2023 NativeDSD Album of the Year Award – Jazz Duo
Pianist Atzko Kohashi and Double Bass player Tony Overwater return to NativeDSD with their new album titled Crescent. The album on the Sound Liaison label is their tribute to the Music of John Coltrane.
Crescent is available in Stereo DSD 512, DSD 256, DSD 128, DSD 64 and DXD. The Stereo DSD 512 edition is exclusively available at NativeDSD. This is a DSD Exclusive, Not Available on SACD release.
The crescent moon, which reflects the sunlight and waxes day by day, is like a piece waiting to be fully formed. You do not only entrust your dreams but you set your sights and your hopes, looking forward to the future and preparing to take action.
‘Crescent’ was recorded in the midst of the pandemic in the Beauforthuis, a former church now acoustically optimized music venue in Austerlitz in the Netherlands. Inspired by John Coltrane’s Crescent, this exceptional recording displays two musicians bonding through a deep desire to passionately realize the beauty of these compositions. The extraordinary acoustics of the church, combined with the beauty of the surrounding snow-covered fields, helped set the mood for this impressive release.
Atzko and Tony tell us “In January 2021, whilst having a rehearsal for a coming recording session, we suddenly came up with the beautiful melody of Coltrane’s song Crescent. And there were more to come to our mind. From a young age, we deeply admired John Coltrane and listened to his music countless times, but somehow we’d never had an opportunity to play those songs before. And now, after all those years, each song sounded so fresh and new to us. Of course, it was quite a challenge to play Coltrane’s songs with just piano and bass, but when we tried, it fitted surprisingly well. There is always something new to discover. At the same time, we even felt our energies were recharged quietly from within.”
Atzko Kohashi, Piano
Tony Overwater, Double Bass
Tracklist
Please note that the below previews are loaded as 44.1 kHz / 16 bit.Total time: 00:48:27
Additional information
| Label | |
|---|---|
| SKU | SL1060A |
| Qualities | DSD 512 fs, DSD 256 fs, DSD 128 fs, DSD 64 fs, DXD 24 Bit, FLAC 192 kHz, FLAC 96 kHz |
| Channels | |
| Artists | |
| Composers | |
| Genres | |
| Analog to Digital Converter | Horus, Merging Technologies at DXD (352.8 kHz) |
| Cables | AudioQuest |
| Headphones | Hifiman HE1000se & Sennheiser HD800S |
| Loudspeakers | TAD Compact Evolution One |
| Mastering Engineers | Frans de Rond, Tom Caulfield (DXD to DSD Transfers) |
| Microphone Preamps | Horus, Merging Technologies |
| Microphones | Main system – Josephson C700S Piano – Josephson C700S, Josephson C617 (2x) Bass – Josephson C700A |
| Instruments | |
| Original Recording Format | |
| Piano Tuning | Naomi van Schoot |
| Power Amplifier | Moon 760A |
| Producers | Atzko Kohashi & Tony Overwater |
| Recording Engineer | Frans de Rond |
| Recording Location | Beauforthuis Austerlitz, The Netherlands on February 14, 2021 |
| Release Date | March 21, 2023 |
Press reviews
Jury of the Edison prize nomination (Dutch Grammy committee)
the acoustics, the tempos, and the interpretations are as delicate as they are tasteful.
Volkskrant
Coltrane’s music played with suppleness and empathy.
Rootstime. Belgium
The duo’s musical empathy, tranquility, and suppleness are a delight to the ear.
Musiczoom.Italy
The music flows quietly yet intensely, full of emotions, straight to the heart.
Stereo.de
The emotional density … the spirituality …. impressive.
Jazzenzo
Crescent’ is a wonderful, intimate album by two great musicians.
Positive Feedback
I’ve long admired the artistry of double bass player Tony Overwater in the work he does as a member of the Rembrandt Trio. This is his second album collaborating with the inimitable pianist Atzko Kohashi, whose work I have enjoyed in their recording with Angelo Verploegen, Virgo, also released on Sound Liaison.
Their present album, Crescent, was recorded in the midst of the pandemic in the Beauforthuis, a former church now acoustically optimized music venue in Austerlitz in the Netherlands. Inspired by John Coltrane’s Crescent, this exceptional recording presents a shared goal of realizing the beauty of three of Coltrane’s compositions plus others by Charlie Haden, Bob Haggard, Jules Styne and one of Overwater’s own compositions. Coltrane’s complex compositions fit surprisingly well within just piano and bass, a tribute to the musicianship of Overwater and Kohashi.
The performances are densely emotive, highly communicative, and completely absorbing. I am particularly taken by their presentation of Coltrane’s “Mr. Syms”—not a composition I would have anticipated to work with just bass and piano. But Overwater’s lead with a powerful bass line, and Kohashi coming in on piano with strikingly discordant notes, makes their interpretation work with great interest, effect and power. Importantly, it is not simply a clone of Coltrane’s performances. In the end, it becomes something grounded in Coltrane but uniquely their own.
Overall, a very creative and enjoyable album. Superbly performed!
NativeDSD Senior Reviewer
Another great release. This one put a quiet grin on my face.
Positive Feedback
This is a very creative and enjoyable album!
1 review for Crescent: Music of John Coltrane
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Thank you Brian for this recommendation. Stunningly beautiful music and recording.
Makes my “man cave” truly a place of retreat. Even if only for 5 or 10 minutes at a time.
Jackson Wu (verified owner) –