The first album by Yumi Sugiyama, a graduate of the piano department of the Tokyo College of Music, who threw herself into the fusion scene after graduation and was under the tutelage of Kiyomi Otaka (organ), is a work with a different feel from the acoustic trio sound of classical piano, leaving the arrangements of her own original compositions to her teacher Otaka. The result was a work with a different feel from the classical piano-based acoustic trio sound. For example, the piano tone retains a digital feel, and the neat fingering does not kill the groove, but gives the music a fuller feel. The album is also graceful in that it is not focused on solos or band interaction, but rather a “short story”. Koichi Yabori (g) makes a refreshing guest appearance with a clean tone, which is also rare, so be sure to check it out. ＜Eichi Tomizawa＞
Dave Brubeck, one of the leading pianists of modern jazz, passed away in 2012. In 2020, the 100th anniversary of his birth, Dave Brubeck’s last solo studio recording at the age of 91 will be released as an album. It seems that he recorded the album as a gift for his grandchildren on the theme of “Lullaby,” but in addition to covers familiar to children, there is a high percentage of original songs, including a song dedicated to his wife, Iola Brubeck. It is a valuable work that gives us a glimpse into the human side of the master. I think this is the best gift for the end of the year 2020, when we are reminded of the importance of family relationships. ＜Eichi Tomizawa＞
Piano magic of an “unknown veteran” that enhances the medicinal effect of “healing”
”Serenade in Ala Moana” is a new release by Kota Miyama, a jazz pianist with the mysterious catchphrase “unknown veteran but famous” floating around the Internet. As indicated by the title “Ala Moana” (the name of a place in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA, known as a scenic and stylish area of interest), this album, his first for national distribution, was recorded in Hawaii and produced by Haruhiko Takanouchi. As indicated by the name of the album (Honolulu is the name of a place in Honolulu, known as a scenic and stylish area), the album was recorded in Hawaii with Haruhiko Takauchi as the producer. The first thing that struck me when I started listening to the album without any preconceived notions was the sense of song selection and playing style. It may be a misnomer to call it “loungey,” but the style of expressing a sense of swing in the perfect number of piano notes, not too many and not too few, is both bebop, which is directly related to the exposure of the ego, and the kind of music that bends realism through an inner filter. This style is distinct from bebop, which tries to directly link the expression of the ego, and from impressionism, which uses an internal filter to bend realism, and I felt that it is a unique style that harmonizes with the scene, but leaves a core strength that will never be buried. This is what makes it possible to juxtapose “Misty” with the shoka song “Furusato (Hometown). To add to this, they were fearless enough to include Astro Boy, the theme song of Astro Boy, in this album. The fact that all the songs are full of medicinal effects of “healing” can be attributed to the thick-skinned jazz mind. ＜Eichi Tomizawa＞
