Yuko Mabuchi on Yarlung Records

Working with Yuko Mabuchi (piano), Del Atkins (bass) and Bobby Breton (drums) in an intimate concert hall with acoustics friendly to jazz, remains one of the highlights of our year at Yarlung Records. NativeDSD mastering engineer (and Yarlung recording engineer) Tom Caulfield joined us to capture 5.0 surround sound, and Arian Jansen and I recorded stereo. Tom, Arian and I used HAPI Analog to Digital Converters and Pyramix digital workstations from Merging Technologies in Switzerland to record in DSD256 Stereo and Surround Sound as well as recording the concert on analog tape for the Stereo SonoruS version of the album using the SonoruS ATR12 recorder.

Composer and pianist Yuko Mabuchi, jazz phenomenon, was born in Fukui, on the west coast of Japan, north of Kyoto. She moved to the United States in 2016 and has been building a strong reputation as a jazz pianist and composer in the United States.

It has been a few months since a Yarlung DSD release, but I promise you we have been busy! Upcoming (in about a month) will be Yarlung’s first large-scale acapella choral recording, Nostos, and a solo piano album with Christopher Goodpasture. Also in the offing is another Latin album featuring Yarlung cellist Antonio Lysy and his famous father Alberto Lysy on violin, coming out in the spring of 2018.

And speaking of “things Latin,” we’re delighted to announce that Sibelius Piano Trio (already available on NativeDSD) has been Nominated for a Latin GRAMMY Award for Nene, the opening tracks, by Argentine composer Diego Schissi. Congratulations to Sibelius Piano Trio, to Diego, and to the people at Yarlung Artists Coretet who made this commission possible.

But to the album at hand, Yuko Mabuchi Trio performed for a full house at the Brain and Creativity Institute’s Cammilleri Hall on March 31st, 2017. Yarlung recorded this now legendary concert in this intimate jewel of a concert hall. Yuko, Del and Bobby played at the top of their game, and subsequent concert bookings suggest that the Trio continues to impress important jazz audiences around the country.

Jeff Wilson captures the spirit of this concert, and the sound of the Trio’s debut Yarlung album, for The Absolute Sound: “If Mabuchi’s playing can be described as tasteful, economical, and lyrical, it should also be noted that her rapid single-note runs are impeccably executed. The performances benefit from an exceptionally realistic recording that stands out for its in-the-room ambiance and tonal clarity.”

Other audiophiles and jazz buffs have praised Yuko’s work in myriad publications. Robert H. Levy enthuses “Yuko Mabuchi plays the ivories with the touch of an angel and the understanding of an artist many times her young age. She is backed by seasoned musicians with strong drive plus an acute sense of playing with and not over the pianist. This is Yarlung’s third jazz album recorded like you wish all performances were recorded: listening is just like being there. All that’s missing here is the expensive tickets and sticky floor!” Read Bob Levi’s entire review here.

The famous Peter Rutenberg writes “The trio exhibits consummate musicality and technique – with artful phrasing led by the pianist, a lyrical sensuousness in the bassist’s melodic counterpoints with the piano, and the drummer’s intelligent vocabulary and broad sweep tying it all together.” Please read Rutenberg’s extended comments.

Dr. Antonio Damasio generously invited us back to the Brain and Creativity Institute’s Cammilleri Hall at USC for this concert and recording. This is the gem of a concert hall designed by Yasuhisa Toyota where Yarlung recorded our first jazz albums with Sophisticated Lady jazz quartet. The superb concert hall acoustics and the cozy 90 seat size make Cammilleri ideal for all sorts of music but especially nice for an intimate jazz concert like this. If only more jazz clubs sounded like Cammilleri Hall!

Including independent stereo and surround sound recording chains, Tom, Arian and I used 1x AKG C-24, 2x Schoeps M222, 1x 5ZERO7 from David Bock, 3x DPA 4041SP and 2x DPA 4006A microphones.

We hope you enjoy the results. Here are notes on the music and more information about our musicians.

Our most hearty thanks to our friend Claude Cellier, from Merging Technologies in Switzerland, for serving as our valiant executive producer for this DSD release featuring Yuko Mabuchi Trio. Thank you Claude, and thank you to your wonderful team in Puidoux for what you do for great music around the world. We appreciate you very much.

Sincerely and best wishes for a lovely autumn,

Bob Attiyeh