Hisatsugu Suzuki “Favourites”

(T5Jazz Records 2019)

Hisatsugu Suzuki  鈴木 央紹—tenor & soprano saxophone
Jun Miyakawa 宮川 純 —hammond b-3 organ
Dairiki Hara原 大力 —drums

Combining a strong-armed drummer, a tasteful organist and a do-it-all sax player may not seem to be the most likely of trios, but Suzuki is the kind of musician who pushes the edges to keep listeners both tantalized with surprises and wrapped in lush sonic comfort.

The opener, “Where or When,” moves in intriguing gestures of sound, never committing, never holding back. It’s an unusual way to lead off a recording, but makes sense as the pleasures pile on. “Witchcraft” is as nimble and up-tempo as “Never Let Me Go” is relaxed and lyrical. It’s the switch-up, like a great pitcher, that keeps the ears intrigued, and ready for more.“I Should Care” shows the deep interplay between Miyakawa’s organ work and Suzuki’s deep tenor. They must have spent hours and hours to get their tone to complement each other so well. The smooth, pulsing organ cushions the strong voice of Suzuki’s sax playing. It is one thing to go together on a hard-driving number, but a much more challenging thing to ease into a single sound on delicate, hushed numbers.

But the recording’s pleasures continue with the tight, thoughtful original by Suzuki, “The Vavourite” and the throw-down blues of “Come Sunday.” Add on a grooving take on Miles Davis’ “Solar” and you have one of the tastiest CDs this year. “Boplicity,” slows down to a mid-tempo take that lets Hara’s drumming, and its intensity, come through.

The trio has played together for many years in various groups and it sounds like they finally got their sensibilities into the studio together. Although Miyakawa is better known for piano, his organ work here sounds more like a full-time organ player, the bass lines adding power and rhythm to every tune. Hara is one of the most consistently impressive drummers in Tokyo, moving from wild, hard cymbal-shaking rhythms to soft, circular brushwork, always at the right time.

Suzuki shows his real depth here by leading this trio in just the right directions with the right balance of components. The proportions of musical elements are done exquisitely and his saxophone playing has the setting it so richly deserves.

Hisatsugu Suzuki homepagehttp://www.hisax.net/
T5Jazz Recordshttp://www.t5jazz.com/