Hiroshi Minami 4 “Go There!”

"Go There!"

(ewe) 2002

Hiroshi Minami: Piano

Masakuni Takeno: Tenor and Soprano Sax

Hiroaki Mizutani: Bass

Yasuhiro Yoshigaki: Drums, Percussion    

Hiroshi Minami’s new CD puts his piano inside a tight, interactive quartet that is well-practiced and with all the right instincts intact. The original compositions by Minami are well handled by the experienced players with care and balance. The first song, “#1,” comes out swinging. The quartet all digs into the intense drive from their different standpoints, pegging the sound out in all directions. “Oracion” follows with a Latin rhythm and melody that brings together the quartet’s  savvy and sense.

“M” slows down for a calmer motion that reflects Minami’s time playing with European musicians. He has captured European jazz sensibilities with cool, lyrical beauty. “One Kat” takes the quartet into very free territory, with every player uprooted from their normal role and stretching the piece as far as it can go. These first four tunes are simply outstanding. But after that, the middle of the CD loses direction. The middle several tunes are searching, but without quite finding as much as promised. The revolving chords of “Four distinction” sound more like the take-out chords than a coherent composition.

Part of the aimlessness results, ironically, from the shortness of each song. The players seem to rush through their solos, when they might have better followed their inclinations further and farther. Though each song is crisply performed, the players feel too boxed in to do justice to the interesting compositions. Fortunately, the last two songs pick up the pace, though, again, with a rollicking forward pulse and lovely melodies. Perhaps the CD, which is superbly recorded by the way, is just too short. Anyway, the quartet is one of the most promising and sophisticated in Tokyo. They have found a fine balance between listenability and complexity, which is one of the most difficult of all artistic conflicts, and all too rare.