Guitarist Yuichi Tanaka releases tightly-knit solo album
(Published: June 20, 2011)

June 19, 2011 (Chiba, Japan) Written by Robert Sutton. As one-half of Jazz Guitar Duo with Yasuhisa Kogawa, guitarist Yuichi Tanaka opened eyes with his sublime playing on the 2008 album, Chronicle. On the new CD, A Hill of the Sun, however, Tanaka flies solo and ends up soaring through the skies.

There is something quite compelling when a guitarist is locked in a zone; they seem to be swept up in an intimate dance, enveloped by a love for melody. For Tanaka, some of his greatest strengths are expressed in subtle ways. This is smooth jazz is in the literal sense of the word; listening to Tanaka's soothing guitar is like brushing your ears against silk.

Also featuring pianist Jacob Koller, bassist Ryoji Orihara, and drummer Kodai Higuchi, A Hill of the Sun is brewed by a melting pot of cultures that solidifies into a tightly-knit collective. Koller's crystalline piano is jaw-droppingly gorgeous on "Tune3" as Tanaka traces the stars in the evening sky with each ethereal riff. You can almost drift off into dreamland from Tanaka's magical performance here. Orihara's moody bass lines and Higuchi's snappy drums add depth and personality to Tanaka's chilled-out groove on "Like Someone in Love." The title track distinguishes itself with a slight tropical breeze as Tanaka unleashes some of his most spellbinding acoustic playing.

Tanaka was born in Chiba, Japan on April 19, 1982, but he was raised in Heidelberg, Germany. Heavily influenced by rock, pop, and blues artists, Tanaka started writing songs and playing guitar at the age of 14. But it was in 2001 that Tanaka began to study jazz.Chronicle, his first album with Jazz Guitar Duo, marked Tanaka's debut. However, it is with A Hill of the Sun that the brilliance hinted at in Chronicle reaches full bloom.

More Information: http://www.myspace.com/tanakayuichi

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