Niels Lan Doky The Target

Niels Lan Doky: "My A&R director Thomas Rohde and my new manager at the time, Anders Tidemann, organized for me to go on a research trip to Vietnam to explore my roots in the hope of finding some inspiration that could lead to a new innovative album that would merge modern jazz with both traditional and contemporary Asian elements. When my father Thai heard I was going out there, he decided to join me on the trip and it ended up being not only my first (of many) trips to Vietnam but also my father’s first trip back in 53 years. It turned out to be a very exciting, adventurous and emotional experience for both of us. During my process of connecting with my father’s homeland, I met some utterly amazing Vietnamese and Chinese musicians, not least the great composer and producer Quoc Trung and the mesmerizing female vocalist Thanh Lam…

The journey Niels Lan Doky and Gino Vannelli have undertaken in this album is - most of all - a rejoining journey. A reunion with their own roots ("A Word To My Father"), with their most intimate affections ("Tout Depend De Nous"), with Nature ("The War Of A Lonesome Dove"), with the World ("Close Your Eyes") and Spirituality ("Karumi"). To rejoin all this is to perceive Opposites and Conflicts as mere appearances. As such, melody and dissonance, sound and silence, perfect and unperfect, sacred and profane share the same, radiant Light. Recognising such differences means to solve them, to focus where the beauty and unity are coming from. This is "Haitek Haiku": at the same time an ideal Myth, a Project and a Sound.
In the heterogenity of its ten tracks, hypertechnological and hyperhuman coexist with one another…

The Doky Brothers, Vol. 2 pales slightly in comparison to the duo's first release, but the album remains a fine example of contemporary mainstream jazz due to the exceptional playing of pianist Niels Lan Doky and bassist Chris Minh Doky.

This release sounds contemporary in spots due to the prominence and virtuosity of bassist Chris Minh Doky (who sometimes shares in the melody statements), two appearances by Michael and Randy Brecker, the fact that the flavor of Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock (along with Oscar Peterson and Vince Guaraldi) can be heard in pianist Niels Lan Doky's spirited solos, and the inclusion of a song apiece by Jaco Pastorius and Carole King. However, the music should mostly be of interest to modern mainstream collectors due to the strong playing of the co-leaders. The vocals of Curtis Stigers (a straightforward "My One and Only Love") and Deborah Brown (a swinging "I Feel Pretty") give the set some variety as does the changing instrumentation, and even the occasional melodic poppish numbers are generally enjoyable…

Dutch Baritonist Per Goldscmidt's albums won't having you throw out your Mulligan, Shihab, or Brignola collection but for those of you who like Baritone post bop he's definitely underrecognized. But musicians know him and it is evidenced by who's along with him on this quartet outting including younger Dutch ace Nils Lan Doky on keys,Lonnie Plaxico on bass,and legend Jack Dejohnette on skins.I'd run a lengthy run down but let's say it's a solid CD good writing on original tunes. But pick this one after you have gotten the CD Tribute To Frank Sinatra.Incredible NHOP there and tunes that played in manner that might make both Frank and Nelson Riddle have the hair on there necks stand up on end.This CD here has same energy and ace playing but the use of otherwise familiar tunes turned into charging hard bop romps is a touch above.

Terasima Records presents Jazz Bar 2020. Enrico Pieranunzi Trio, Niels Lan Doky, Harry Allen, Chad Lawson Trio, Dag Arnesen, Jan Harbeck Quartet and many others.