Ayumi Tanaka Trio Playing: 1.r

Subaqueous Silence, pianist Ayumi Tanaka’s leader debut for ECM – following critically acclaimed releases with Thomas Strønen (Lucus, Bayou) – is a strikingly original statement. Tanaka met bassist Christian Meaas Svendsen and drummer Per Oddvar Johansen shortly after arriving in Oslo a decade ago and they have been developing their musical language together, exploring the implications of Ayumi’s compositions. Deep interest in the work of Norwegian improvisers prompted Tanaka’s move to the West, but she also speaks of a growing awareness of her own cultural roots; there is an ascetic rigour in her playing, as well as a sense of space suggesting affinities with Japanese classical music.

A fresh and open music, delicate and space-conscious, is shaped as drummer Thomas Strønen and Ayumi Tanaka, previously heard in the ensemble Time Is A Blind Guide on Lucus, resurface in a new trio with clarinettist/singer/percussionist Marthe Lea. The group first came together at Oslo’s Royal Academy of Music, where for two years the players would meet each week for exploratory music making. Strønen: “We always played freely- drifting between elements of contemporary classical music, folk music, jazz, whatever we were inspired by. Sometimes the music was very quiet and minimalistic: playing together generated some special experiences.” The spontaneous spirit of the music is reflected in the trio’s debut recording, which was made at the Lugano radio studio and produced by Manfred Eicher. With the exception of the title piece, based on a traditional Norwegian tune, the music on Bayou was collectively created in the moment.

Jelly Roll Morton was once quoted as saying that truly authentic jazz had a certain "Spanish tinge" to it. Playing On Light: 7 Sounding Photos, and indeed many of the growing number of new and interesting releases coming from Spain, make that a difficult statement to disprove.

Playing On Light is the fourth release by Abe Rabade, a talented pianist from Galicia, Spain, and his third release heading up a trio. Each of the seven compositions is based on a series of photographs (reproduced in the accompanying booklet) by artists such as Arno Rafael Minkkinen and Paul Caponigro, making this a concept album of sorts.

Although from a historical standpoint Les Paul is perhaps best remembered for his invention of the solid-bodied electric guitar and his groundbreaking efforts in multi-tracking, this should not overshadow his considerable talent as a performer and virtuoso master of the guitar. Originally highly influenced by Django Reinhardt, by the time these recordings were made, Les Paul had developed a unique style that has gone on to influence countless others…