Description
Some of the most essential jazz recordings were made in response to world events; others reflect the personal inner journeys of their creators, Humanity from saxophonist and composer Kazuki Yamanaka bears powerful witness both to the circumstances of its creation and to his own inner response. It's music that contains both turbulence and tranquility, freedom and discipline, an embracing of uncertainty with a deeply spiritual sense of resolution. The recordings were made in a single day in New York City with a team of extraordinary musicians. He'd already established a firm creative partnership with bass legend Cameron Brown and award-winning pianist Russ Lossing over the past year during their time as recording artists in NYC, and he renewed his fruitful association with outstanding drummer Billy Mintz (Lee Konitz, Charles Lloyd, Alan Broadbent) to complete the quartet. These three have been vital to Kazuki Yamanaka's compositions that tell the story of his enforced absence from the scene during the pandemic and how he sought to center himself in the midst of the disruption through contemplation and the development of an inward strength. "I had much more time to be reflective. My life changed in quiet but significant ways, particularly in how I think about human life, relationships with others, and what I wanted to pursue and express going forward."
Each track complements the next, alternately celebrating the deep jazz tradition and pushing hard at its boundaries, allowing each member of the quartet to display their extraordinary musicianship while creating a harmonious whole. Humanity is a remarkable document from a unique composer and master improviser, supported by a world-class trio of musicians, that confidently creates its own space where both introspection and ebullience have their place. "Humanity is my third studio album, but for me, it feels like the first album I made after getting to a clearer sense of myself. The music comes from an inner place, but I think of it as something to be shared - music that points toward connection and unity."
Humanity is available on double black vinyl and digipak CD editions.
