CD Reviews: Sumi Tonooka/''Long Ago Today''/ARC2116

Posted by: editoron Tuesday, April 08, 2008 - 09:50 AM

When it come to jazz harmony & turning a melodic phrase, jazz pianist Sumi Ton
ooka will not just excite you with her pianistic craft, she will compel you to l
isten to her compositional artistic creations as well. Her writing is noteworthy
, but I am drawn to her treatment of Cole Porter's eternal tune ''All Of You.''
Her take on Porter's song becomes a sojourn into the wondrous world of deceptive
cadence, challenging harmonies, and certainly an intellectual approach to viabl
e melody. Sumi creates a kaleidoscope of timbres & textures in her delivery, as
well as a true jazz idiom sensibility with her impressionistic style. She also b
rings an 'original' voice to piano jazz with her obvious paranormal pianistic sk
ills, thus complementing the art of jazz piano in general. Bravo Sumi!
George W Carroll
The Musicians' Ombudsman