ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Yuko Nakamura

Photo credit: 團野 俊平

Yuko Nakamura is a saxophonist and composer based in Japan’s Kansai region. With a background in classical saxophone, she works primarily in jazz and improvisation. Her releases include “Threshold,” an original quartet piece, and “LIVE LIFE,” a saxophone and piano duo recording with pianist and composer Wataru Fujimura.

Why do we love it? THRESHOLD is an interesting piece. We have had plenty of jazz on SongsBrew before, but perhaps not so lively and more classic feeling. The keys work is stunning, precision that feels like abandon, that feels like precision again in the next strokes. The bass, oh the bass, it has beautiful runs, and they are exactly what you want to hear. Potentially my favorite bit is that it doesn't sound like they felt the need to push the levels to show it off, instead they are highly skilled and know exactly how to create space for the other instrumentation. The drum work is sensational. And the sax pushes the track along so easily. The intro is staggered and, like any good jazz, the keys come thundering in, the sax powers in, and all at once everyone is showing off, but, and this is vital now, the composition is so clean it is perfect chaos, clash. It's collective improvisation, the old New Orleans idea of everyone soloing at once, held together by an arrangement that never lets it fall apart. I love this track btw.

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  • Genre: Jazz

  • From: Kansai, Japan