Shigeharu Mukai - Favorite Time (1976)

Who would guess that Shigeharu Mukai's - one of the best japanese trombonists ever - first and most important influence was John Coltrane's stellar sounds? It seems that Favorite Time, his third album as a band-leader, is not a mere academic tribute to Trane's oeuvre, but it's mainly a sincere musical approach to the master's teachings. Constantly learning and musically inteligent, Mukai's Quintet re-works many of Trane's masterpieces (e.g: Afro-Blue, Impressions, In a Sentimental Mood etc.) and gives them a new polished touch. Finally, it must be said that any jazz listener will notice not only Shigeharu Mukai's undisputable trombone skills, but also the superb, almost legendary, rendition of Katsumi Watanabe in the guitar.
by Miguel Patrício in Improvised Solo

Style:
Post-Bop
Modal

Tracks:
01 - Afro Blue (11:15)
02 - Old Folks (03:31)
03 - Autumn Leaves (06:36)
04 - Impressions (08:39)
05 - In A Sentimental Mood (04:38)
06 - Stella By Starlight (04:53)

Line-up:
Shigeharu Mukai: trombone
Katsumi Watanabe: guitar
Fumio Itabashi: piano
Hideaki Mochizuki: bass
Oliver Johnson: drums