Tokyo Big Band
May 16, 2008 at B Flat
Jonathan Katz - leader, arranger and piano
Sax: Steve Sacks (as)、近藤和彦 (as)、Andy Wulf (ts)、James Mahone (ts)、
宮本大路(bs)
Trombone: Fred Simmons、Pat Hallaran、三塚知貴、山城純子
Trumpet: Luis Valle、Neil Stalnaker、城谷雄策、Mike Zachernuk
原とも也(guitar)、Mark Tourian(bass)、Dean MacComber(drums)
Tokyo has as many big bands as symphony orchestras (purportedly the largest of any city in the world), so can it be imagined that the city needs one more big band? The answer is clearly, Yes!" And, imagination is part of what makes the new Tokyo Big Band so great.
Leader Katz wanted to create a big band with a unique vision and feel, and it turns out his instincts were right. The Tokyo Big Band offers not only a unique mix of musicians, with plenty of foreigners, together with first-call Japanese, but a unique sound and style. In a big city of big bands, Tokyo Big Band, on only its second evening, delivered fresh energy and fascinating variations.
The choice of songs makes a huge difference for any band, but with a big band, the set list can make the evening. "Look What They Done to My Song" kicked off the evening with an intriguingly rearranged melody line. "April in Paris," arranged by the great Bob Mintzer, was a right-on ballad with great, lovely solos. "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You" arranged by Katz was sexy, slippery fun, loaded with right-on solos. The band jumped in full-force on this blues number, running through a panoply of blues styles, each with its own depth, feeling and power. Other standouts from the first set were "Green Sauce" a nice Latin clave, with hot, high and fluid solos. The nifty rhythmic shifts passed the energy back and forth from horns to drums to bass. Two Katz' originals "Glorious" and "Light One" closed out the first set.
Most of the musicians have played together in various other groups, so it is not as if they are strangers (which does in fact sometimes happen), but for whatever reason, everyone clicked, an often-overlooked point that is always key to the music's success.
The second set got started with a piano trio, giving Katz a chance to show his stuff. The ostensibly big band fan audience went wild for this one-tune interlude. Once everyone climbed back on stage, "In This Moment," a BIG big band number by Jim McNeely, worked with calm, deliberate delicacy. Picking up the pace again, "Bye Bye Blues" featured a sexy baritone trombone solo, delivered with panache. The rest of the evening found one great solo after the next, on Latin, blues and straight-ahead bop. When individual solos were not enough, the entire sax section roared up and took off together.
Encores were inevitable as no one made a move for the door. While a few not-quite-together moments popped up here and there through the evening, the audience packed into the club was not worrying about perfection, but rather about welcoming a great, good feeling. They got that in large doses. Check them out as the band, after just two shows, are already Tokyo regulars.
June 5, 2008