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Aki Takase: Cherry ?– Sakura
ByAki Takase
pianob.1948

David Murray
saxophone, tenorb.1955

Mal Waldron
piano1925 - 2002

John Hicks
piano1941 - 2006

Randy Weston
piano1926 - 2018

Dave Burrell
pianob.1940

Rudi Mahall
clarinet, bass
Silke Eberhard
saxophone
Louis Sclavis
woodwindsb.1953

Daniele D'Agaro
clarinet, bassb.1958
The program of four by Takase, three by Murray and a lone interpretation of Monk contains a lovely mix of the bracing and the beautiful, which in a way sums up both their playing. Takase combines hints of tradition and modernity into a personal but appealing mélange. Murray displays a breathy full tone with just the occasional acerbic twist, deployed in a blend of dashes and suspensions which keep the listener guessing as to where he will end up. He also gives his accustomed control of the upper registers a thorough airing, though he does so in such a way that it enhances the emotional charge.
Half the pieces are tributes of one sort or another and they engender empathy by the barrel load. The ravishing title track gets the album off to a searing start, part mantra and part lament, before opening for Murray's tumbling tenor over Takase's rippling chords. Both take an unaccompanied break, Murray ascending into finely wrought falsetto, Takase edging towards dissonance, before a tender theme restatement which nonetheless takes some tangential liberties. That establishes the template, where the two take conventional roles, time and melody usually near at hand.
Of the other dedications, they swaddle Murray's "To A.P. Kern" in rich harmonies and murmuring

Ben Webster
saxophone, tenor1909 - 1973
Track Listing
Cherry – Sakura; A Very Long Letter; Let’s Cool One; To A.P. Kern; Stressology; Nobuko; Blues for David; A Long March to Freedom.
Personnel
Aki Takase
pianoAki Takase: piano; David Murray: tenor saxophone, bass clarinet.
Album information
Title: Cherry ?– Sakura | Year Released: 2017 | Record Label: Intakt Records
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