Search - Ron Carter, Hank Jones, Tony Williams :: Carnaval

LIVE IN TOKYO WITH SADAO, HANK, RON, AND TONY WILLIAMS!!

RBSProds | Deep in the heart of Texas | 09/12/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Five Wonderful Stars!!! In front of a wildly appreciative crowd of jazz fans at Denen Coliseum in Tokyo, this muscular quartet, including the effusive Hank Jones, a buoyant Ron Carter, and a fiery Tony Williams, lays down a wonderful set of well-known tunes. The surprise here is Japan's premier tenor sax man/world musician Sadao Wantanabe, who is on top of his game and on a real quest. Usually heard on a worldwide basis in a mellow vein on his own recordings (my favorite is "Maisa"), Sadao turns up the heat considerably and he comes out 'smoking', playing with probably the most empathetic and renowned players of his esteemed career.



'Pieces De Resistance' are each of the five songs. Five long songs so don't sweat the low number. Indeed, "Chelsea Bridge" is 10 minutes long and is just a marvelous performance by all hands. And if Sadao is involved, you know a Brazilian song is in the offing: a bright version of the usually mournful "Manha de Carnaval " (Morning of the Carnival). Sadao gets off a blistering solo, nicely overblowing his reed, and that is followed by Ron Carter's elegant, swinging bass solo, pushed by Tony Williams' assertive highhat figurations. Hank Jones' out of tempo interlude and Tony Wiillilams' heroic solo on "Moose the Mooch" sustain the energy created by Sadao and Ron. In summary, a wonderful fiery jazz quartet playing familiar songs with a new slant in front of an insanely appreciative crowd in Tokyo. The sound of this 1978 recording is technically admirable with all players front and center at all times. Highly Recommended. Five ENJOYABLE Stars!!!!"