Crystal Records CD657 "An American Exhibition"

Duo Appassionata
Kenneth Tse, saxophone

Mami Nagai, piano

Crystal Records CD658
Lyric Soprano
Kenneth Tse, saxophone
Alan Huckleberry, piano

Reviewed by Fanfare Magazine

This is the third CD saxophone virtuoso Kenneth Tse has made for Crystal Records. I have failed to find our review of CD 657. but Richard Burke had plenty of praise for CD 656 in Fan/are 22:1. especially noting the surprisingly rich and varied tones Tse produced on his alto saxophone. Tse has done much the same with his soprano saxophone on this disc.

I have heard plenty of soprano saxophones over the years. in classical (think Ravel, Bolero) as well as popular music and jazz. but I have never heard one so like the finest violins and clarinets in amplitude and variety of tone. Tse begins his program with a piece by the virtuoso oboist Antonino Pasculli (1842-1924). wherein he treats us to a startling display of circular breathing and double voicing. After that, the program offers a number of melodious pieces with more than enough stylistic variety to maintain interest. The two longest pieces deserve some comment. Sw. de voyage. 16 minutes. by Jerome Naulais (b. 1951) keeps changing its idiom, representing diverse musical styles from around the world. Astor Piazzola wrote his History of the Tango, 21 minutes, for flute and guitar. As transcribed by Ken-ichiro Isoda it makes a charming piece for soprano saxophone and piano. There are four movements, with colorful titles: "Bordel 1900." "Cafe 1930." "Night-club 1960." and "Concert d'aujourd'hui." by which is meant contemporary classical music.

Kenneth Tse and his soprano saxophone are admirably matched by pianist Alan Huckleberry,
who brings technical mastery and interpretive panache to each piece. If Fanfare awarded grades to
recordings, this recital would rate A+.

Robert McCoIIcy

Reviewed by Australian Clarinet and Saxophone

There is some fantastic playing on this album. Kenneth Tse shows magnificent control and receives great support from pianist Alan Huckleberry. The album showcases his technical mastery with techniques such as circular breathing, altissimo and some extremely impressive double-tonguing, all done as a matter of course and without detracting from the intentions of the music. The repertoire is varied in style, with everything from 19th century oboe works, through to recently commissioned works. I especially liked the Piazzolla "Histoire du Tango"—Tse has done a magnificent job of making an often-performed work sound new and surprising, if in a European tano style rather than Piazzolla's native Argentinean.

...

In conclusion, I found "The Lyric Soprano" a very interesting album, and one that works very well on a number of levels. While the material is often in more "popular" styles, thet album never lacks substance and all the playing is very musical. Overall, most enjoyable.

Tim Franklin

Reviewed by Saxophone Journal

Kenneth Tse is a phenomenal saxophonist with incredible technical and interpretive skills. His tone is absolutely lovely. His fingers are precise and rapid. His interpretive skills are excellent having the ability to create vast aural fantasies in the listeners musical soul. The true magic of music is to take a series of ink blots on a piece of paper and turn them into tem-
poral living entities that almost lives and breathes. And in this case, Kenneth Tse is the 'master magician." Every magician needs an assistant, and in this case Kenneth is amply assisted by the equally excellent pianist Alan Huckleberry. Together they form an awesome duo creating a sense ensemble that is breath taking. The intuitive give and take of
these two artists is impressive, to say the least.

The first selection on this CD, titled Lyric Soprano, is Le Api, by Antonino Pasculli (1842-1924). Pasculli was an oboe player and the piece was consequently written for oboe and has been transcribed for soprano saxophone by Kenneth Tee. This piece really dazzles the ear and is performed brilliantly by this duo.
As you listen it slowly sinks in that Kenneth has to be circular breathing because otherwise it is impossible. His performance, using this technique, is simply sensational. Track five, Sax de Voyage, by Jerome Naulais (born in 1951) is a piece that contains all the magic of this CD in one neat package. It is an emotional tour de force. Sax de Voyage
contains lovely melodies and exciting rhythms taken from seemingly military like moods, to heart throbbing emotion, to breath taking technical wizardry, to unparalleled impassioned
lyricism. This is a great performance of a great piece.
The other tracks are:
• Trois Romances sans Paroles
by Gabriel Faure (1845-1924), tracks 2,3 & 4
• Tango Op. 165, No. 2
by Isaac Albeniz (1860-1909), track 6
• Fantaisie by Denia Bedaron (born 1950), track 7
• Six Dances
by John C. Worley (1919-1999), tracks 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13
• L' Histoire du tango
by Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992), tracks 14, 15, 16 & 17
• Prelude for Kenneth Tse
by Leonard Mark Lewis (born 1973), track 18
On this CD the soprano saxophone is unveiled in all its beauty by Kenneth Tse. This recording is a hallmark of performance to which others should strive. This is a fabulous CD and should be in every one's home. §