I’d reached the end of a very long day and was ready to relax and unwind with some piano jazz. I went to the library and came across Yuko Mabuchi Trio, Volume 2 (Yarlung Records YAR71621-161V). The second LP from the trio’s live performance at The Brain and Creativity Institute’s Cammilleri Hall with bandmates, Del Atkins on bass and Bobby Breton on drums. The concert honored the 25th Anniversary of The Los Angeles and Orange County Audio Society, plus President and CEO, Bob Levi’s 70th Birthday. My copy used in this report is the 2018 45-rpm Stereo Audiophile release.
Yuko starts Side One with a trio of solo standards, All The Things You Are by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, Take The “A” Train by Billy Strayhorn, and Satin Doll by Duke Ellington, Strayhorn, and Johnny Mercer. She begins with a stunningly beautiful interpretation capturing the song’s romanticism. Yuko then takes a vivaciously playful ride on The “A” Train with zestful excitement. She wraps up the trilogy with an invigorating interpretation of Satin Doll receiving an ovation from the audience at the song’s end.
The ensemble begins a Japanese Medley trilogy next, Hazy Moon by Teiichi Okano, Cherry Blossom, the Japanese folk tune from the Edo period, and Look At The Sky by Hachidai Nakamura. Yuko opens with a gentle introduction developing into a subtle collective theme. The mood of this first melody is incredibly tender, and the soothing splendor of her solo is purely captivating. She also dominates on the second segment, bringing out the musical substance and expressive beauty in an attractive reading culminating with a regal coda. The finale picks up the pace with the trio fitting together like fingers in a glove on the lively theme. Her technique is assured and quite confident in a dazzling exhibition against the backdrop set up perfectly by Del and Bobby.
Side Two starts with Sona’s Song, the pianist’s very touching tribute to a beautiful young girl in her family. The threesome makes the most of this original with seamless pacing and execution. Yuko demonstrates a mature elegance and heartfelt love in every note of her reverently lush performance before a serene summation. The group takes the audience and listener to the Caribbean on Sonny Rollins’ signature song, St. Thomas with a festive holiday atmosphere right from the start. Yuko invites everyone to enjoy the ride on a jubilantly cheerful lead statement with Atkins and Breton sustaining the rhythm. The drummer adds some buoyant brushwork for a propulsive reading before Yuko puts the finishing touches on a memorable, jazz-filled celebration.
Like its companion, Yuko Mabuchi Trio, Volume 2 has an outstanding soundstage across the highs, midrange, and low end, making it a good choice to show off a high-end audio system. This album was engineered by Bob Attiyeh and Arian Jansen, and mastered by Attiyeh, and Steve Hoffman. The 45-rpm remastering is by Bernie Grundman. The trio’s musicianship is excellent throughout the album and they shift gears as smoothly as a sports car. I’ll leave you with what I think is an ideal ending for my report, it comes from an old 1960 LP by The Joyce Collins Trio: Girl Here Plays Mean Piano. Yuko Mabuchi does this very well and if you’re discovering her for the first time, you’re in for a treat!
© 2020 by Edward Thomas Carter
Eddie also published this article for the Atlanta Audio Club in the September 2020 edition of Jazztracks.