On the recording date, I was the luckiest person on this planet.

Before It's Too Late

Yoko Kawaguchi

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Before It's Too Late

Yoko Kawaguchi
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Yoko Kawaguchi (piano), Earl May (Bass), Leroy Williams (drums), Satoshi Inoue (guitar--special guest)

You will hear.... Earl's beautiful gutsy sound & spirits,
Leroy's every moment-master creations,
Satoshi's "yeah, Satoshi!" solos.

and Yoko's....well, please enjoy now BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

Yoko Kawaguchi (piano), Earl May (Bass), Leroy Williams (drums), Satoshi Inoue (guitar--special guest)

You will hear.... Earl's beautiful gutsy sound & spirits,
Leroy's every moment-master creations,
Satoshi's "yeah, Satoshi!" solos.

and Yoko's....well, please enjoy now BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.
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  1. 1
    Bye Bye Blackbird 7:20
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    Bye Bye Blackbird

    Yoko Kawaguchi, Earl May, Leroy Williams

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  2. 2
    Yoimachigusa--evening primrose 6:50
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    Yoimachigusa--evening primrose

    Yoko Kawaguchi, Satoshi Inoue

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  3. 3
    Bouncing with Barry 6:05
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    Bouncing with Barry

    Yoko Kawaguchi, Earl May, Leroy Williams, Satoshi Inoue

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  4. 4
    Count your blessings instead of sheep 7:25
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    Count your blessings instead of sheep

    Yoko Kawaguchi, Earl May, Leroy Williams, Satoshi Inoue

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  5. 5
    Dear Van Gogh 4:54
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    Dear Van Gogh

    Yoko Kawaguchi, Earl May, Leroy Williams

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  6. 6
    Twinkling 6:01
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    Twinkling

    Yoko Kawaguchi, Earl May, Leroy Williams, Satoshi Inoue

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  7. 7
    Before It's Too Late 7:09
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    Before It's Too Late

    Yoko Kawaguchi, Earl May, Leroy Williams, Satoshi Inoue

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  8. 8
    Violet Mist 5:15
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    Violet Mist

    Yoko Kawaguchi, Earl May, Leroy Williams, Satoshi Inoue

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  9. 9
    I Want To Have a Piano blues 4:37
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    I Want To Have a Piano blues

    Yoko Kawaguchi, Earl May, Leroy Williams

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Album Reviews...

"Before it's too late", the self produced debut recording of Yoko Kawaguchi, shows the young Japanese woman as a first-class piano player, composer, and arranger. Only 5 years old she started to play classical piano, but when she heard recordings of Thelonius Monk for the first time, she says she couldn't stop smiling. That smile, which she also shows on the cover of her cd, permeates Yoko Kawaguchi's music too.   

Next to six original compositions you will also find on "Before it's to late" gorgeous arrangements of "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Count your blessings instead of sheep" and "Yoimachigusa", this last one a duo with guitarist Satoshi Inoue. Kawaguchi's own works ask for a repeated listening too. The aptly titled "Bouncing with Barry" swings playfully, whereas "Before it's too late" spreads out a melancholic beauty.  

With Satoshi Inoue( guitar), Earl May (bass) and Leroy Williams (drums) Yoko Kawaguchi has a well-attuned rhythm section accompanying her on her debut.   

This will definitely not be the last production of and with Yoko Kawaguchi, because " before it's to late" just asks for a follow-up and soon.   

Martin Lücke, Jazzdimensions (translation: Stephan Kramer)

Title: An album that will last!  

  This album is very special: you'll be seeking it out again and again to hear its beautifully crafted melodies and arrangenments. I'm on my 4th listening, and each time I catch finer nuances. Clearly a huge amount of labour and artistic endeavour has gone into this extremely satisfying album. I'm so impressed with the clarity of the ideas, the depth of the harmony, and the variety of selections. Her rhythm section on the date doesn't get any better: Earl May and Leroy Williams knowingly provide exactly the right support, and guitarist Satoshi Inoue is a refreshing discovery to my ears.   

  I love the way Yoko tips her hat to Bud Powell's "Parisian Thoroughfare" in her composition "Twinkling", and acknowledges her teacher Barry Harris in "Bouncing with Barry", based on the chord changes of Powell's "Bouncing with Bud". Two thumbs up for her pensive "Dear Van Gogh", a captivating melody, full of these "flatted fifths" that all consummate jazz musicians really dig. I hear a subtle nod to John Lewis in this piece.   

  Yoko has brought her terrific talent and nimble fingers to further enrich the sound of Jazz, showing both a profound respect for the masters of the tradition as well as contributing her own beautiful compositions to the rich stew. Listen to the title tune "Before It's Too Late" for proof of this. Thank you Yoko for providing me with another guaranteed source of listening pleasure!  

Robert Nissim, Director of Musilogic, Inc.

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, I wanted to let you know where I was musically and wanted to say THANK YOU with all my heart...