Mabumi Yamaguchi Quartet – Leeward

Leeward by the Mabumi Yamaguchi Quartet is an album that builds slowly, nearly refining itself with every passing chord change, blossoming with soulful intonations that manifest in nearly spiritual searching solos. Leeward is a difficult album to describe, comprised of merely four tracks featuring reed instrumentation, brought to life using both the soprano and tenor saxophones, then balancing things with a dynamic Fender Rhodes organ / piano, along with a bass and drums that weave intoxicatingly throughout the entire event. That said, there’s an undefined wondrous nearly poetic power relayed here, where the rhythms slowly, nearly magically, ebb into full blossoms right before your eyes.

This was another album released in the late ’70’s that many folks missed, though it has been re-released and remastered on vinyl and is entirely worth your time and consideration.

*** The Fun Facts: Leeward is a nautical term meaning on or toward the side of the boat that is sheltered from the wind, yet when one considers that Japan is an island, one should keep in mind that there are both a windy and sheltered side of the island.

Review by Jenell Kesler