What Jazz or Blues are you spinning?

[Swann36]

Today first up was

Tsuyoshi Yamamoto With The Strings - Star Dust , top drawer Japanese jazz with ‘strings’ .. my Discogs review follows

Simply stunning and engaging piano led trio with super accompanient of strings, the album kicks off with the title track "Star Dust" where the strings are very much in a supporting role while adding a lot, and in fact that is a constant with the album the Strings all arranged by Shoji Yokouchi support but never take over building from background to forming a prominence that ultimately makes a pedastal for Piano, bass or drums.
"La Vie En Rose" is a lovely enchanting track played with sensitivity and yet a sense of fun.
This track leads us to "Misty" Errol Garner's song to whom the album is dedicated, this version of misty is such a beautiful arrangement conveying every ounce of the emotion of the song, it is of course the track that made Tsuyoshi's name, here it is taken to a much higher place thanks to the strings.
"There Is No Greater Love" shows off in a rather understated way the piano playing of Mr Yamamoto with fabulous repeated notes echoing the violin playing.
The strings take center stage to start off "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" which is a delightful contrast in opening the track from hearing the Trio having played it without strings on another album and then we have
"She's Funny That Way" which is a new track to me and once again a sublime arrangement whereby the strings really compliment the Trio and piano.
"Blues For Erroll" is another super track this time the strings are arranged to hold back and only make an appearance when needed for emphasis or to build a bridge between parts of the song, which builds in a lovely soft way throughout.
The final track is "Time After Time"this has a deep sadness expressed in the emotion of te arrangement almost perfectly conveying the feeling of the end of a wonderful affair that then brightens up towards the end almost as if emotionally looking forward to life in the future and joys to come.