Steve Sacks Spring Quartet

March 9, 2018
Praça 11, Omotesando

Steve Sacks – saxophones, flute
Kazuhiko Michishita道下和彦 -- guitar
Kana Kurose 黒瀬香菜 -- organ
Masayuki Kume 久米雅之 –drums, percussion

The southern winds were blowing to bring the spring with Steve Sack's Spring Quartet. The show was held at the legendary Praça 11, in Omotesando, one of the oldest clubs in Japan that features exclusively Brazilian music. In the 1980's the club was the port of entry for many of the great Brazilian musicians that crossed half of the planet to present their music in Japan. Musicians such as Paulo Cesar Pinheiro, Marcos Valle, Leila Pinheiro, Rosa Passos, and Filó Machado, among others, played the venue.

For those fans of Brazilian music that never had the pleasure, Steve Sacks is an American saxophone and flute player, arranger and composer, and a master all of them. He’s a member of many groups with a Brazilian or Latin style. His sound brings that nostalgic and comfortable feeling of the masters of west coast jazz from the 1950's, like Cannonball Adderly, Paul Winter, Paul Desmond, Stan Getz, the ones who helped bossa nova spread around the world, putting Brazilian music in the world map.

The repertoire that Steve Sacks Spring Quartet selected was just perfect for the season. A mix of happy, alive, beautiful and colorful sambas, bossa novas, jazz and choros. These songs, some of which are sadly very rarely played in Japan, such as Jobim's "Tema Jazz", Rick Pantoja's "Melancia", and "Doce de Coco" (Jacob do Bandolim), were a perfect fit with the group’s amazing originals, “Carnaval de Recife” (Steve Sacks), “New Samba,” “La Musica,” and “Lovely Cherry” (Kazuhiko Michishita), “Swimming in The Sky” (Masayuki Kume).

The Steve Sacks Spring Quartet is a group whose members each have a powerful contribution to the total sound. Sacks, on Bb flute, G flute and alto saxophone, has a tone and feel for melody are truly inspired. The amazing groove maker is Kurose Kana on the B3 organ (Nord C2). Kurose is not only a great soloist, but also a great bassist, since in this formation, the organ takes the bass lines. Machishita on guitar swings between the deep sound of greats like Bill Frisell, and the rhythmic beat of Jorge Ben Jor. Kume on the drums is a samba school drum session in and of himself. His capacity of playing different grooves at the same time while always keeping the beat is impressive, and rare.

So, the cold weather is finished and don't need to hibernate at home anymore. Go out to listen some music, and if it is possible go see Steve Sacks Spring Quartet. It is a commemoration that fits the "season of love."
(Marco Mancini)