Untold

Review by Scott Yanow "Fumi Tomita is an excellent acoustic bassist who, on his Untold CD, also shows himself to be a talented composer. Tomita joins in with tenor and soprano saxophonist Alec Haavik, vibraphonist Tim Collins, pianist Lou Rainone, and drummer Mark Micklethwaite to perform ten of his originals. The music on Untold is modern mainstream jazz but with plenty of twists and surprises. The opening “Primal Tomato” in in 7/4 time and has a quirky feel to the rhythm. Haavik on soprano sails effortlessly over the ensembles and is featurd throughout. “Bb Minor Bossa” has a slight bossa nova feel along with fine spots for Haavik’s tenor and vibraphonist Collins. It is an easy-listening performance with inner heat felt just beneath the surface. “All Around Me” is a melodic hard bop tune with excellent soprano and piano solos, and some inventive drum breaks in the melody. The funky “Mousey Housey” has fiery soprano, pianist Rainone recalling McCoy Tyner in spots, and an energetic bass solo by Tomita. The brief “Up All Night,” which is under three minutes long, is a modern ballad that leads logically to “Overlook On Overlook,” a solid postbop modal original that featuring solos by Haavik (on tenor), Rainone and Tomita. One of the most exciting performances on Untold is “Fu’s Blues,” a driving piece that finds Haavik’s passionate soprano playing at its best. The brief “Banff” has a light Latin feel with the vibes adding to the atmosphere. The complex “Undenial” is made accessible by the powerful soprano, tight rhythm section and dancing basslines. The final selection, “Waltz In Space” is highlighted by the opening unaccompanied bass solo. Although Fumi Tomita takes occasional solos on this CD, much of the time he is content to drive and inspire the lead voices. The music on Untold, which grows in interest with each listen, features concise and high-quality solos, and new songs that deserve to be heard. It is an impressive effort."