
Moon Over The World is the second recording of a group conceived as The Asian American Jazz Trio, and the first to be released in the United States. As noted in Paul Yamagakis' liner notes for that first recording (Sound Circle, Paddle Wheel KICJ-146), this group has its genesis at the Asian American Jazz Festival held yearly in San Francisco. As this festival demonstrates, the many groups and their material make a contribution to what Asian American Jazz is, whether is be Jon Jang's politically influenced musical message, "Tiananmen," Dennis Tsutakawa's more commercially flavored grooves, Mark Izu's impressions of traditional Chinese and Japanese folk musics, or Glenn Horiuchi's musical tribute to the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.
True to its mission, Moon Over The World draws some of its material from the world of Chinese and Japanese folk/pop melodies, following the tradition of jazz interpretations of American popular music (i.e. George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, etc.) that have come to be known as "standards" in the jazz repertoire.
This Asian American Jazz Trio CD is first and foremost acoustic jazz chamber music at the highest musical level of improvisation, steeped in past and recent traditions but with an emphasis on the present and future. The effort is truly a cooperative one from all of the participants, to whom I give deep thanks. Each musician, as this CD demonstrates, has sacrificed his own personal ego for the sake of the music, which in turn has allowed all of the individual's expressions to flourish.
Please enjoy the music of this continually evolving group, The Asian American Jazz Trio.
Akira Tana
April 1992, revised November 2003
This recording is dedicated to the late multi-reed instrumentalist, Gerald Oshita, a pioneer in the Asian American Jazz movement.
MOON OVER THE WORLD
Sons of Sound
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Akira Tana - Drums
Ted Lo - Piano
Rufus Reid - Bass
List of Tunes:
"Moon Over The World"
"Chinese Fingers"
"Jewel's Eyes"
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"...Veteran drummer Akira Tana's treatment of real and imagined movie themes, works for one simple reason - it grooves like hell! And with ringers like Dr. Lonnie Smith at the B-3, Rodney Jones on guitar, and Tana's frequent collaborator Rufus Reid on bass, what else would you expect? The ensemble - which also includes Bob Kenmotsu on saxophones and Chuggy Carter on percussion - offers down and dirty reinterpretations of mostly familiar TV and film themes from the '50s throught he '80s like the title tune, "Mission Impossible," "In The Heat Of The Night" and "From Russia With Love." They also include a handful of origianl compositions written in the same cinematic Spy vs. Spy ." allaboutjazz.com
SECRET AGENT MEN
Sons of Sound
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Akira Tana - Drums
Bob Kenmotsu - Saxophones, Flutes
Dr. Lonnie Smith - Hammond B3 Organ
Rodney Jones - Guitar
Rufus Reid - Bass
Chuggy Carter - percussion
List of Tunes:
"In The Heat of the Night"
"Navarac"
"Struttin' About"
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BACK TO FRONT
Evidence - 22206
Rufus Reid - Bass
Akira Tana - Drums
Mark Turner - Tenor/Soprano Saxophones
John Stetch - Piano
Craig Bailey - Alto Saxophone
List of Tunes:
"Dream Catcher"
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LOOKING FORWARD
Evidence - 22114
Producer: Akira Tana
Rufus Reid - Bass
Akira Tana - Drums
Mark Turner - Tenor Saxophone
John Stetch - Piano
Tom Harrell - Trumpet
Craig Bailey - Alto Saxophone
List of Tunes:
"Love Dreams"
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BLUE MOTION
Evidence - 22075
Producer: Akira Tana
Rufus Reid - Bass
Akira Tana - Drums
Dan Faulk - Tenor Saxophone
Rob Schneiderman - Piano
Craig Bailey - Alto Saxophone
Frank Colon - Percussion
List of Tunes:
"Con Alma"
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PASSING THOUGHTS
Concord - 4505
Rufus Reid - Bass
Akira Tana - Drums
Dan Faulk - Tenor Saxophone
Rob Schneiderman - Piano
Craig Bailey - Alto Saxophone
Guilherme Franceo - Congas, Percussion
List of Tunes:
"Scufflesytie"
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YOURS AND MINE
Concord - 4440
Rufus Reid - Bass
Akira Tana - Drums
Ralph Moore - Tenor Saxophone
Rob Schneiderman - Piano
Jesse Davis - Alto Saxophone
List of Tunes:
"Some Slinkin'
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PROJECT G7: A TRIBUTE TO WES MONTGOMERY - Vol I
Evidence ECD22049
Producer: Akira Tana
PROJECT G7: A TRIBUTE TO WES MONTGOMERY - Vol II
Evidence
Producer: Akira Tana
WITH:
Kenny Burrell - Guitar
Gene Bertoncini - Guitar
Kevin Eubanks - Guitar
Ted Dunbar - Guitar
Jack Wilkins - Guitar
Rodney Jones - Guitar
William Ash - Guitar
Rufus Reid - Bass
Akira Tana - Drums
List of Tunes:
"Bock to Bock"![]()
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ASIAN AMERICAN JAZZ TRIO: SOUND CIRCLE
Evidence - 22108
Produced by Akira Tana
Rufus Reid - Bass
Akira Tana - Drums
Kei Akagi - Piano
List of Tunes:
"Hope for Now"![]()
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SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY AS A PERFORMER
DISCOGRAPHY AS A PRODUCER
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