Record Reviews

MAKOTO KURIYA / SYLWESTER OSTROWSKI ~ JUST MUSIC P-VINE 24327 (Barcode: 4995879243275) ~ JAPAN ~ Jazz Recorded: 2013 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by the international quintet co-led by Japanese pianist / composer Makoto KuriyaFind albums by this artist and Polish saxophonist / composer Sylwester OstrowskiFind albums by this artist, which also includes Polish trumpeter Piotr WojtasikFind albums by this artist and American rhythm section comprising of bassist Essiet Okon EssietFind albums by this artist and drummer Newman Taylor BakerFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine compositions, five of which are originals co-composed by Ostrowski and Wojtasik, two are originals by Kuriya and the remaining two are standards. The music belongs to the melodic mainstream variety, with solid compositions, but completely non-original approach which puts the album somewhere in the proximity of 1950s or early 1960s American Jazz idiom. Of course these are all highly professional musicians, who can play really well, but the overall effect of this music is simply passé. Personally I find the phenomenon of European or Japanese musicians trying to imitate American Jazz sort of pathetic; they will never be able to beat the American Jazz tradition so they might as well find their own path and take the music elsewhere, which of course many do, especially the younger ones. Overall this is very well played mainstream American-like Jazz, which still has many followers all over the globe. For such audiences, this album is definitely worth investigating, although there are thousands of similar recordings out there deserving no less attention.

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