Joanne Brackeen - AFT

Joanne Brackeen - AFT
Timeless Muse TI302, 1979
recorded 1977, NYC

A1 Haiti B     7:35    
A2 Charlotte's Dream     5:04    
A3 Dreamers     5:31    
B1 Aft     6:28    
B2 Winter Is Here     7:31    
B3 Green Voices Of Play Air     9:09

Bass – Clint Houston
Guitar – Ryo Kawasaki
Piano – Joanne Brackeen
Producer – Wim Wigt, Engineer – Elvin Campbell
Written-By – Clint Houston (tracks: A2), Joanne Brackeen (tracks: A1, A3, B1, B3), Ryo Kawasaki (tracks: B2)

This is one of the more obscure Joanne Brackeen recordings. Although the pianist is heard in a trio with guitarist Ryo Kawasaki and bassist Clint Houston, the music sounds nothing like Nat King Cole or Oscar Peterson. Actually Brackeen long ago developed her own distinctive chord voicings and, even when one hears touches of McCoy Tyner or Chick Corea in her solos, in reality she sounds like no one else. Her close interplay with Kawasaki and Houston on the six group originals (four by Brackeen) is consistently impressive and unpredictable. AMG

Yanow is certainly right about this band having almost nothing in common with those earlier piano, bass, guitar trios. For me Joanne and Clint Houston are known quantities so the wildcard here is Ryo Kawasaki. Not to worry, Kawasaki is plenty good enough to run in this company. Exceptionally fleet fingered with an almost pianistic tone, at times he can be mistaken for Brackeen. Strong, entertaining music here.