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ARTWORK: "Strength V - 2001" by Kathy Koller

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Montreal Gazette says Prowl is one of 2006's 10 best jazz releases:
"Erik Friedlander: Prowl (Crytogramophone). Erik Friedlander's robust cello is enticing in this African/free jazz adventure, with altoist Andy Laster, Stomu Takeishi (electric bass) and Satoshi Takeishi (percussion)."

Irwin Block, Montreal Gazette

"Vivement recommandé. [read more...]"

Fabrice Fuentes, Pinkushion.Com

Dusted Magazine kicks up a mixed review:
"Perhaps it's just the cynic's distrust of anything this close to perfection..."more

Adam Strohm, Dusted

"Get going, y'all..but you have a lot of catching up to do, as Erik Friedlander has already nailed this one over the fence."

PopMatters.com Matt Cibula

"..A strength here is the amazing sibling combination of brothers Stomu and Satoshi Takeishi. On percussion, Satoshi's sparse, tight drumming plays perfect foil to Stomu's elastic bass lines. Whether they are starting off a tune by slowly building a motif or providing a bed for Andy Laster's horns (alto sax or clarinet) or the leader's cello, the brothers Takeishi are just overflowing with ideas.

Friedlander's Prowl can be looked at as the bastard love child of two completely-at-odds chunks of culture. Song to song, the instrument lays out rhythmic structures, melody lines and percussive chord fragments. Bowed, strummed or plucked, the emotion fairly well drips from its strings." ..read more

Mark Saleski (March 3, 2006)

"Prowl presents cellist Erik Friedlander's Topaz quartet taking a virtual trip to the dark continent for a set of rhythmic excursions that are as adventurous as they are accessible."

Troy Collins (AllAboutJazz.com)

"Emphasizing African rhythms, largely from percussionist Satoshi Takeishi’s unusual hybrid of traditional drums and assorted percussion esoterica, this may be Topaz’s most focused release to date..The members of this group may not convene often, but when they do, it’s always magic."

John Kelman (AllAboutJazz.com)

German Reviews

Fono Forum Review

Jazz Thetik Review

Stereo Review

TOPAZ: The Ten Year Mark

In January of 1996 I was scoring the dances for my wife's N.Y. season and juggling different ideas for the group's instrumentation. I had been listening to a variety of 70's funk and fusion (Headhunters, Earth, Wind & Fire) and so electric bass and alto saxophone seemed like a natural choice. I invited Stomu and Andy to join me in the quiet black box of the Dance Theater Workshop stage where we set up like a mini "pit band" with no pit, off to the side behind a sheer black scrim. The hour long show gave us a chance to play a lot of different kinds of music; driving and rhythmic pieces gave way to delicate atmospheres. The trio had a chemistry and a sound that sparked me into thinking beyond the scrim at DTW, to a stage of our own.

The first new tunes I composed demanded a tremendous amount of rhythmic excitement and interaction from the group--a trio with only one rhythm instrument. I'd initially thought adding drums or percussion would make the music less exciting by pointing too obviously to my funk/fusion inspirations and that the tension provided by our taking turns filling rhythm roles would be abstract and interesting. But we couldn't quite generate enough buoyancy or energy to sustain the music. Andy, Stomu and I perspired through long rehearsals and a gig or two while my music was burying us with its need for rhythmic complexity and groove. We were abstract. We were interesting. But we didn't have the momentum of a real band.

After a few frustrating months Stomu suggested I invite his brother Satoshi, a percussionist, to a rehearsal. The first meeting with Sato bowled me over. Where once we had labored, we now were having a freewheeling conversation. Satoshi brought the rhythmic energy we had always needed to give the music a self-sustaining rush. Stomu was now free to move from anchoring the rhythm to sometimes being a free-agent adding color and texture to the arrangements. Andy and I were able to add harmony lines, support the rhythm section, or even just lay out, which was pretty much impossible before Sato arrived.

As the new quartet, now called Topaz, became more cohesive and confident my approach to composing started to change. In Quake I began to strip down my writing style and worked to get my ideas into just a few stanzas of music. My aim was to make the music as concise and focused as possible, and then to trust the band to make decisions in the heat of the moment. Recorded in New York City after two tours, the spontaneity and energy of Quake was a signal to me that we were on the right track. The recording sessions for Prowl found the band in a similar situation: on tour, well rehearsed. For 48 busy hours in Los Angeles we shuttled between the Aku Aku Motor Inn, The Castle Oaks recording studios, and two different venues; recording during the day and performing at night. I'd like to thank Jeff, Rocco, Joyce, Kio, and all our L.A. friends for making us feel at home during this hectic time. Here are a few notes about the new tracks we recorded. Thanks for listening.

--Erik Friedlander (New York City, September, 2005)

CD's

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Topaz Rider for Live Shows

Quake Site

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European Tour 2002 Review

European Tour Photos

Los Angeles 2001, The Fenton Building

Scrapbook of Tour USA, 1999

SKIN Production Notes

LA Times Review '98

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Bios

Satoshi Takeishi was born in Mito, Japan. After studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston, he traveled to South America where he spent four years researching the native folk music in Colombia. He has played with the composer Francisco Zumaque, The National Symphony of Bogota and also with various local native musicians. Since returning to the United States, Satoshi has been working as a drummer and a percussionist with musicians such as Nestor Torres, Ray Barretto, Carlos "Patato" Valdes, Herbie Mann, Paul Winter Consort, Rabih Abou-Khalil and the Eliane Elias trio.

Andy Laster is a multi-instrumentalist who plays alto and baritone saxophone, flute and clarinet. His most recent release as a leader is Window Silver Bright which was released on New World Records May, 2002. He also composes for his band HYDRA, which has released two CDs, including their most recent, Soft Shell was released on Knitting Factory Records. Polyogue, the previous Hydra CD was released on Songlines. Andy was a member of the collective ensemble New & Used, whose recordings include Souvenir and Consensus (Knitting Factory Works).

Rooted in the jazz tradition, Mr. Laster's episodic compositions explore asymmetrical improvisational structures and their relationship to fully-notated sections. A recent composition is based on the structure of Samuel Beckett's Sans/Lessness. This composition, Interpretations of Lessness, was released on Songlines in April. 1997. Other projects include performances at P.S. 122 with Dan Froot's Dancing Saxophone Quartet, European and U.S. tours with HYDRA and Orange then Blue, and a recording for ENJA Records with Bobby Previte's Weather Clear, Track Fast. He has also performed with The Julius Hemphill Sextet, Phil Haynes' Four Horns and What?, Hank Roberts Birds of Prey and Lyle Lovett and his Large Band.

Bassist Stomu Takeishi has recorded and toured with Myra Melford's "Crush Trio," Henry Threadgill's "Make a Move" band, and with the Dave Tronzo's Tronzo Trio. He has recorded with Paul Motian and Mick Goodrick and has performed with Don Cherry, Bob Moses, Dave Liebman, Wynton Marsalis, Randy Brecker, Rasheed Ali, and Leni Stern.