indeed, there seems to be an appreciation of the old-fashioned qualities of this rose-petal music, short, sweet, and soothingly presented.

Liner Notes

(Translation of Tomoyuki Hoshino’s original Japanese liner notes.)

Experience the light.

Sometimes it is the flickering light of a candle set on a table at a bar where lovers meet. Sometimes it is the hazy heat of sunlight rising on a beach on a comfortably lazy afternoon. Sometimes it is the light of a movie projector telling a thrilling tale on a screen at a movie theater from long ago…

MIWO’s singing voice brings to mind these various scenes of light. It’s a voice that evokes light, a rare singing voice that carries a unique radiance. As for the source of this light source, it seems to be her approach to words.

The twelve songs contained on this album make such a vivid impression firstly by the clarity of the lyrics she sends forth. Although the lyrics are sung quite casually almost as whispers, each word clearly vibrates the air and resonates in the hearts of the listeners. Moreover, each word flows smoothly and does not disrupt the flow of the original melody. Or rather, each quietly enhances the emotional swells. Considering light itself, it has the contradictory properties of being composed of photon particles and waves with wavelengths. Truly, MIWO’s singing voice is similar in the expression of clarity of speech and fluency of singing are expressed together in a single song with exquisite balance, no doubt a difficult achievement.

This must be an indication of the fact that the singer MIWO, above all else, is dedicated to delivering lyrics to the listener with care and sincerity. This is because there is no simple prescription for achieving that delicate balance. She reads the lyrics many times over, superimposing her own feelings, and singing them over and over again, aiming to convey those feelings with every note. Light can only be produced from this task without shortcuts or loopholes.

And the light that emanates from this earnest trial and error illuminates different angles on these classic oft-sung songs, bringing out new expressions. Listening to MIWO’s debut album reveals the world of the album assembled from four elements like a mosaic: from uptempo jazz numbers to medium slow ballads, bossa novas, and film music, with all of the four hues fresh and lively. The album opens with “You Turned The Tables On Me”, impressively announced with a lightly ticking rhythm from MIWO’s vocals, about someone who, just like an Othello board where the players’ positions have suddenly been reversed, thought they had the initiative in the game of love but suddenly realize it’s themself who has fallen for the other person. It’s a jazzy song full of wit that has been sung by Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong. Contrastingly, the song “Put Your Dreams Away” gently and quietly closes the album, a ballad number which could be said to be an early theme song for Frank Sinatra (used in fact as the theme music for his radio programs and television shows). MIWO’s whispering of “Throw away your dreams, I’ll fill the gaps” echoes beautifully and leaves a long-lasting impact.

From the world of movie musicals, “The Sound of Music” and “Get Happy” were selected. “Get Happy” was sung by Judy Garland (who is receiving reevaluation and praise as a result of the 2019 biopic Judy) in the movie Summer Stock where she sang and danced alongside Gene Kelly. At the same time, the bossa nova masterpiece “How Insensitive” and the naturally included “Desifinado” were composed by Antônio Carlos Jobim and sung by Astrud Gilberto, widely known for capturing the world’s attention with “The Girl from Ipanema”. From these musical and bossa nova numbers, MIWO uncovers their musical essence and abundant richness, weaving them seamlessly into one world with jazz standards. As a result, this album has even rehued the memories of these brilliant singers who have left their marks forever in musical history by bringing to life MIWO’s voice in the here and now. What distinguishes MIWO from the singers who inspired her to pursue jazz, from Judy Garland and Astrud Gilberto to Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, and of course Sinatra and Satchmo, is the brightness of the light she emits through words to illuminate this unique theatrical world.

Actually, if you think about it, perhaps it is just those who can bring a new light into songs who possess the qualifications to sing standard numbers. It is in this way that songs are imbued with new life and continue to be sung further into the future.

MIWO’s voice certainly possesses that beautiful qualification. This album’s title is Tranquillo, which is a musical term of Italian origin that means in a quiet and calm manner. If you close your eyes, lay down in a quiet and calm place, and let her voice reflect its light on the surface of the mirror of your mind, you too will surely be convinced of this. In the midst of this unique twinkling light, various scenes will shimmer and emerge.

Tomoyuki Hoshino (Aoi Hoshi Tsushinsha, former editor-in-chief of Tokyo Calendar)

Audio and Video

• Promotional video for this album:

• Excerpt from track #4: “Desafinado”

This five-song, 39-minute album has resulted from the accumulated experience as Nami Kano’s quartet, playing creative jazz and original music together for years around Japan. As a unit, they’ve performed their own great compositions and arrangements of music from innovative musicians like Keith Jarrett, Jaco Pastorius, and Carla Bley. Kano recently adopted the mawsim moniker for her group and album name, as their vision locked into a comfortable and multi-layered repertoire.

As the recording starts, regular jazz listeners who are used to the quartet’s live sound may be surprised. The first song kicks off with some unexpected layers such as electronic drum beats establishing the framework for the sometimes-acoustic, sometimes-electric band (at live shows, Fender Rhodes, electric keyboards, and electric bass are often used along with acoustic piano and wood double-bass). Also surprising, Kano’s own pure voice joins her saxophone sound on the irresistibly playful melodic motif repeated through the first track’s melody line.

Later parts of the album extend the sound palette even more with simple, gorgeous orchestration of a violin and cello string section, and ambient sounds and programming add a sense of mystic soul to the groovy and soulful music.

Within just five songs (all composed by Nami Kano, roughly seven to nine minutes each), the music successfully includes a different dimension of the composer’s personality, through dance-club jazz fusion funk, natural and organic jazz, experimental trance, mellow soul, and straightforward classical beauty.

A subjective trip through the entire album leads to many highlight moments…

#1 “*Crepuscular Rays*” starts surprisingly right off the bat: Hearing drum and synth programming on a jazz album is a shocking start for sure, but when the jazz sound of a Fender Rhodes kicks in and Kano’s keen sax sounds through, Herbie Hancock-era jazz funk fusion takes hold, possibly with some modern-retro Jamiroquai influences mixed in.

It’s soul music and dance club disco steeped with the group’s deep jazz influences. The playful melody is joined not only by the leader’s addictive saxophone but also her own harmonious voice, as the four-note melodic cell shifts and settles through different accents and beats in a kind of addictive guessing game for listeners.

#2 “*Le Bourgeon*” Although modern grooves and electricity inhabit the opener, the second track is full of acoustic bass, acoustic piano, brushed drums, and soul-penetrating soprano sax. The mesmerizing sax flutters and willows over the gentle waves in a slow, romantic jazz waltz. Woody percussion, ambient echoes, and lush organic violin and cello heighten the intimacy of the lovely music.

#3 “*Doubt*” Wispy chords glide over a bass pedal point as the tenor sax invokes a Blade Runner future, or a Star Trek visit to an unknown planet. As the electric keyboard emerges, Kano’s flute questions over the amorphous and rhythmless landscape. Another surprise and highlight is Kano’s instantly loveable duduk (Armenian traditional instrument), which joins in and adds a magical, ancient feeling to the music. Experimental ambient, trance, and fusion inhabit this science-fiction setting.

Suddenly, the modern world emerges with electric rhythms halfway in, something like a Bjork tapestry by Kano’s hand. Flutes harmonize then fall out to reveal electric bass, electric drums, and jazz sax solo played over thin air, fusing and merging and Kano’s improvisation paints the galaxy. Unfamiliar noises surface and disappear, and the background rhythms keep thickening as the saxophone solo eventually distorts as if traveling through a warp in space and the entire mix seems to rotate, filter, and deconstruct, until finally Kano’s wind instruments, chorus, deep bass tones, and ambient sounds create a memorable journey’s end.

#4 “*Far Away Far in the Sky*” sets up a charming bluesy groove with church organ and piano at an easy-going soft-rock pace. The music creates scenes of late-night slow-dance romance, moonlight and midnight, as the last drinks are finished, conversations wind up, and bittersweet goodbye hugs and squeezes are invited and repeated. It’s a time of deep soul with shades of disco pop and fond nostalgia, laid out in two fascinating parts when the swaying rhythm of waltz-time changes to a 4/4 soul rock as the Rhodes lets loose and Kano’s saxophone lovingly leads us out.

#5 “*Whisper of the Moon*” is a relaxing end to the adventure as the strings, sax, and piano perform soundtrack-style music in a dramatic reading. Graceful, slow, and honest with a hint of mystery and romance conveyed through Kano’s exquisite sax tone, expert playing, and impressive compositional talent.

As for the name mawsim (season), Kano explained that in certain places the group name and album title are stylized in lowercase for fun aesthetic reasons: In cursive, the writing of 𝓂𝒶𝓌𝓈𝒾𝓂 resembles and gives the feeling of waves, and in Japanese, “wave” is nami 波, which has the same sound as Kano’s first name Nami 奈実.

Audio and Video

• Promotional video with an excerpt from “Crepuscular Rays”, track #1 on this album:

• Nami Kano Quartet performing “Le Bourgeon” live in 2017, track #2 on this album:

• Nami Kano performing “Doubt” on duduk and other wind instruments, track #3 on this album:

• Nami Kano with strings performing “Whisper of the Moon”, track #5 on this album:

• Nami Kano and group performing “Three Views of a Secret” live in 2020:

• Excerpt from track #2: “Le Bourgeon”

The music as a whole expresses this vintage, sincere jazz feeling generated by the players’ sensitivity as well as through the recording methods and equipment used. While this can seem to be something of a jazz throwback album (meant in a good way, a sound that can be set comfortably alongside favored music of the past greats), there are also several aspects of modern, assertive jazz making appearances as well… not to mention the Japanese and international context also layered in, described well in the excellent and extensive liner notes.

Liner Notes

(Translated from the original Japanese liner notes written by Mitsuru Ogawa.)

Originally, I was asked to write these liner notes based on an article that I wrote for the second issue of Jazz Japan magazine (October 2010) entitled “Jazz Piano on Club Method”, which was noticed by the owner of Anturtle Analog Recordings, the label for which Mamoru Ishida records. That article spotlighted jazz pianists active in the world of club jazz including Hajime Yoshizawa, Josei (Soil & “Pimp” Sessions), Yusuke Hirado (Quasimode), Shikou Ito (Shima & Shikou Duo), Hideaki Hori, and Yasumasa Kumagai, all of whom I introduced along with Mamoru Ishida.

Although labeled as club jazz, they are not limited to that as they are also active in or mainly play in the style of the orthodox jazz world. Ishida is one of those types of pianists. (Recently, the term “real jazz” has been used in contrast to club jazz, but as an author, I feel a sense of discomfort with that. What is jazz that is not real?)

Except for Yoshizawa, most of these pianists are in their early 30s, and the description of them being up-and-comers or young players fell away as they started to mature into mid-career players. As for Mamoru Ishida, it was his participation on the album from the club jazz unit Jill-Decoy Association that introduced me to his playing. This is a pop-oriented unit featuring a female singer and members playing skillful arrangements with elements of jazz, soul, and funk, all factors that are appealing for today’s younger generation. In this group, Ishida provides solid backing support but also has a strong presence, important for the music as a whole.

As a writer, I developed an interest in both this pianist and Hideaki Hori, who was a member of the club jazz band M-Swift Presents 24-Carat. Later, I learned that Ishida and Hori had joined jam sessions in their high school years and were of the same generation, so to speak. Incidentally, both Ishida and Yasumasa Kumagai have won the Grand Prix prize at the Yokohama Jazz Promenade Competition, which can be considered a gateway to success for young musicians.

Tracing backwards from Jill-Decoy, I listened to Mamoru Ishida’s first album, a piano trio record from 2007 titled Iemanro, (recorded in March 2006). The cover depicts a close-up of a hand holding a four-leaf clover, seeming like something that may end up in the “cafe music” section, but the performances contained therein were stylish and original. Together with players of the same generation Koji Yasuda (bass) and Shunsuke Umeno (drums), they performed conventional bop and ballads. The fun and groove of Oscar Peterson, who inspired him to progress on the piano, can be felt in his performance. Also, a sensitive lyrical touch a la Bill Evans, powerfully sharp playing, and gentle, emotion-rich playing all skillfully coexisted in this one album. Yet, it could have been said that there were not many fresh or innovative elements, and the album may portray a rather plain impression overall. I can’t deny that some aspects were unsatisfying or that there could have been more energy of youth displayed, but these days many younger people don’t play in an overly-glaring way. In any case, the days of strongly asserting yourself at any cost are probably over and this may be the norm. If you think about it that way, he’s paying naturally without showing off or putting on airs, and performing completely sincerely. To put it simply, it’s a likable album.

Here I’d like to introduce a brief history of Mamoru Ishida. He was born on May 1, 1978, and he became familiar with jazz under the influence of his father. The first instrument he picked up was the trumpet, but he switched to piano in junior high school after hearing Oscar Peterson. During his high school days, he participated in many jam sessions with the aforementioned Hideaki Hori and others including Satoshi Izumi (guitar) and Shinnosuke Takahashi (drums), and they inspired each other greatly.

After entering university, he also joined many jazz study groups and honed his skills. It was around this time that he started his full-fledged performance career, entering the 2001 Yokohama Jazz Promenade Competition mentioned earlier performing in the band of Yasuo Nishimoto (also sax), and winning the grand prize.

Later, he joined Risk Factor, a group led by Akemi Ota (flute), and played in the groups of Tomonao Hara (trumpet), Seiji Tada (alto sax), Miyuki Moriya (alto sax), and others. His musical partners included Mabumi Yamaguchi (tenor sax), Takao Uematsu (tenor sax), Tomoki Takahashi (tenor sax), Akira Omori (alto sax), Joh Yamada (also sax), Shinobu Ishizaki (alto sax), Yochi Kobayashi (drums), Masahiko Osaka (drums), Dairiki Hara (drums), and Gene Jackson (drums).

On the club jazz front, Ishida played on Jill-Decoy’s albums II and IV, as well as Hit The Road by Taichiro Kawasaki, a trumpet player he met through their participation in the group Ego-Wrapping. The members of Jill-Decoy had actually been musical acquaintances for a while, meeting at jam sessions and such since around 2001 with many opportunities to play together.

This is Mamoru Ishida’s second album as a leader, about four years after his previous recording Iemanro. Ishida’s band had changed in those four years, from a piano trio to a one-horn quartet, with this recording featuring Ishida with Mike Rivett (tenor sax), Show Kudo (bass), and Ko Omura (drums). This band started in 2010 when Ishida was playing in Tomonao Hara’s band at Ochanomizu Naru, and the visiting Rivett and Omura sat in with the band. Rivett and Omura had played together many times over the last three years, and have also known Kudo since 1997 when they went to Otaru (Hokkaido, Japan) to attend the workshop of guitarist Koichi Hiroki.

I’ll briefly touch on the profiles of these three members. Mike Rivett is originally from Australia, moved to New York, and is now back in Australia, based in Sydney. He graduated from the Manhattan School of Music where he studied under George Garzone (tenor sax). He is active worldwide in genres from straight-ahead jazz to experimental music, dance music, and beyond.

Show Kudo started on electric bass at the age of fifteen and began to play double bass when he discovered jazz while attending university. In 1997, he moved from Hokkaido to Tokyo to join the Koichi Hiroki group and performed together with Terumasa Hino (trumpet), Kei Akagi (piano), Tetsuro Kawashima (tenor sax), and others.

Ko Omura was raised in the United States, studied classical piano from a young age, and started playing drums in high school. Later, he studied at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in Australia under Mike Nock (piano) and Judy Bailey (piano). While in Australia, he actively participated in embassy events and Japanese and Australian cultural exchanges, and through these activities met Rivett and began performing together. It was through Omura that Ishida got to know Rivett.

Original compositions on this album include “The Whack-A-Mole Song” and “Deflation Spiral Blues” by Ishida, “McMahons Point” by Omura, and “M.M.” and “Wait” by Rivett. “McMahons Point” refers to a scenic coastal location in Sydney, and “M.M.” are the initials of a certain bourbon brand. In general, Ishida avoids songs that are too complicated or difficult to hum along with, but chose to play “M.M.” because he liked its strange atmosphere.

“The Thrill Is Gone” is a widely known standard, originally adapted into a 1930s musical production and sung by Carmen McRae and others. The song was composed by Ray Henderson and shares the same name as a famous B.B. King hit written by Roy Hawkins. “These Foolish Things” is a 1930s song from the British musical Spread it Abroad, sung by Ella Fitzgerald and others. “Wonder Why” is a piece by Russian composer Nicholas Brodszky, performed by Milt Jackson and others. “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” is an American folk song, especially well-known as a gospel song. In jazz, it’s probably most known for being sung by Louis Armstrong.

As far as Ishida’s compositions and as with his previous work, the unique naming of his songs catches the eye. According to him, he chooses the names quite randomly, and the appeal of instrumental songs without lyrics means no meaning is attributed to them by words. Many songs have titles without much meaning. It seems that having a title without a limited meaning allows the listener to freely imagine what the song means. By the way, the name “The Whack-A-Mole Song” comes from the melody, which seems to have a falling-down rhythm, reminiscent of the whack-a-mole game. While “Deflation Spiral Blues” seems to refer to Japan’s current economic situation, it turns out it’s actually a reference to a professional wrestler’s special move that appeared in a joke comic book called Cromartie High School. Incidentally, that special technique is such a rare move that it doesn’t appear in the comic even once.

Although his debut featured a piano trio, Ishida has performed in many different group formations, and he says that playing together with horns is very fun and exciting. The sound of a horn influences him and brings out aspects of Ishida’s performance that are not present when playing as a piano trio. It seems that the sound that rings in his head is often that of the tenor saxophone, and this tenor saxophone sound may be the instrument closest to his own voice.

Also, Rivett and Omura have mainly worked overseas, and there is a different sensitivity as compared to Japanese players. When I shared my impression with Ishida, he seemed to agree and said in addition you may sense that in the melodic and rhythmic intonation. And, possibly the different environments and languages in which they were raised results in finding beauty in different ways.

Ishida arranged all of the music aside from Omura’s and Rivett’s compositions. Basically, Ishida decided on the overall flow of each song and the order of solos, leaving the individual improvisation and such to each player, with each player’s performance inspiring one another’s playing. On “The Thrill Is Gone”, the melody statement is not played even once, a concept seemingly hinted at by Lee Konitz on his album Motion. “Deflation Blues” was performed with Ishida deciding on just the solo order, that the melody would not be played at the start, but at the ending in a wicked mood.

Although this is a work by Ishida as leader, the other members all have plenty of room in the spotlight. It’s a band where all four members have a high degree of equal participation and freedom. Of course, since all are professional musicians, none cancels out any partner’s performance, and when playing individually each pays attention to the overall balance. While this band had only performed live five times before this recording, there’s no feeling of immaturity as a band, with unity present and room to grow in the future.

Owing to his experience in a variety of performance situations, Ishida himself has become more sensitive to chord subtlety. When playing in larger ensembles, he considers his individual role, what he should add, or what is better to be left out. This can be said to be a point in which Ishida has grown both as a musician and as a person in the previous four years since his last album.

As for a musical analysis of Ishida’s and the other musicians’ performances, expressions, and so forth, going further than this may become a nuisance to Mamoru Ishida fans and listeners, so I’d like to avoid that. As Ishida says, I think it’s better to let people listen freely without being bound by a limited impression.

Finally, as an alternative, I’ll add some information about the recording method. Ishida is quite an analog record enthusiast with a strong commitment to audio quality and recording. For this recording, all members were located in the same room with microphones placed in front of each instrument, allowing the sound of the other instruments to become wrapped up in one’s sound. With this method, each mic picks up a little sound from the other instruments to create a sense of unity and distance, and so the volume balance of the performance itself becomes very important. It seems there were no problems with that for the recording.

Furthermore, another important point was to record two tracks directly onto 1/2-inch tape. The 1/2-inch tape itself has characteristics of a warm and slightly warped sound, something that Ishida also finds appealing. Since it is recorded directly to two tracks, the modern system of punching in to make corrections afterward is not possible, which conversely adds the benefit of creating a sense of tension in the performance. (This used to be a standard recording style, and is a style still favored by many jazz musicians today.)

The microphone used to capture the piano sound is a 1930s Westrex ribbon mic. This is an old type that Ishida chose for its mellow recorded sound. Rather than having a wide stereo position with each instrument’s sound expanding to the right and left, the drums are set to the left, the bass and piano are in the center, and the sax is set to the right. Also, there is very little reverb, resulting in a fairly dry sound being produced.

Audio and Video

• Mamoru Ishida playing a duo version of “Wonder Why”, track #4 on this album:

• Mamoru Ishida performing “Memories of You” in 2022:

• Excerpt from track #2: “McMahons Point”

From song to song, the combination of musicians and styles changes, shuffling between quartets, trios, and duos. Throughout, relaxed easiness and vintage swing arise from classy ensemble playing and spotlit guitar improvisation. As for the changing combos, a guitar quartet is featured on track #1 (guitar, piano, bass, drums), then a trio on #2 (guitar, bass, drums), a guitar & guitar duo, a quartet, a trio, a guitar & piano duo, a quartet (guitar, alto sax, trombone, bass), a sextet, and finally a guitar solo. This variation of players and combinations of instruments keeps things interesting while introducing Asari’s musical vision for her debut release.

The first two tracks on Introducin’ are instantly welcoming, with the nice bossa group sound on “Triste” followed by a bluesy jazz groove on Asari’s original “Summit”, a song with a classic vintage vibe recalling the feeling of Grant Green or Sonny Clark albums. Next, “Black Orpheus” pairs Asari with guitarist Sadanori Nakamure for the hypnotic sound of two guitars playing off of each other. (Asari is also featured on a 2022 release entitled /Generations Guitar Trio /with Nakamure and guitarist Mitsukuni Tanabe, expanding on this layered guitar sound with a full album).

Other highlights include a comfortably swinging jazz quartet on “Bluesette”, up-tempo excitement on “Daahood”, and even some pop easy-listening with two Carpenters songs played back-to-back near the end of the album. Asari ends with an especially sentimental guitar solo on “But Beautiful”, leaving a warm impression as a lasting introduction to her music.

Liner Notes

(Translated from the original Japanese liner notes written by Hiro Yamanaka.)

In the summer of 2015, I was in Ochanomizu covering the finals of the Gibson Jazz Guitar contest. While exchanging pleasantries with an acquaintance who was a jazz guitarist, she told me about a wonderful young woman, a guitarist who was appearing that day. That was the day I first heard the playing of Fumika Asari.

It was also the day that signaled to me the coming of a new generation, as I heard the traditional old-style playing (in a good way) of a guitarist still in her early 20s. After that, I had the opportunity to interview her several times for jazz magazines, and as I got to know her personally I could sense her unchanging honest characteristics, and perhaps a slightly stubborn side as well, if I may be so bold. I was happy as I sensed the progress of her guitar playing over time as if it were my own accomplishment. As she was polishing her skills accumulating many live performances with excellent musicians, it was not only this writer but many jazz guitar fans who were looking forward to her debut recording. And now that time has come.

Anyone listening to this work Introducin’ will certainly feel happy. You can understand how she loves jazz, and how she studied the playing styles of many legends. Rather than writing liner notes in the old style of a track-by-track explanation, it seems unnecessary because the listener’s heart and ears will judge while enjoying the music. So here I will write mainly about my honest feelings.

There are many jazz guitarists in Japan’s jazz scene now expressing themselves in different styles. In particular, young guitarists seem to prefer a traditional style. Of course, there are guitarists such as May Inoue who pursue new expressions and styles, which is an attractive part of the future of Japanese jazz guitar.

Fumika Asari’s jazz origins were most likely influenced by Mingus, an old jazz cafe in her hometown of Fukushima City where she heard the music of players like Grant Green and Jim Hall.

As those who know these two legends are aware, their musical sensibilities vary widely, yet she absorbed them simultaneously. For example, you can hear a strong Grant Green style in the straight melodic expression in “Triste” and “Bluesette”, but when it comes to ad-libbed improvisation, within the Grant Green style you can hear some Jim Hall coexisting in the construction of harmony and flow of her phrasing.

Emily Remler is another guitarist who influenced her. In addition to Remler’s hard-picking and powerful swing, perhaps the recording of “Daahoud” here is influenced by Remler’s recording of “Daahoud.” As for “Daahoud,” the name comes from a colleague of composer Clifford Brown, the trumpeter Talib Dawud. This must be an expression of respect characteristic of jazz players.

This album contains two original songs, both of which are excellent and fully express Asari’s sensitivity. Surely I’m not the only one who can also feel the good sensibility of Emily Remler here. And the seventh and eighth songs are arranged like a medley of two hit songs by a band she loves, the Carpenters. It’s a really smart, crowd-pleasing technique.

Picking highlights is difficult when all the tracks are so good, but the duo on “Black Orpheus” with Japanese jazz guitar god Sadanori Nakamure naturally deserves special mention. In recent years, Asari has been performing regularly in a guitar trio with Nakamure and Mitsukuni Tanabe, and knowing their minds so well they breathe life into the songs head-on. It’s quite admirable. Incidentally, both Asari and Nakamure were born in the Year of the Rooster, yet there is a sixty-year age difference!

How is Fumika Asari’s debut album? The guitar tone is incredibly beautiful! Plus, the importance of the melody and poetic sentiment is conveyed. And, the special attention paid to the various formations, and the support of the participating musicians really shines through. In the 1947 American film Road to Rio, Bing Crosby sings the song “But Beautiful” with lyrics comparing the aspects of love. I don’t think that this meaning here of the word “beautiful” is the same as the Japanese word “utsukushii” (beautiful). As this “beautiful” is expressed by the meaning of the lyrics as “subarashii” (wonderful), such is Fumika Asari’s solo guitar beautiful.

Jazz journalist Hiro Yamanaka 山中弘行

Audio and Video

• Fumika Asari playing track #4 “Bluesette” with ceramic art by Mika Noguchi:

• Fumika Asari Quartet playing “Daahood” live, track #5 on this album:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Triste”

Also distinguishing the sound is the edgy, metallic sound of the alto sax and the funky, crystalline drumming, with stylish planes of piano and guitar and gliding over the deeply full bass lines. Drummer Sohnosuke draws attention with a concentrated hip-hop energy driving the odd-meter songs, and, along with steady bass lines from Ikejiri, keeps the listener anchored even through unusual rhythms beyond standard swing patterns (see Sohnosuke’s Rin (2018) for similar sounds.)

Sharply-crafted jazz with a modern spark particularly identifies Moriya’s music, and with “Tuck Box”, “Matching Dice”, and the title track “Cat’s Cradle”, the sax player strives for originality by building riffs on challenging, odd-meters over which blistering improvisation can be laid down. These songs, as well as her sunny “Message” and soulful “Existence”, hit the bullseye at setting a mood, and are still favorites of Moriya’s fans today and often performed at live concerts to welcoming audiences. Balancing the energy are a few ballads as well, including a piano/sax duo on the emotive ballad “Just A Gigolo”, a melancholy goodbye wrapping up the album.

Audio and Video

• Excerpt from track #1: “Tuck Box”

The pianists and drummers are all players who perform with the bassist on different albums and at live shows in Japan, and each member adds personal touches and dynamics to the combos. The majority of songs are originals from the bassist, with the balance being in favor of slower tempo ballads and relaxed moods built upon the bassist’s deep, weighty sound and timing. A few uptempo numbers are included, starting with the album opener West Side Story’s “Tonight” which kicks things off with a great swing beat, Yasukawaga’s own joyful “My Bebop Tune”, and an exuberantly wild “Circle III”.

In addition to providing a glimpse into the modern working trio in Tokyo’s current jazz scene, Trios II is also a great standalone package of jazz piano trios performing Yasukagawa’s music for a comfortable, mood-enhancing collection.

Audio and Video

• Daiki Yasukagawa Trio video for Trios II:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Tonight”

This 2011 recording features eight tracks: six original songs from Omura in his detailed, catchy style, unfolding story-like with depth and groovy accuracy. The music brims with fiery energy, passionate yet also containing also a smoldering, somber melancholy. Two of the tracks are group-created free jazz collaborations, splashes of color adding mystery and adventure. The recorded audio is also done beautifully, with separation of drums and cymbals gracefully captured with a lush live sound.

A creative aspect used on this recording is the collaboration of three pianists Hakuei Kim, Koichi Sato, and Mamoru Ishida, playing separately as well as together on some songs, stretching the limits of the standard piano trio format. On several songs two or three of the pianists play simultaneously on acoustic and electric piano in distinct audio channels: center, right, or left separate and identify the pianists on three songs. On other songs, the standard piano trio format is used with pianists alternating on a song or two each, while the rhythm of bassist Koji Yasuda and drummer Ko Omura laying out the pulse and foundation of the music.

Audio and Video

• Excerpt of Ko Omura’s song “Slow Highway”, recorded live:

• Excerpt from track #5: “Slow Highway”

This album consists of well-written original compositions with a few covers thrown in (Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones). Overall, this is an excellent debut with a variety of moods, tempos, and exciting solos showcasing some premium J Jazz from the current crop of musicians.

Audio and Video

• Live performance of track #4 “Round Table”:

• Excerpt from track #1: “SPEED HARASSMENT”