Bill Evans Japanese

David Hazeltine evidently salutes pianist Bill Evans on this Venus CD, as eight of the nine songs were recorded by Evans for Riverside and the late pianist's influence is definitely a part of Hazeltine's style (though the Japanese liner notes make it difficult to confirm for sure). Accompanied by two sympathetic musicians, bassist George Mraz and drummer Billy Drummond, Hazeltine's interpretations of standards like "Beautiful Love," "Alice in Wonderland" and "When You Wish Upon a Star" are lyrical and to the point. The lively setting of "How Deep Is the Ocean" and loping treatment of "Tenderly" also merit praise. Hazeltine's sole composition is "For Bill," a fluid piece that is also reminiscent of Bill Evans' approach to the piano and writing.

Olivier Antunes, born in Paris in 1973 and grew up in Denmark, is arguably the premier jazz pianist from that country. His three albums from the Japanese label, Marshmallow Records, have firmly established him as the most lyrical and imaginative pianist of the Bill Evans school. In this relatively early recording (originally released in 2003), Antunes is backed by two legendary Danish musicians: bassist Mads Vinding who became a star on Duke Jordan's Flight to Denmark and drummer Alex Riel who has played with Ben Webster, Bill Evans, Dexter Gordon and more recently with Jan Lundgren. This superb trio collected beautiful melodies from many different corners of the musical world, including the great American songbook, classical music (Mozart, Grieg), and tunes written by by Ennio Morricone, Nat Adderley, and Elton John. These beautiful melodies are played beautifully, with imagination, subtlety and thoughtfulness…

Having already established himself playing electric piano in David Liebman's Lookout Farm group in the early '70s, pianist Richie Beirach set up his solo career by way of some fine ECM releases. Mixing in solo work with combo dates, Beirach showed off his Bill Evans-tinged style and revealed his own brand of soft melancholy to the jazz audience. This solo date from 1977 proves the point with nine meditative pieces, all couched in ECM's patented spacious sound. While not on the same intensity level of Keith Jarrett's work or as subtle as Evans' prime recordings, Beirach's playing here still delivers its own dreamy rewards.

The main reason to obtain Think Before You Think is the prominently featured tenor sax of Joe Lovano, who was a year away from recording for Blue Note when the acoustic post-bop/hard bop session was done in 1989. This isn't to take anything away from leader Bill Stewart - a competent, swinging drummer - or his other sidemen on the album: acoustic pianist Mark Cohen (an admirer of Bill Evans and Chick Corea) and the distinguished, risk-taking bassist Dave Holland. But it is Lovano's contributions that stand out the most. Whether being cerebral on Holland's moody "Processional" and the angular "Dewey Said" (Lovano's ode to saxman Dewey Redman) or melancholy and remorseful on the standard "Goodbye," Lovano never fails to play with soul and conviction…

Chick Corea - Five Trios (2007) {6CD Box Set, Stretch Records - Japanese-only Edition, UCCJ-9089~94}
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© 2007 Universal Japan/ Chick Corea Prod. / Stretch Records | UCCJ-9089~94
Jazz / Post Bop / Piano

Japanese-only six CD box set from the Jazz legend featuring five discs containing recordings from his famous trios (one trio per disc) plus a bonus CD. 'Dr. Joe' features bassist John Patitucci and drummer Antonio Sanchez (Pat Metheny). 'From Miles' (tribute to Miles Davis), recorded live in New York, 2006 and featuring Corea, bassist Eddie Gomez and drummer Jack DeJohnette. 'Chillin' In Chelan' (tribute to Thelonious Monk) recorded live in Washington D.C. in 2005 features bassist Christian McBride and drummer, Jeff Ballard. 'The Boston Three Party', tribute to Bill Evans recorded at Boston's Berklee Performance Center on 4/28/06 and features Eddie Gomez (bass) and Airto Moreira(drums). All new studio recordings 'Brooklyn, Paris to Clearwater' featuring Chick Corea (keyboards), spectacular French bassist Hadrien Feraud (John McLaughlin) and drummer Richie Barshay. A five track bonus cd featuring 2 tracks from Corea/Gomez/ Moreira, 2 tracks from Corea/McBride/ Ballard and 1 track from Corea/Patitucci/Sanchez.

Veteran jazz pianist Steve Kuhn has proved to be a popular artist in Japan, recording a series of CDs for the Japanese label Venus. On these 2006 sessions, Kuhn is joined by bassist Buster Williams and drummer Al Foster, two artists who also have extensive résumés. While the CD is titled Plays Standards, Kuhn doesn't stick exclusively to well-known works. In addition to Victor Young's widely recognized "Beautiful Love" (a favorite of pianist Bill Evans), the pianist offers a seductive take of the composer's "Golden Earrings" and a lighthearted, breezy setting of "Love Letters" as well. Kuhn's intense workout of "Alone Together" includes an amusing detour into Thelonious Monk's "Locomotive," while his revamping of "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" disguises the tune rather well. Kuhn also revisits his original "Oceans in the Sky," a brilliant piece evocative of a coming storm.

The lonely cover photo and title of this Japanese import give away most of the story; this is a haunted, introspective album of piano-trio jazz very much indebted to Bill Evans and, to a lesser extent, George Shearing. Veteran Eddie Higgins mostly serves up standards from the Great American Songbook - "My Funny Valentine," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "I Should Care," "Lush Life," the usual suspects - in a tasteful, unshowy, often gently swinging way, harmonically locked into the mainstream, occasionally throwing in a gentle quote for humor's sake. Elsewhere, "Israel" forms the core of a "Stolen Moments" sandwich, and "Lover Come Back to Me" is given the token bossa nova treatment. Ray Drummond (bass) and Ben Riley (drums) make up the fine rhythm section, and they never miss a cue.

Really lovely piano work from Masaru Imada - a player who's a bit gentler than some of his Japanese contemporaries of the early 70s, but who also works with this wonderfully lyrical tone! Imada does a great job of balancing a sense of flow with a punctuated approach to the keys - never overdone, and often with this spacious sensibility - but more pointed than a Bill Evans style as well. The first half of the album is solo material, and the second features a trio - bass is by Isoo Fukui and drums are by Mashiko Ozu - both players who step into Imada's world in a way that's subtle, but extremely effective.