Ittetsu Nasuda: Tailwind

Hailing from Tokyo, Japan, Ittetsu Nasuda is a distinguished jazz pianist based in New York City whose exploration of contemporary and Afro- Cuban jazz and his overall affinity for the Latin jazz sound has helped him become a firmly established player within the jazz scene in the Big Apple. Tailwind is his recording debut; leading a vibrant quintet of New York-based musicians offering a 12-track set of original compositions that blends a hybrid of Afro-Cuban elements, a modern jazz sound and a touch of traditional Japanese music.

Quite frankly, Tailwind just happens to be an outstanding musical presentation from a group of unheralded talented musicians documenting a compelling session of jazz. Who are these guys? Well, apart from the leader, there is fellow countryman and percussionist Takafumi Nikaido, Grammy-nominated Texas-born and Venezuelan-raised bassist Gabriel Vivas along with Argentinean- born drummer Juán Chiavassa and last and certainly not the least, is educator and award-winning vibraphonist Dan Neville who for the most part can be heard as the co-leader here. What they all have in common is their deep roots within the Latin jazz genre.

The high-flying session takes off with "Frigatebird," and a splendid introduction from Nasuda as Neville and the rest of the group follow on one of the notable tunes of the album. This is followed by the mid-tempo Latin jazz sound of "La Madrugada" (The Morning), one of the high points of the set. It features the pianist on a tender solo and one of the special moments of the piece. The Latin elements' Latin rhythms and percussive flavor come shining brightly on the spicy "Arroz Con Mi Son" with the leader and the vibraphonist sharing center stage here on a shoulder-moving piece of Latin music.

The percussionist and drummer take the limelight on the moving grooves of "Centro Habana" enjoined by Nasuda's delicate piano solo and further enhanced by Neville's vibes along with the rest of the band's terrific accompaniment. One of the finest tunes of the album comes from the contemporary jazz number "Tadoussac" offering a beautiful melody and a taste of the light jazz sound one is accustomed to hearing on a typical smooth ballad.

The light jazz music continues on the breezy "September Breeze" featuring tender bass lines from Vivas, light touches on the keys from Nasuda and background sounds from the drummer and percussionist. "Grayscale" follows in much the same way with "Walking by the Sea" taking on a more somber and humbling take featuring a duet with the leader and vibraphonist on a beautiful piece of music. The perky "Old Putnam Trail" and the slightly dark-toned piano solo of the finale "Sparkling Reflection" round out the impressive session of music.

Not yet a well-known name in the enormous landscape of jazz today, pianist Ittetsu Nasuda is well on his way towards changing that with the quality of the compositions and the caliber of the musicianship on Tailwind.