Tamao and Ishiwata "IT"

“IT”(Van Note 2020)

Tamao Kimura 木村玉緒 -- vocals
Masahiro Ishiwata 石渡雅裕 – piano, arrangement

It’s always a mystery why more Japanese vocalists don’t write their own songs, but Tamao is the exception. On this release, Tamao and Ishiwata not only write their own music and lyrics, they deliver them with a crystalline precision that makes the music intimate and special. Starting out with several classics, they work their way towards their own music and lyrics, with thoughtful, energetic interpretations. This is a strong duet with, hopefully, the promise of more.

The first track blends “Take 5” with “Footprints,” and not in any ordinary way. Tamao and Iwhiwata move back and forth between the two classics with an interesting arrangement that brings out the best of both. “One Note Samba” is perhaps the most standard of songs on the album, and Tamao’s rich vocal jazz-iness comes out strongly. Having only piano really lets her vocals shine.

The choice of Ryoichi Hattori’s music, “Canal Song,” is also unexpected. Hattori is one of Japan’s best-known composers, but with Kimura’s English lyrics added, tune is a fresh and compelling version of Hattori’s oeuvre. Why Japanese jazz vocalists, and musicians, don’t draw more on Japan’s rich heritage of pop songs is a mystery, too. Here, Tamao delivers a great tune, updated, from one Japan’s most prolific composers of the postwar era.

The last two songs on the CD, “Think of Monk” and “Mermaid,” are originals from Ishiwata and Kimura respectively. These tunes, too, show how interesting music becomes when the mix of influences is allowed to run free. Both tunes are great jazz, steeped in tradition, but have a lightness and presence that steps outside jazz. The English lyrics make both unique.On “IT” (the “T” from Tamao and the “I” from Ishiwata) Ishiwata’s arrangements and Kimura’s vocals are both showcased brilliantly. Both of them draw on a deep reserve of confident musicality, a great pairing that will hopefully soon have a follow-up.

Past reviewshttps://www.jazzinjapan.com/homepage/2018/01/04/tamao-indigo-blue/https://www.jazzinjapan.com/homepage/2008/12/16/singers-who-sing-in-japanese-2/
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