Articles by Gary Fukushima
Matt Otto: Umbra
by Gary Fukushima
In his 30-plus years in music, Matt Otto has, in addition to mastering improvising and training his ear to near perfection, learned to write incredibly complex compositions, challenging in every musical aspect: melodic, harmonic, rhythmic. Yet even now, his composing continues to evolve. I feel like it's maybe less evolution than like going back to my roots," the tenor saxophonist contravenes. I started out being a mostly free player, and I'm missing as I get older more of ...
read moreJun Iida: Evergreen
by Gary Fukushima
They are everywhere, dotting the undulating terrain of the great Pacific Northwest, from the winding, twisting shorelines of Puget Sound to the mountains that rise in the distance in every direction: the Olympics to the west, the Cascades to the east, Mt. Baker to the north and the majestic Rainier to the south. The trees are a constant, comforting blanket over this land, ever-present, ever-green. Jun lida has called this place home for the past three years, another ...
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