Moon Over The World
Drummer Akira Tana leads Asian-American Jazz
Project
Trio draws on Chinese and Japanese pop/folk
melodies for improvisational inspiration
New York, NY – Sons of Sound proudly announces
the February 16, 2004 release of Moon
Over The World (SSPCD018), a unique "Asian-American" project
that draws upon Chinese and Japanese pop and folk
melodies as inspiration for a set of improvisational
jazz. Just as the American songbook has provided
many of the standards of the jazz repertoire, Tana
and his trio look to the East for fresh material
with broad cultural appeal. The results are enjoyable
and impressive.
Material drawn from Chinese culture includes
the title track "Moon
Over The World," which
dates back as far as the 1940's. "Reflections
of Love," a melody that is pre-World War
II, begins very delicately but then develops itself into a combustible, driving
melody and improvisation. "Condor Man" is a theme from a popular Kung Fu TV
show based on an old Chinese tale. The trio treats Ted's arrangement with a
fast samba feel.
The much-respected contemporary composer of Japanese
popular music, Hiroshi Miyagawa contributes "Koi-no
Vacance," or
in English, "Vacation
of Love," and the recently penned "Chinese Fingers" to the project. "Chinese
Fingers" strongly
reminds me of the song stylings of Horace Silver (who is himself represented
on the program for this reason). "Koi-no
Vacance" was a hit song in 1963 for the popular vocal duet group made up of
twin sisters known as The Peanuts. This tune remains a best seller for King
Records to this day.
As noted by Paul Yamasaki in the liner notes for
an earlier trio recording released only in Japan,
(Sound
Circle,
Paddle Wheel KICJ-146), the concept for this group
had its genesis at the Asian American Jazz Festival
in 1991 that was until recently held each year
in San Francisco. The festival's presentations
demonstrated the diversity of Asian American Jazz
expressions: Jon Jang's politically influenced
musical message "Tiananmen," Deems Tsutakawa's
more commercially flavored grooves, Mark Izu's
impressions of traditional Chinese and Japanese
folk musics, or the late Glenn Horiuchi's musical
tribute to the incarceration of Japanese Americans
during World War II.
Drummer Akira Tana is an active performer and
clinician whose credits span 22 years and include
Kenny Burrell, Sonny Rollins, Zoot Sims, Sonny
Stitt, Cedar Walton, and Dizzy Gillespie. Bassist
Rufus Reid has played among legends such as Gene
Ammons, Kenny Dorham, Eddie Harris, Sonny Stitt,
Don Byas, Philly
Joe Jones, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Dexter Gordon, Bill Evans, Stan Getz,
Dizzy Gillespie, and Art Farmer. Pianist Ted Lo is known for his work with
Airto Moriera, Flora Purim, Al Kooper, Marlena
Shaw,
Herbie Mann, Tania Maria, Ron Carter, Michael Franks, Astrud Gilberto, and
the late Noel Pointer.
Moon Over The World is Mr. Tana's second
as leader in the US on the Sons of Sound label,
a follow-up to 2002's Secret Agent Men,
a jazz exploration of television and film music
featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith on Hammond B-3 organ. About
that disc, Joel Roberts in All About Jazz wrote: "Tana,
Reid and Co. have the chops and the imagination
to elevate the material above the norm, and the
good sense to have fun with a fun idea." Jeff
Potter of Modern
Drummer added: "teamed with supremo bassist Rufus Reid, Tana’s
drumming leads the pack with nimble touch and urgent groove." In addition
to Mr. Tana's Secret Agent Men (Sons of Sound SSPCD012), Mssrs. Tana
and Reid may also be heard on Acoustic Romance by
Gene Bertoncini (Sons of Sound SSPCD017). Mr. Tana also provides the grooves
on Girl
Talk by Jodi Stevens (Sons of Sound SSPCD011).
Sons of Sound is an independent jazz label founded in 1997 to support musicians
who support music education. Among many educational endeavors, Mr. Tana is
an annual participant in Stanford Jazz at Stanford University in Palo Alto,
Californian, and Swing ‘N Jazz, a three-day celebration of music education
with workshops, concerts, and a fund-raising golf tournament for the benefit
of The Commission Project, a music education nonprofit in Rochester, NY. He
is also the leader of Percussion Summit, and educational concert and clinic
directed at student musicians.
For additional information see the label’s web site at http://sonsofsound.com/.
For more about The Commission Project, see http://tcp-music.org/.
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