Yuka Yanagihara Trio: Beloved Ones

Nov 23, 2024

Like pianist Yuka Yanagihara’s previous album Inner Views from 2019, her songs on this year’s release Beloved Ones are also focused on both external vistas and inner reflections. It is as if the inner-outer boundary is balanced, permeable, and transferring the trio’s music and inspiration from in to out and back again, fluidly.

From the previous album to this one, the imagery shifts from close (raindrops on a window) to far, with natural scenery in theme for both. A second link to her previous album is found in a track on the Beloved Ones, “Rainy Song #3 In Winter”. This song continues the story started in the opening two tracks on Inner Views, “Rainy Song 1: At Midnight” and “Rainy Song 2: In the Forest”. Comparing the two album covers and the pieces’ progression, the rain has stopped and the eye’s focus has extended further into the world, onto meadows, trees, and mountains.

Yuka Yanagihara Trio: Inner Views

Brian McCrory

Jan 12

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Within the calm music like some tracks on Beloved Ones, understated music can say so much. It speaks quietly and does not rouse in overly obvious ways, but seeps in like unstoppable truths, extending like liquid flowing and pooling on a smooth flat surface.

Between one standard swing tune and one free ambient exploration (relatively moderate on both counts), the rest of the tracks occupy the space in between. Mostly there is a subtle, straight-eight feel throughout. Yanagihara’s music is richly colored by drummer Ryo Noritake, and he provides not just background time pulse but a lot of expertly applied shading and dynamics.

The album starts liltingly with a softly falling “Snowflake” before moving into more Jarrett-y country folk with “Landscape”. Next is the swinging jazz standard “All the Things You Are” (video below) which includes a mesmerizing drum solo from Noritake that spreads out in masterful sonic construction.

“Rainy Song #3 In Winter” continues the story started on Inner Views, and is a demonstration of the wilder, busier side of the trio. Things seem to happen simultaneously with a controlled chaos effect which becomes an exciting highlight on the album.

“Move On” (also in a video below) is impressionistic and poetic, warm like a welcoming embrace. “Loved One” emerges from the title as a bluesy, hymn-like space for a slowed-down break. “Ripple” is a floating, freeish song with simultaneous improvisation where the theme unveils itself slowly and majestically in the trio’s painting. “Surreal Sunset” returns with another Jarrett-like light rockish rollick, almost “Prism”-esque with interesting angles (as does a sunset through a prism becomes surreal, perhaps). The album closes with the dramatic storytelling of “Spring, Blue Sky” with more creative changes and structures.

With Beloved Ones, serenity is balanced with the stimulations of jazz playing and concepts. There is a feeling of loving-kindness radiating from the title and through the music. Enhancing the calm are the images of nature and natural settings. Peace is brought to life by Yuka Yanagihara’s trio, her music, and song titles, surpassing the limits of language but lifting off from these words: “Snowflake”, “Landscape”, “All the Things You Are”, “Rainy Song”, “Move On”, “Loved One”, “Ripple”, “Surreal Sunset”, “Spring, Blue Sky”. Beloved Ones.