Isao Suzuki - Plays "Ave Maria" (2015) [DSD128]

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Isao Suzuki - Plays "Ave Maria" (2015) [DSD128]

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Listening "Isao Suzuki plays Ave Maria" (2015, King Record Co). Recorded on December 2014 at King Sekiguchidai Studio #1 . Such a beautiful album from the Japanese jazz double-bassist Isao Suzuki. According to Eastwind Import and Wikipedia, Isao Suzuki's musical career began in 1956 when he played bass in an American military camp. He played early in his career with the legendary saxophonist Sadao Watanabe. From 1965 to 1969, he led his own jazz band in Tokyo but then moved to the United States (from 1969 to 1971). He joined the Jazz Messengers and received encouragements from Art Blakey. He played and worked with jazz legends such as Ron Carter, Paul Desmond, Ella Fitzgerald, Jim Hall, Wynton Kelly, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Bobby Timmons, Kenny Burrell and Mal Waldron. In Japan, he was a cofounder of the Japanese Bass Players Club with Hideto Kanai, and he also opened a jazz club in Osaka in the 80s. He was born January 2, 1933 in Tokyo (thus he is now 85 years old), he was over eighty when he recorded the present album. This recording includes some of the finest musicians of the actual Japanese jazz scene. In addition to Isao Suzuki whose playing is simply remarkable, the saxophonist Masayo Koketsu is original and outstanding (she has an edgy style). Shinpei Ruike, probably one of the very best trumpet player (I really think so) is also excellent. A very nice mix of standards and original compositions is proposed. This recording is a masterpiece and it is highly recommended.