Label: Edition Records, 2026
Personnel - Miho Hazama: composer, conductor + Danish Radio Big Band.
New York-based Japanese composer Miho Hazama, who has garnered accolades with her contemporary large ensemble m_unit, displays a maturity far beyond her years. On Frames, the Grammy-nominated composer honors the legacy of the influential Danish Radio Big Band, crafting a new suite inspired by its musical directors, including Bob Brookmeyer, Thad Jones, Ray Pitts, Palle Mikkelborg, and the recently departed pianist Jim McNeely, to whom the album is dedicated.
The album opens with a sense of optimism and devotion to the music. “And The Door Unsealed” unveils cascading sonic layers in succession before settling into a mid-tempo, soulful flow. Driven by a warm swinging energy, the piece features improvisational contributions from guitarist Per Gade—supported by lush horn arrangements—and tenor saxophonist Peter Fuglsang, who extemporizes over an alternate backdrop. A vamp with vertiginous rhythmic accents closes the piece. “Rondo” unfolds with percussive delicacy, showcasing saxophone and muted trumpet in parallel over a gently waltzing cadence that subtly evolves.
“LuLu”, introduced with calm restraint by piano and trumpet, highlights bassist Kaspar Vadsholt in a beautifully integrated solo woven into a low-register texture. “Aura II”, imbued with a Brookmeyer-like sensibility, is framed by illuminating five-beat cycles, while its improvisations drift between rubato passages and a 3/4 pulse. The colorful post-bop of “The Pioneer’s Quest” presents its rich thematic material in dense unison layers, featuring exuberant piano and trumpet solos across lilting 4/4 measures and a contrasting 7/8 section, respectively. The album closes with “The First Notes”, maintaining constant motion in a playful, buoyant spirit.
With compositions rich in memorable themes and thoughtfully structured sections, Hazama sustains cohesion while continually propelling the music forward, demonstrating her refined voice as a modern jazz orchestrator.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - And The Door Unsealed ► 04 - The Pioneer’s Quest ► 05 - Aura II