Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Miles Okazaki: Figurations
Miles Okazaki: Figurations
ByOn Figurations, Okazaki's quartet develops music in a live setting and revealing insights into the heart of musical creativity and, therefore, into the minds of each of the musicians. Like a concerto played in the classical milieu, Okazaki's music is a continuous duel of individual instruments with the accompanying ensemble as the music is propelled onward and forward, emanating from an original melodic idea, but always moving outward in a fresh direction. Each song is a Medusa-like living organism; the difference being that it is, of course, a constructive force that nevertheless deconstructs the original idea with each new reimagining of Okazaki's original ideas.
And so, there is the colorful rhythmic pattern of "Dozens," rendered in various changing hues, with saxophone and guitar interweaving the melodic motif and provoking wildly different solos. "Wheel" is written as a triple-voiced canon, mimicking the motions of a wheel that turns with irregular rhythmic patterns, then settling into a repetitive circular device before coming to rest after going through a new and irregular rhythmic design all over again. "Mandala," with its beguiling Occidental pattern, is a feature for emergent drummer Dan Weiss, who has given new meaning to the word, "polyrhythm." Here, Weiss reveals his glorious chops by improvising over complex time signatures.
The other fascinating feature is "Corazón," written for saxophonist Miguel Zenon. The music is based on the rhythmic beat of the heart, which is really a metaphor for the pulse of the soul.
This record brings to an end one of the most fascinating musical cycles, and also sets its guitarist and composer, Okazaki for some hard thought. Where will his music flow next? From which nook and cranny of the mind and soul will it emerge?
Track Listing
Dozens; Rain; Wheel; Figurations (Intro); Figurations; Mandala; Loom; Corazon.
Personnel
Miles Okazaki
guitarMiles Okazaki: guitar; Miguel Zenon: alto saxophone; Thomas Morgan: acoustic bass; Dan Weiss: drums.
Album information
Title: Figurations | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Sunnyside Records
< Previous
Ahmad Jamal: Blue Moon
Next >
Fromage
Comments
Tags
Miles Okazaki
CD/LP/Track Review
Raul D'Gama Rose
Sunnyside Records
United States
Dan Weiss
Miguel Zenon
Figurations