| Although he was born in Cincinnati, Greg Chako has spent quite
a few years living in Asia including Hong Kong, Singapore and
more recently Japan. Otherwise he would be better known in the
United States for he is a first-class straightahead jazz guitarist
with an attractive sound and a swinging style. On Two's Company,
Chako performs four duets with pianist Hiroshi Tanaka, five
with pianist Homei Matsumoto and seven with Andrea Hopkins,
a fine singer from Atlanta. The lack of a string bassist is
not really felt for Chako, when he is not soloing and challenging
the other musicians, often provides bass lines. Both Tanaka
and Matsumoto are fine two-handed pianists so there is never
a time when the music sounds incomplete. The 16 selections are
all veteran standards with the highpoints including "The Days
Of Wine And Roses," "Almost Like Being In Love," "Autumn Leaves"
and "Take The "A" Train." The songs are well served by the musicians,
the results sound fresh, relevant and lively. - Scott
Yanow, LA Jazz Scene On the whole, the album
has a consistently high level of musicianship, yet is still
easy listening. Listening to it two or three times will show
more of the skill behind the duo's harmonious sound. - Lorelei
Clarke, Jazzreview
This CD, he features two of his favorites, both splendid
talents, Homei Matsumoto and Hiroshi Tanaka. They’re sophisticated
and inventive soloists, and either would be an asset to any
first-rate jazz group. And I’m sure Chako is thrilled to be
working with such superb talent. But then, there’s the issue
of keeping a bass line moving, something no doubt endemic
to American musicians. Chako is really earning his money because,
when he’s not soloing, he’s not laying out. Sure, both pianists
get a left hand line going, but it’s without the authority
in timbre or resonance that a bass line on a guitar produces,
much less a bass fiddle.
When Chako solos, his lines are original and imaginative,
with a crisp attack, but mostly a big, warm tone. Any jazz
guitar enthusiast should have Greg Chako on radar. He has
a cool situation in the Far East where he’s found some extraordinary
piano players. But he’s worthy of any jazz group anywhere
and has something that’s often elusive among guitarists: a
style! More power to him. - Jim
Carlton, Just Jazz Guitar
The latest album from Greg Chako, a guitarist specializing
in jazz standards from the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, is a collection
of duet performances with his comrades. These are essentially
jazz trio pieces, but without the bass. Despite the absence
of a bass, Chako's performance style lends itself to rhythmic
accompaniment, using his thumb for the majority of the notes,
a la Wes Montgomery. Playing in alternating combination with
Chako's guitar are a pair of pianists, Homei Matsumoto and
Hiroshi Tanaka, both of whom can accompany quite well. - Adam
Greenberg, All Music Guide (AMG)
Two's Company, Three's A Crowd offers a rewarding experience
for afficionados of the piano/guitar duet setting. Both of
the pianists acquit themselves quite well, but the guitar
is the primary instrument featured on most of these tracks.
The theme of Henry Mancini's opening tune, “The Days of Wine
and Roses,” is, however, stated by Matsumoto. When Chako steps
forward for his solo, he employs the Wes Montgomery octave-style
approach in a most facile fashion. The album consists of a
number of romantic and intimate ballads like Bruno Martino's
“Estate” and Robinson/Burdge's “Portrait of Jenny,” where
the guitar weaves the lyrical melody with gently flowing single-line
solos. - Michael P. Gladstone, All
About Jazz
Chako’s an American jazz guitarist who’s spent a lot of time
in Japan, and two of the natives with whom he hooked up there
are pianists Homei Matsumoto and Hiroshi Tanaka, both of whom
have little difficulty keeping pace with Chako. The tracks
with Matsumoto - generally lighter and more romance-friendly
- were recorded at a live Japanese club possessed of better
acoustics than what many jazz bums get in the studio. Andrea
Hopkins lends her Baptist soprano to seven tracks that move
along breezily, most endearingly so on "Almost Like Being
In Love." - Eric W. Saeger, Skope
Magazine
Chako does duets but not in the way you think, pairing off
with different piano players here, a vocalist there... With
a set card of classics that can easily veer way too close
to cocktail music, Chako keeps it jazz and keeps you on board.
Showing another side of what he can do, and do well, this
is one jazzbo that you have to be sure and keep an ear open
for. It's not easy to make these tunes sound new, but he does
that and does it well within the confines of just being able
to bounce off one other player. - Chris
Spector, Midwest Record Recap
This is straight ahead jazz, bebop performed in twos. Guitarist
Chako pairs himself with pianists Hiroshi Tanaka and Homei
Matsumoto or vocalist Andrea Hopkins. The five tracks with
Matsumoto were recorded live in January 2006. The other eleven
tracks were laid down in the studio. The music is excellent
and fulfilling owing to the true talents of each of the musicians.
The music is pleasing to listen to as background or for full
engagement. - D. Oscar Groomes,
O's Place Jazz
The Jazz guitarist Greg Chako has come up with two new CD
releases. One is interesting, while the other is even more
ambitious and wide ranging. The PCM 16Bit/44.1kHz 2.0 Stereo
sound is good on both. - Nicholas
Sheffo, Fulvue Drive In (Dual Review; Two's
Company, Three's a Crowd & Where We Find Ourselves)
Jazz guitarist Greg Chako apparently plays with only his thumb. He enlists a fine piano player in both Homei Matsumoto and Hiroshi Tanaka while Andrea Hopkins delivers a perfect vocal accompaniment. Recorded in Japan this year, "Two’s Company, Three’s a Crowd" is an uplifting jazz centerpiece.
- J Sin, Smother Magazine Review
"I listened to ' Two's company, Three's a crowd'. This CD
is also fantastic! From the first music, I was fascinated
with the cool intro of the piano. The guitar and the piano
are on an equal footing and each are moving energetic and
lively, but don't collide, unite completely. I felt that strong
especially in track #14. The guitar and the piano merge and
make one magnificent world. I could see many stars... beautiful!!"
- Mihoko Wada, Japan
"I've listened to your new CD. The guitar sounds like the
piano, and the piano sounds like the guitar. Like two creeks
joining into a river. I find myself to be there, a river joint,
and I hear the sounds running through me, stirring my soul.
Can you see what I want to tell?" - Kaoru
Uchida, Japan |
