Tomoki Takahashi Quartet "Nothin' But Coltrane" (Aketa's Disk 2007)

Tomoki Takahashi: Tenor Sax, Soprano Sax
Kazuhiko Tsumura: Acoustic and Electric Guitar
Shyo Kudo: Bass
Ryo Saito: Drums

Rightly enough, considering Coltrane's near-godlike status among tenor players, Takahashi's newest CD starts out with an acoustic guitar and sax duo of "Dear Lord," one of Coltrane's most heartfelt and spiritual pieces. Lovely, incantatory, and a prayer to start what is obviously a religious project, the tune lets Takahashi's feeling come out, so he can get down to the business of talking with Coltrane.

The aptly chosen second song, "My Favorite Things," digs into the original modal vamp, but with a neat, pretty and clear approach. The quartet then quickly drops into a fuller, stronger take on the song, with improvisations and sense of opening up into the potential intensity. Like Coltrane, Takahashi's quartet keeps opening up all aspects of these songs and finding new meanings and feelings.

"Syeeda's Song Flute" gives Takahashi a chance to dig into his chops and pull up powerful statements. More of a straight bop take than any of the other tunes, he keeps everything loose enough to find room to move. The sax sounds prettier than ever here, too, and this is not an easy song to be pretty on. "Mr. Syms," though is when the quartet really gives in to the undertow of Coltrane's power. The band sounds strong, open, almost live, and very full of feeling.

With two untitled songs from Coltrane's repertoire, a ballad and a lively open jam, they step closer and closer to that edge. With "Naima," though, everyone focuses on beauty, nice guitar chords, shifted slightly and reworked, rhythmic subtlety, without throwing down too strongly, and a thick, anchoring bass line that pulls the others into a different kind of beauty. Surely, all this is what Coltrane would have preferred to slavish, mimetic exactitude.

Then, Takahashi and band takes an up groove. "Dahomey Dance" turns out to be a great jamming piece where everyone digs in and just grooves on the changes. There is so much here, and so much in Coltrane, that Takahashi can really express himself and still pay his dues to the master. His tone is strong, sharp, direct, and right to the point. With guitar the sound is so much different, but once the forward flow kicks in, it's all about honesty and energy.