Takehiro Honda – Salaam Salaam, 1974 East Wind – EW-7005, Japan Vinyl LP

Takehiro Honda – Salaam Salaam, 1974 East Wind – EW-7005, Japan Vinyl LP

Salaam Salaam Review by Jason Ankeny

Takehiro Honda's most complex and challenging LP, Salaam Salaam pairs the pianist with bassist Junie Booth and drummer Eric Gravatt to explore the kind of creative reaches typically reserved for larger ensembles. If anything, the record is that much more remarkable for achieving its epic scope from so few core elements. Honda's adherence to austerity contrasts sharply with the bold, multi-dimensional sensibilities that signify the vast majority of post-Coltrane excursions into spiritual expression, yet the sheer soulfulness and abandon of his performance nevertheless vaultsSalaam Salaam into the same physical and metaphysical planes. No less vital is the record's unusual warmth and tonal purity, which further underscore the humanity at the root of even its most abstract expressions.

ORIGIN : Japan
LABEL : East Wind – EW-7005
CONDITION OF COVER & INSERT : EX
CONDITION OF RECORD : EX+

RECORD GRADING DEFINITIONS

MINT: Never opened, still in original shrink wrap.

NM: Opened, appears unplayed.

EX: A few very light surface hair-line marks with no major deterioration to the sound quality.

VG: A few light scratches and/or scuffs creating audible background noise. There is no skipping or jumping on this record unless indicated in the condition description.

A plus or minus (+ or -) denotes slightly better or slightly less than a grade, eg. VG+.

Each record has been cleaned and played to ensure the accuracy of the following grading