Kenichi Tsunoda Big Band: Big Swing (2002)

By

JIM SANTELLA,

Jim Santella

Senior Contributor - Since 1997

Jim Santella has been contributing CD reviews, concert reviews and DVD reviews to AAJ since 1997. His work has also appeared in Southland Blues, The L.A. Jazz Scene, and Cadence Magazine.

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Published: November 1, 2002

Among Japan’s leading voices in modern big band jazz, Kenichi Tsunoda’s ensemble celebrates its 10th anniversary with Big Swing. The leader, 51, attended the Berklee School of Music in Boston and paid his dues in the trombone section of three of Japan’s leading big bands: Toshiyuki Miyama’s New Herd, Nobu Hara’s Sharps & Flats, and the Tokyo Union. Writing his own arrangements, Tsunoda steers his ensemble through original themes that provide intellectual pursuits through and through. The band’s members, many of whom solo at will, must surely enjoy taking their places in the fold; for, their adventurous scenes are filled with detailed contrapuntal action. Every minute of the program has the listener on the forward edge of his or her seat. Featured, individual high points include Tatsuya Sato’s fierce tenor solo on “Darkness,” Hideaki Nakaji’s solo on “Old Devil Moon,” Atsushi Ikeda’s alto solo on “Waltz for Debby,” Yoshiaki Okayasu’s guitar solo on “April Wind,” Yuji Kawamura’s stirring soprano saxophone solo on “La Fiesta,” and trumpet solos by Yoshiro Akazaki and Shiro Sasaki on “A Night in Tunisia.” The performance closes this recommended album with a swinging Duke Ellington anthem that swings both individually and as one big, talented ensemble.

Track Listing: Cerro Torre; Darkness; Big Swing; La Fiesta; Memory; Old Devil Moon; April Wind; A Night In Tunisia; Waltz for Debby; It Don

Personnel: Kenichi Tsunoda- leader, arranger, trombone; Mitsukuni Kohata, Yuki Urata, Masahiro Makihara, Yoshiro Okazaki, Shiro Sasaki, Naruhiro Kikuchi- trumpet; Yuzo Kataoka, Hideaki Nakaji, Haruki Sato, Masaki Domoto, Kan Nishida- trombone; Hideo Oyama, Atsushi Ikeda, Yuji Kawamura, Tatsuya Sato, Kazuhiko Kondo- saxophone; Yuichi Inoue- piano; Daiki Yasukagawa- bass; Yoshiaki Okayasu- guitar; Ichiro Onoe, Tappi Iwase- drums; Yoichi Okabe- Latin percussion.

Record Label: Sea Breeze Jazz | Style: Straight-ahead/Mainstream