Ben Kono Group: Voyages

This album is saxophonist Ben Kono's tribute to his family's history, dating back to his grandfather's migration from Japan to the United States in 1911, performed by a combination of small jazz group and string quartet, The first half of the work concerns with his family's transition into life in the United States, and the second half celebrates four generations of Kono's lineage, going from his grandparents all the way through to his own children.

The strings are an integral part of this music from the outset, setting up a choppy background to Kono's tenor and Pete McCann's guitar on "Yobiyose" that evokes the sea voyage Kono's grandfather made to get from Japan to America. The tension and shock of adapting to American life is described in "Bata Kusai!!" with its jaunty, blues-inflected rhythm and a freewheeling violin solo by Sara Caswell. The quieter "Belong," with the leader on English horn, reflects the concepts of the newcomers finding a place to call home within their new country. The first half ends with "Across The Pond" which has the stately feel of English classical music in tribute to Ben Kono's mother, Barbara, who came to America from England.

The album's second half, called "Generations Suite," has more of an overall chamber music feel. The string quartet traces out a warm, genteel theme in the opening "Issei" section that grows more complex as the music progresses. Mike Holober's piano, McCann's guitar and Kono's flute bring more force to the music in the "Nisei" section. The "Sansei" section, for the composer's own generation, goes contemporary with a slippery hip-hop beat, and Fender Rhodes piano, guitar and electrified bass clarinet prominent in the mix. The closing "Yonsei" section, for the generation of Kono's children, picks up the tempo. The entire ensemble surges restlessly and loudly with Holober's ringing Fender work over Jared Schonig's drums, a standout feature.

This music is a strong statement about the inspirational power of a family from another country adapting and contributing to American life, part of a larger story that has been historically underreported. Kono's project states something that really needs to be heard.

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