Home » Jazz Articles » Mark Kleinhaut Trio with Tiger Okoshi: Chasing Tales

Mark Kleinhaut Trio with Tiger Okoshi: Chasing Tales

By Glenn Astarita
February 1, 2002
Sign in to view read count

Mark Kleinhaut Trio with Tiger Okoshi: Chasing Tales

The twist to this story is guitarist Mark Kleinhaut's double identity. When he's not performing and teaching music, Kleinhaut is a vice president of a Boston, MA-based banking institution. But as a musician, the artist adheres to the somewhat traditional school of jazz guitar. On this noteworthy 2002 release, he adds the well-traveled trumpeter Tiger Okoshi to his trio lineup.

The band is in no hurry to get to where they need to go. They effortlessly whirl through a series of breezy swing grooves, a jazz waltz and Bop, while also propagating a catchy melody on the likeable opener, "Cape Hatteras." Okoshi and Kleinhaut's softly executed duet "Erika's Living Room" is all about lyrically charged lines and intricate voicings. On "Talk To You Later," the soloists engage in finger snapping hard Bop unison choruses, as Kleinhaut displays impressive chops via a series of deftly articulated single note leads. Drummer Mark Macksoud and bassist Jim Lyden do their best to maintain sympathetic accompaniment, diligently upping the ante when required. Meanwhile, Okoshi's golden-toned horn work serves as a complementary foil to the guitarist's driving sense of swing and well-placed accents.

In the pugilistic world, styles make fights; and in the cinema, good casting adds realism. Here, distinct musical personalities mirror some of these notions as they elevate the tried and true via a program that bespeaks verve and panache. Perhaps Lord Chesterfield's decree that "style is the dress of thoughts" could serve as a paradigm for this conspicuously engrossing set. Recommended.

Invisible Music Records

Track Listing

Cape Hatteras; Water Waltz; Erika's Living Room; Mousetrap; Bluejay; Aftermath; Three Olives; Talk To You Later; Cry Wolf; After Hours (Total Time: 60:16).

Personnel

Mark Klein Haut: Guitars; Tiger Okoshi: Trumpet, Flugelhorn; Jim Lyden: Bass; Mark Macksoud: Drums.

Album information

Title: Chasing Tales | Year Released: 2002 | Record Label: Invisible Music Records

Post a comment about this album

FOR THE LOVE OF JAZZ

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.