タグ: クリスマス

翻訳中・・

Review at ChristmasReviews.com

So cool, it’s smokin’ hot. Hiro Honshuku (with the A-No-Ne Christmas) has once again brewed stunningly stylish jazz vibes in Not That Silent Night. I reviewed another Honshuku holiday release earlier this season (check it out here), and it also epitomized “cool.”

Honshuku’s flute artistry is joined by the guitar (Gustavo Assis-Brasil) and vibraphone (Natalie Dietrich), making for a neat trio that spends more than eight minutes per track (on average) reconstructing six well-known holiday gems in tricked-out ways that delight and satisfy. This is spontaneous, vibrant jazz a la Miles Davis, and the musicians are sharp and sweet. As each lengthy cut develops, the artists bob and weave with exceptional artistry, and the listener loses touch with the original melody for long sections of glorious improvisation before the players swing back to the holiday number’s core. The production values shimmer, and the three musicians are a delight. The three instruments–flute, guitar, and vibraphone–are so distinctive, yet the voices complement each other unusually well, and the listener can easily track the different voices as the fluid arrangements progress. Wonderful!

True jazz aficionados should enthusiastically embrace this offering without hesitation. Every track has something special to offer. The minor interpretations on Drummer Boy cast a mystical aura that contrasts nicely with the major bars, a juxtaposition that keeps listeners guessing throughout the number. The opener, Angel, is probably my favorite cut; the guitar foundation is folksy, the vibraphone runs are inspired, and Honshuku’s fantastic flute flies above the fray. It’s a charmer.

Congratulations to Hiro Honshuku and the A-No-Ne Christmas. Not That Silent Night is an outstanding jazz instrumental album that will render even the coldest December night far cooler.

–Carol Swanson (Reviewed in 2006)

Read at ChristmasReviews.com »

Musicians:

• Hiroaki Honshuku : 本宿宏明
• Gustavo Assis-Brasil
• Natalie Dietrich

Tracks:

1. Angel
2. Manger
3. Rest You
4. Drummer Boy
5. Veni Emmanuel
6. Not That Silent Night

翻訳中・・

Review at ChristmasReviews.com

So frustrating. Masterful flutist Hiro Honshuku presents his A-NO-NE Christmas: Volume 2, and it is a jazzy gem. So where on earth is the elusive Volume 1?

If you are a fan of instrumental jazz for the holidays, Honshuku will undoubtedly rock your world. He plays the flute with a light, spirited, and inventive touch. And his skills do not end there; Honshuku plays numerous other instruments and is an EWI wizard. His artistry is evident throughout.

All eight cuts on this generous CD (over 53 minutes) are familiar holiday numbers, but in the hands of this intimate band, the pieces are lively and fresh. The jazz improvisations never stray so far that the listener is cut completely adrift. The playing is sophisticated, yet accessible.
The mood fluctuates somewhat from piece to piece. Most reflect a playful jazz feel warmed by Brazilian flavors. Gentleman, on the other hand, has a driving bass line that evokes a harder rock mentality, and this is probably my favorite cut. Perhaps the most challenging number is the multi-layered, inspired Maria, which is also the longest at almost 11 minutes.

Look carefully in the dictionary. Hiro Honshuku and A-NO-NE Christmas, Volume 2 defines “cool.” Nicely done!

–Carol Swanson (Reviewed in 2006)

Read at ChristmasReviews.com >>»

• Hiroaki Honshuku: flute, synth bass, Fender bass, Yamaha BB5000 bass, EWI, guitar, drum programming, piccolo, voice percussion, voice bass
• Chihiro Yamanaka: keyboard
• Pedro Ito: drums
• Gustavo AssisBrasil: nylon and electric guitar
• All selections arranged by Hiroaki Honshuku
• Produced by Hiroaki Honshuku

Tracks:

1. Rest You
2. Veni Emmanuel
3. Greensleeves
4. Gentleman
5. O Come All Ye Faithful
6. Maria
7. Manger
8. Drummer Boy

翻訳中・・

Out Of Print

Recorded Live at WERS Boston
December 2, 1993
Digital remix at A-NO-NE Studio (さらに…)