| Jazz |
This album, titled Quartet Vol.1 is Fono Bono Records’s fourth album but the 21st (!!!) in Takeshi’s discography and the first one with this quartet featuring alto saxophonist Hashem Assadullahi, pianist Takeshi Asai as well as Takeshi’s long-time collaborators bassist Bob Gingery and drummer Brian Woodruff. This multinational quartet complements each other marvellously, developing throughout the 9 tracks of this fantastic album this extraordinary feeling of living jazz together. The result is a unique, moving, interconnected, creative and cohesive entity.
The first track, “L’Exode”, introduces the overall inspiration for the subsequent titles of this album, as this quartet showcases all its musical capabilities with singular elegance.The four musicians have fun entertaining us, sometimes with simple melodies, like “Flutas y Plantas”, sometimes with much more complex pieces, demonstrating their immense talent particularly noticeable in the arrangements.
Tracks in this album are also connected to classical music compositions and “Flutas y Plantas” is the perfect track to show how Takeshi Asai can merge classical and jazz piano feelings and expressions. A 9-minute track which is, for us, the pinnacle of this superb album. With Takeshi Asai it’s as if jazz is playfully teasing classical music, superbly mastering melodies and arrangements.
Undeniably, Takeshi’s musical inspirations find their source in classical music, but not only, as his two loyal, purely jazzy rhythm section’s musicians are the foundations on which Takeshi and Hashem can unleash their creativity. There is indeed a “unique” jazzy style here, which is most likely due to the long hours spent learning his art, and which allows Takeshi to write pieces of superb quality.
Compared to the Trio Vol.VI album that we reviewed on Paris-Move, Hashem Assadullahi’s alto sax’s contribution is another flash of genius from this immense pianist that is Takeshi Asai. A truly brilliant contribution as it “expands” the music from what the Trio offered and which had, with Trio Vol.VI, already received the “Must Have” rating awarded by the editorial staff of Paris-Move and Blue Bayou Radio. Alto saxophonist Hashem Assadullahi is an artist who demonstrates here a play which can be subtle or intense, and his contribution to a trio who was already accustomed to playing together seems more than natural. A revelation.
The title “Toine Lake”, composed by Bon Gingery opens the door to a superb solo from this genius bassist. And the most impressive aspect is certainly the great cohesion of this quartet.
This album takes the listener on a wonderful journey and the four musicians who play with passion and emotion, make the journey vivid, intense, emotional, and dynamic. Here, musical aesthetics are present at every level, each track like a painting that leads into the next, with rhythm also playing an important role.
Takeshi Asai is one of those artists with international renown, thanks to his creativity, his respect for jazz, and his ability to reinvent himself, which he has been doing for a long time across all of his projects. Needless to say, it’s with joy that we place this album in the “Must Have” category, as there is enough here to satisfy many hearts and souls who just love beautiful music.
Frankie Pfeiffer
Editor in chief – PARIS-MOVE
PARIS-MOVE, November 17th 2024
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