Behind this duo are the Japanese pianist Yuko Oz and the Swiss vibraphonist Erich Fischer, who can also be heard on “Tiger Waltz” as a percussionist and singer.
The dialogue between piano and vibraphone is subtle and delicate, and Latin American influences are evident on pieces such as “El Ultimo Tango” and “Joey’s Mambo”. But mainly the two are masters of the ballad, in songs like “For Juli & Rosina” or “Ballade für Camill” it’s the solemn melodies that create the magic of their music. It’s rarely about solo virtuosity for Yuko & Joey, it’s listening to each other and exploring the musical material together that is their primary interest.
Freely adapted from Duke Ellington – “Jazz is the liberty of having a lot of forms” – they engage in stylistic diversity and also discover poetic beauty in traditional formats such as the title track or the “Unison Blues”.
1. MINER’S SONG (03:24)
2. TIGER WALTZ (03:55)
3. LYDIA (05:50)
4. BALLADE FÜR CAMILL (05:28)
5. EL ULTIMO TANGO (05:43)
6. FOR JULI & ROSINA (05:57)
7. FÜR ROSINA (06:00)
8. JOEY’S MAMBO (04:50)
9. ARCHAIC VOWELS (06:53)
10. WALTZ FOR YUKO (06:04)
11. UNISON BLUES (05:16)
12. STRAWBERRIES IN SNOW (05:49)
13. HOW TO GET TO PARADISE (05:25)
Yuko Oz piano
Erich Fischer vibraphone
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