Akiko Tsuruga with her Steeplechase debut, Beyond Nostalgia. Next up, Anni Kiviniemi presents the intimate Eir from her own recently-assembled trio as well.
Following this, Rob Cope buddies up with several great homegrown talents for his new Gemini outfit. In addition, Angelo Verploegen recounts A Handful of Stories from his fabled career, and Paul Taylor rounds off in a much different direction to the one we began in with his solo organ album Whirl And Magnet.
Kicking things off is a certified swinger from this soulful Japanese organist. Hailing from Osaka, Japan’s second city, this organist quickly rose through the ranks since the dawning of the new millennium to become one of her country’s most proficient cats on her instrument.
On her label debut, Tsuruga’s playing is crisp; her attitude, cool and precise. With the help of an ultra responsive combo (featuring exuberant bandmate and partner Joe Magnarelli), this session makes for one we’d very much like to be sat down in front of… With her new album, we’ll gladly settle for the next best thing!