Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Shoji Hano, Gary Smith, Asahito Nanjo: Shoji Hano

117

Shoji Hano, Gary Smith, Asahito Nanjo: Shoji Hano

By

View read count
Shoji Hano, Gary Smith, Asahito Nanjo: Shoji Hano
Ever since the days of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience, electric guitar/bass guitar/drums trios have primarily been vehicles for rock music. They are comparatively rare in jazz, and rarer in free improvised music. Those that do exist often blur the boundaries with rock, using its vocabulary but not its syntax or vice versa. Because of its rock legacy, the format itself attracts players who have affinities with rock.

One such recent trio, Mass, (with albums on Paratactile, Mass and From Zero ) is a precursor of this Shoji Hano trio and has clear affinities with it. Both trios feature Gary Smith on guitar and his is the primary voice here. Given the distinctiveness of Smith's playing, it could not be otherwise. His playing dominates any grouping he is in. With musical roots in the blues-rock of Clapton and Beck, Smith is well-versed in the conventions of rock, allowing him to mutate and subvert them. But compared to his solo or duo work, his playing here is more linear and focussed on the overall group ethic. Nonetheless, devotees of Smith's guitar will find all the trademarks of his playing here, the electric edge, the curved notes, the swirling, shimmering runs, the illusion of several guitarists playing simultaneously.

As the notional leader of the trio, Shoji Hano deserves full credit for its impact and straddling of boundaries. Despite his impeccable jazz and improv credentials, Hano is willing and able to provide a backbeat whenever Smith is playing something akin to rock, enhancing any rock tendencies rather than countering them. (In this, he resembles Lou Ciccotelli, the drummer in Mass.) At other times, Hano provides a rhythmic tattoo that drives the music along, making compelling listening.

With five of the seven tracks being "Ono Nos. 1 & 3" and "Futari Nos. 1, 2 & 3," one might expect considerable repetition here. This is not pronounced. For instance, the two versions of "Ono" do have similar openings, but thereafter are totally different, and the three versions of ?Futari? have few similarities. This isnotan album that has been padded with alternate takes!

Ultimately, this music is beyond categorisation and should appeal to a wide audience. It can be listened to at different levels. It is the sort of music that can "just be there" without causing undue offence. It also handsomely repays repeated close attention and study.

Track Listing

Sannin, Futari No. 3, Kaze, Ono No. 1, Futari No. 1, Ono No. 3, Futari No. 2.

Personnel

Shoji Hano, percussion, voice; Gary Smith, stereo guitar; Asahito Nanjo, bass guitar.

Album information

Title: Shoji Hano | Year Released: 2001 | Record Label: Chronoscope

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT




Support All About Jazz

Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make 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.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves 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.

More

Eternal Moments
Yoko Yates
From "The Hellhole"
Marshall Crenshaw
Tramonto
John Taylor

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.