Ayumi Koketsu: Art
Alto saxophonist Ayumi Koketsu released a sophisticated tribute to Art Pepper on her album Art from 2016. With slick bop lines and a fresh spirit, Koketsu and her bandmates deliver the goods sincerely, kicking things off at high tempos with “Cool Bunny” and “Straight Life” before moving into other moods of mid-tempo bop and ballads. Koketsu is a prolific artist who releases high-quality albums and often uses overseas musicians for her backup band. This album will satisfy fans of straight-ahead jazz quartets with a bright and exciting saxophone prodigy taking center stage. ...