Jazz Articles about MTKJ Quartet

MTKJ Quartet: Day of the Race

by Rex Butters
April 29, 2006

Even with commitments across the West Coast musical spectrum, the members of MTKJ managed to reunite for this, their second recording for Vinny Golia's Nine Winds label and fourth overall. Day of the Race delivers an exciting and fresh collection of performances that show a great band getting better. Their balance of subtlety and pyrotechnics centers around compositions as interesting as the dynamic flights they inspire. Paul Kikuchi's rainbow of rhythm, Ivan Johnson's velvety, nuanced bass, Kris Tiner's range of ...

MTKJ Quartet: Making Room for Spaces

by Rex Butters
September 7, 2004

This LA-based quartet's first collection on Vinny Golia's Nine Winds Label presents an assured and adventurous group equally unafraid of free flight and swing. Jason Mears on reeds and Kris Tiner on trumpets blow an exciting and informed front line over the taut Paul Kikuchi/Ivan Johnson rhythm section.

A post bop arrangement takes “Like That, She's Gone" through its changes with a rock-steady toe-tapping rhythm section. Tiner blows a sweetheart solo, tickling the melody with spooling variations and ...

MTKJ Quartet: Music From the 2003 West Coast Tour

by Rex Butters
March 8, 2004

The Mears/Tiner/Kikuchi/Johnson Quartet gathers four of LA’s best young improvisers to create fiery compositions and improvisations. While invoking Ornette or Braxton in passing, the Quartet delights in creating new sounds with a classic configuration. Since the magic of free improv lies in spontaneity, live recordings can capture the spark more vividly than studios works. With several recorded shows to draw from, Music from the 2003 West Coast Tour delivers the goods.

Often as these four blaze through ...