AKI TAKASE
RUDI MAHALL


EVERGREEN

.


AKI TAKASE
PIANO
RUDI MAHALL BASS CLARINET

Evergreen

Intakt CD 152


1 Mood Indigo - by Duke Ellington
2 I´ll Remember April - by Gene de Paul
3 Bel Ami - by Theo Mackeben
4 Tea for Two - by Vincent Youman
5 Moonglow - by W. Hudson
6 You and the Night and the Music - by A. Schwartz
7 How Long Has This Been Going On - by G. Gershwin
8 Cleopatra`s Dream - by Bud Powell
9 I’m Beginning to See The Light - by Duke Ellington
10 Two Sleepy People - by H. Carmichael
11 Good Bait - by T. Dameron
12 You Took Advantage of Me - by R. Rodgers
13 It`s Only a Paper Moon - by H. Arlen
14 Lulu`s Back in Town - by Harry Warren

Recorded July, 4 and 5, 2008 by Rainer Robben at Audio Cue in
Berlin. Mixed and Mastered by Rainer Robben, Rudi Mahall and
Aki Takase. Liner notes: Ulrich Olshausen.
Cover art and design: Jonas Schoder


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Since 1995, whenever Aki Takase has not been making solo recordings, she has always sought the company of Rudi Mahal: The depth of their knowledge of jazz history and their craft-oriented approach are self-evident – if actually rather secondary to their remarkable, dazzlingly entertaining connections between a tempered drive toward freedom and a quite specific wit that shows how to take life both as seriously and as lightly as possible. Their take on this striking collection of evergreens moves through airy amusement, the serious rapport of a sensitive give and take, intellectual juggling, and bizarre dance theater as they wander between aesthetic peaks. – The CD is a stroll through many styles, from stride piano in "You Took Advantage of Me" to free-jazz impressions in "You and the Night and the Music" or the surprisingly pensive paraphrase of "It's Only a Paper Moon." This is vital chamber music, infinitely rich and imaginative, featuring the complex and miraculous sound of the best bass clarinetist in the world. Ulrich Olshausen, Liner Notes

 

Aki Takase und Rudi Mahall verbindet eine Wahlverwandtschaft der besonderen Art oder wie der Musikkritiker Ulrich Olshausen in den Liner Notes schreibt: «Die Kenntnis der gesamten Jazzgeschichte und das handwerkliche Ethos sind dabei die selbstverständlichen und eher nebensächlichen Werte; die Hauptsache ist diese umwerfend unterhaltsame Verbindung von gezügeltem Freiheitsdrang und einem ganz spezifischen Humor. Der demonstriert, wie man das Leben ernst aber so leicht wie möglich nehmen kann. Die Behandlung dieser unglaublichen Versammlung von Evergreens ist luftiger Spaß, seriöse Beziehungskiste eines sensiblen give and take, intellektuelle Jonglage, bizarres Tanztheater, ästhetischer Höhenweg. – Die CD ist ein Gang über viele Stilelemente, Stride Piano etwa in „You took advantage of me“, oder die überraschend nachdenkliche Paraphrase über „It’s only a paper moon“. Vitale Kammermusik von endloser Fülle und Phantasie und dem komplexen Klangwunder der besten Bassklarinette der Welt.»


Aki Takase, Rudi Mahall, 2008. Photo: Fumi Udo.


 

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