Takao Uematsu Quartet/Quintet

The first album by saxophone player Takao Uematsu heard him flaunt his diaphragmatic abilities solo after a moment away from his merry band, the George Otsuka Group, which in turn took its name from the drummer whose rhythms you also hear on this record. Drawing clear inspiration from Joe Henderson, Uematsu's playing is marked by a distinctive blend of power, precision, and expressive depth that set him apart in Japan's jazz scene. Here on this curt suite in four movements, we hear insouciant tones meld with latent recuperations of structure, as on the bell-curving emotive peaks of 'TI' and the drum brushing deconstructions of 'Sleeve My Love', with gaping, catch-up rhythms handled masterfully by Otsuka.