Nonoko Yoshida - Lotus mp3 download

Juce

Featuring Nonoko Toshida on solo alto sax. Ms. Yoshida had been growing in leaps and bounds since moving here nearly a decade ago. On every disc she is on, her playing keeps getting stronger and more focused. Starting with Super Seaweed Sex Scandal, two great discs by Pet Bottle Ningen on Tzadik and last year's under-recognized gem: PAK with Ron Anderson and Tatsuya Yoshida (no relation), and now this, her first solo effort. Nonoko played here at DMG recently both in duo and a solo, both super fine. We could tell that she has been working on solo performances since her playing was so focused. "Lotus" is Nonoko's first solo offering and holy sh*t, it is amazing! It is a mixture of studio and live recordings, a strong blend. Starting with "Take the F Train", Nonoko explodes with several layers of tight, intense overdubbed lines. Incredible! You can tell that Ms. Yoshida put a great deal of time into this disc as the pieces are well-worked out. On "Desert Island", there are several layers of saxes, harmonized in a most charming way with a superb, poignant solo emerging on top. I dig the way Nonoko takes certain phases and repeats them, slowly twisting and turning the melodies inside-out in a most compelling way. Some of Ms. Yoshida's melodies have a sort of folky or traditional sound, although I am note so sure what tradition that is. "Taka 14" actually sounds like the World Sax Quartet jamming with John Zorn on top, no easy feat I assure you. Solo sax discs are not as rare as they used to be although making one that is as successful and diverse as this one is an impressive one. Ms. Yoshida has studied with Ned Rothenberg and is obviously influenced of some of the extended techniques of John Zorn. Some of her solos takes these sounds/ideas and twist them into her own shapes and forms. Some solo sax efforts are too extreme for certain listeners but this one is very well-balanced and more diverse than one might imagine. A modest masterwork from one of Downtown's best new voices on sax! - Bruce Lee Gallanter, DMG