Showing posts with label Mayuko Katakura. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mayuko Katakura. Show all posts

Monday, December 8, 2025

Mayuko Katakura - The Echoes Of Three (2015)

“The Echoes of Three” is a 2015 jazz album by the Japanese pianist Mayuko Katakura. It is a piano trio session recorded in New York that features her reunion with former classmates from The Juilliard School, bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Carmen Intorre. The album features six of Katakura's original compositions and interpretations of three jazz standards, one penned by Eric Dolphy, Wayne Shorter and Duke Pearson. She is noted for a balance of compositional planning and in-the-moment improvisation. Her style on the album has been described as incorporating elements of McCoy Tyner's angularity and Thelonious Monk's spontaneity. The album includes original tracks and covers of works by other jazz musicians. "Into Somewhere" originally, based on "Out Of Nowhere"; "At The Studio [Reunion]” is a group improvisation; "Directions" honors influences stemming from Mulgrew Miller and Geri Allen and "A Barfly's Hope" an original written for pianist Elmo Hope. Mayuko offers the listener a high-level jazz trio album, showcasing her brilliant playing and composing ability, enjoy! 

55 Records, FNCJ-5561, 2015
Recorded 10th & 11th March, 2015 at Samurai Hotel Recording Studio, Astoria, New York 

Musicians:
Mayuko Katakura - Piano
Yasushi Nakamura - Bass
Carmen Intorre - Drums 

Tracks:
1. Echo {Mayuko Katakura} (4:39)
2. Into Somewhere {Mayuko Katakura} (6:30)
3. A Dancer’s Melancholy {Mayuko Katakura} (7:25)
4. At The Studio [Reunion] {Mayuko Katakura} (5:24)
5. Directions {Mayuko Katakura} (6:45)
6. Serene {Eric Dolphy} (8:00)
7. Pinocchio {Wayne Shorter} (3:45)
8. You Know I Care {Duke Pearson} (6:51)
9. A Barfly’s Hope {Mayuko Katakura} (5:13) 

Total Time: 54:35 

Credits:
Producer - Mayuko Katakura
Recording, Mixing & Mastering - Katsuhiko Naito

LINK

Pinocchio

Thursday, November 2, 2023

Mayuko Katakura - Faith (2010)

Faith is the second album from Mayuko Katakura, an amazing jazz pianist with an impeccable touch that echoes jazz piano legends. Listening to Katakura, one can sense the fondness and appreciation for players like McCoy Tyner and Sonny Clark. In fact, the album’s wistful ballad "Blue Sonny" was written for Sonny Clark by Katakura. This straight-ahead jazz trio is marked by warmth between the musicians, who agreed to not over-arrange the recording session and have faith in the group and their love of jazz. Simple and irresistible, the group jumps in and swings hard together with skillful agility over five of the pianist's originals and five jazz covers. The resulting sense of relaxation allows their individual mastery and group cohesiveness to produce exciting results, proving their faith to be well-rewarded. ~ by Brian McCrory, jazzofjapan.com. 

M & I\Pony Canyon, MYCJ-30578, 2010
Recorded 22nd & 23rd May, 2010 at Avatar Studio, New York 

Musicians:
Mayuko Katakura - Piano
Rodney Whitaker - Bass
Carl Allen - Drums 

Tracks:
01. Mrs. Parker Of KC {Jaki Byard} (5:35)
02. Blue Sonny {Mayuko Katakura} (7:04)
03. Anywhere But Here {Mayuko Katakura} (5:28)
04. Monk’s Walking {Mayuko Katakura} (6:08)
05. I've Got The World On A String {Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler} (7:15)
06. Subconcious-Lee {Lee Konitz} (6:49)
07. Yours And Mine {Thad Jones} (5:51)
08. A Dancer's Melancholy {Mayuko Katakura} (6:51)
09. Reflections {Thelonious Monk} (7:19)
10. Two Roads {Mayuko Katakura} (6:44) 

Total Time: 65:04 

"Blue Sonny"