Akiko Tsuruga Schools on the Art of Soulful Swing

By I Aug. 17, 2012

Akiko Tsuruga (Photo: Michael Jackson)
(Photo: )

Eclipsed by the cumbersome confines of her Hammond B3 organ, Akiko Tsuruga expounded demurely on the title of her opening tune, “Sweet Yam Potato,” a composition inspired by indecision.

“I like both [yams and potatoes], so I combined the two,” she candidly admitted to the pack of patrons who rubbed shoulders in the Green Mill’s crowded seating area. Tsuruga embodies that same dualistic mindset wholeheartedly, especially during her July 21 performance at the Chicago venue. She artfully straddles the line of picture-perfect restraint and no-holds-barred gut-busting as she churns out her own brand of bubbly B3 soul-jazz. Tsuruga not only reinterprets the art of phrasing—with uniquely interjected, expressive notes, rhythmic syncopations and brow-raising chordal voicings—she never falters as she swings in and around the pocket.

Accompanied by her reliable trio of usual players—trumpeter Joe Magnarelli, tenor saxophonist Jerry Weldon and drummer Rudy Petschauer—Tsuruga demonstrated why she is one of the most in-demand organists in jazz circles, delivering a famously crafted set that, amid the consistent and tightly wound straightahead grooves of her cohorts, wreathed with unprompted soulfulness. “Sweet Yam Potato” was certainly one of those moments, as the group barreled effortlessly into a straight-shooting slow groove punctuated with brusque unison staccato. From the sound of Tsuruga’s latest album, Sakura (American Showplace), the group is no stranger to no-frills swing numbers, maintaining integrity and poise under the 4/4 but mellowing the tone to a hush on the classic romper “Polka Dots And Moonbeams.”

Tsuruga was also quick to give thanks to her many inspirations and mentors, including celebrated organist “Brother” Jack McDuff, perhaps one of the main sources of Tsuruga’s funkier offshoots during the set, including an explosive crowd-pleaser entitled “J’s Groove.”

It was an opportune occasion for the organist to exchange intimate conversations with Petschauer, who responded with precise rebound that popped off the top of his Gretsch maple bop kit as Magnarelli echoed with lyrical strolls and off-the-cuff trills.

The performance had its darker, more emotive moments, as Tsuruga’s clan slowed their high-energy set into a mix of sultry Latin grooves with just the right amount of joie de vive to keep the bloodflow going. New album title track “Sakura” emitted a different type of approach: lyrical, narrative droning, as Tsuruga held down a heavy-handed backdrop to Weldon’s impassioned slinking up and down the neck of his horn. He engaged in a heated skirmish with Magnarelli, as both pushed and pulled against the weight of each other’s brute musical force, resulting in a fluent crescendo.

The first set of the night was not without a bevy of thoughtful standards. One highlight was the quartet’s breezy rendition of the Carpenters’ “I Won’t Last A Day Without You,” which featured an intuitive run by Magnarelli on flugelhorn. The delivery of the airy pop tune solidified a surefire dynamic performance from the group, which would present two more rousing sets into the later hours of the night.

&mdashHilary Brown