Kaori Nakajima Quartet

Juke Joint NashApril 8, 2011Kaori Nakajima – alto saxTaisuke Nakamura – pianoAlan Gleason – bassKotaru Nakamura -- drumsThis lovely quartet layered the evening with great solos, lush tones and a terrific vibe. Nakajima’s sax swept everyone in the crowded house into her mesmerizing sax styling. Kicking the first set into high gear with “Caravan,” Nakajima played with Art Pepper-like attention to tone. Her sax playing is buoyant, fleshed-out and gorgeous.It is hard to hear many sax players, much less the few female sax players, dig into tone with such carefully practiced and naturally serene technique. Even when playing fast, her tone felt ripe and right, like a balloon blown to near bursting, or a piece of fruit on the morning you just have to eat it. Nothing was hurried and everything was ready. The relaxed way she plays lets you sit back and just dig the song.All the members in the band leaned into every note without forcing anything. “Loverman” felt sexy, “Darn that Dream” was full of character, and “Spring Up,” in the first set, bounced just as it should. Gleason on bass slathered the bottom end with tasty, solid bass. Nakamura on piano (no relation to the drummer) punched and partied all over the keyboard. Nakamura on drums had not played with the others before but settled right in and made everyone at home.“Cherokee” in the second set showed just where Nakajima was coming from—the long tradition of polished alto sax players. On this tune, she rollicked and rumbled, flowed and soared. The change-ups rumbled right into the heart of everyone in the house. It is such a pleasure to hear the individual twists and turns that a soloist puts down in her own voice when they come to you so fully formed.Nakajima is not as well known as many sax players in Tokyo, but she should be. Her way of approaching jazz is not only appealing, but is honest and astute. Just as much as any of the players who get written up again and again in the requisite jazz magazines, she has her own unique sound. Nakajima’s tone feels natural and polished, unprepossessing and yet right at you. Her playing makes you want to hear her again and again.