Jazz in Japan | Yoichi Kobayashi and Japanese Jazz Messengers

December 2, 2024 at B Flat

Yoichi Kobayashi 小林陽 – drums
Yutaro Suzuki 鈴木雄太郎 – trumpet
Tomonori Sakurai 櫻井智則 – tenor sax
Heitetsu Rin リンヘイテツ –piano
Koji Yasuda 安田幸司 – bass

Yuichi Kobayashi has run his consistently stellar JJM (Japanese Jazz Messengers) quintet for 48 years. That’s hard to believe on paper, but easy to believe in person. This lineup of the long-running quintet dug into the Hank Mobley repertoire with relish and energy.

The hardbop solos started right away. From Sakurai’s first break to his solo, he played thoughtful, clear lines that ended up at times in other well-known melodies, which ran into new melody lines, just as a great solo should do. He was unhurried and yet never slowed down. Suzuki on trumpet laid back more for deeply felt, incredibly fleet runs with great feeling. Rin on piano upped the speed for Oscar Peterson-esque flows of notes. They were off to a great start and never slowed down.

“Hipsippy Blues” was played like it should be, as a cool blues number. Everyone in the band had time for measured solos. “Take Your Pick” followed as an upbeat tune taken with a west coast jazz vibe that was hot and cool in equal measures. “I See Your Face Before Me,” a lovely ballad, let Suzuki and Sakurai loose to play with their deep founts of feeling. Both of them have a lovely tone on their instruments. The hard blowing “Workout,” a Mobley favorite of many listeners, closed out the first set with a fine flow of solos and exchanges. None of the members even looked out of breath.

The second set kicked off with another favorite “Funk in Deep Freeze.” This was Suzuki’s baby, and he played it with vitality and sense. The quintet locked in together and stayed that way. It seemed like they’d been practicing together a lot but also like they didn’t need to practice. They were so relaxed with these straight-ahead tunes; it all came naturally and thoughtfully. “This I Dig of You” from the popular “Soul Station” was perfect all around—cool, fast, light, deep, with an especially great piano solo from Rin. “Remember,” by Irving Berlin slowed things down but just barely. Sakurai took a great solo that brought the tenor near to vocals and showed off his tenor tone marvelously.

“The Good Life” and “Wham and They’re Off” closed out the set. Everyone took solos including Kobayashi and Yasuda who had had to hold tight for the fast tempos and swift rhythms of both sets. The quintet couldn’t have been tighter if they’d been tied together. The encore, “Soul Station,” had a rollicking, funky trumpet and tenor exchange that brought the evening to a satisfying conclusion.

You know a quintet has the right mix of everything when everyone in the band is listening to their bandmates with a smile of appreciation, and of congenial jealousy, feeding off each other’s creativity, trying to outdo each other, and pulling it all in even while putting it all out there. You could feel Hank Mobley smiling from on high.