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1. Shakuhachi center of diverse and palatable sound

By PAUL BAYLIS, The Asahi Shimbun (Feb 27, 2002)

SHAKUHACHI in JAZZ?
Talk about jazz and which instruments come to mind? The trumpet, of course, the bass, the saxophone, drums and piano-but the shakuhachi?
This traditional Japanese bamboo wind instrument is more closely associated with Zen meditation and samurai movies than with the chaotic,innovate-or-die world of jazz. Indeed, in many respects, the shakuhachi would seem an anathema to jazz. But take this simple instrument and its distinctive sound, surround it with talented jazz musicians and at the very least, something original is bound to result. Which is exactly what Candela - a five-man Tokyo-based eclectic jazz combo is doing.

''I'm trying to make a new vocabulary for the shakuhachi based on the traditional ornamentation and see if I can make something new in jazz,'' said Bruce Huebner, Candela's shakuhachi player and the first non-Japanese to graduate in Japanese Music Performance from the prestigious Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. ''Some people say, `Isn't it like having your hand tied behind your back?' Yes, but that forces you to create your own voice,'' he said.

SHAKUHACHI and ZEN: a SHORT HISTORY
Made from the root of a bamboo tree, the shakuhachi is an end-blown flute tuned to a five-note scale that has an oblique blowing surface. The player controls the pitch by changing the angle at which the flute is blown, producing a swelling or bending of notes that is mellow at low tones, but which can be loud, penetrating and breathy as well. Traditional shakuhachi music reflects the voices of nature: summer rain, autumn breezes and mountain lakes. The instrument is thought to have come to Japan in the 6th century by way of India and China. In the 13th century the Fuke Buddhist sect sought to replace sutra chanting with sui Zen (blowing Zen). During the Edo Period (1603-1867), growing numbers of ronin (masterless samurai) joined the ranks of itinerant priests who forged documents giving them exclusive rights to play the shakuhachi and to solicit alms with it. According to one legend, many of these ronin, forbidden to carry their cherished swords, redesigned the shakuhachi to make it longer and thicker for use as a club. So you see, Candela is not the first to find innovative uses for this simple, yet versatile instrument.

The BIRTH of CANDELA
Candela was formed about two years ago by Huebner and Jonathan Katz, who plays piano and French horn, and who has recorded three CDs as the leader of his own jazz trio. The multi-instrumentalist Robert Belgrade, who plays percussion, saxophone and bass clarinet-and who also plays with the Tokyo-based musical travelers, Tatopani - joined early on. The lineup was rounded out with New York jazz veteran Mark Tourian on double bass and ''Jun Bug'' Saito - who lived in Boston for 11 years-on drums.

''Our strength lies in our diversity,'' said Katz. ''For only a five-member band we have an incredibly diverse, palate of sound.'' Candela originally leaned toward Latin jazz, but gradually started experimenting with the other influences of its members. ''Slowly but surely, our true colors came out and we went in a different direction,'' said Katz. The extraordinary mix is evident throughout ''Mogami,'' Candela's debut CD, the title of which comes from the track, ''Mogami River Boat Song,'' an arrangement of a Yamagata Prefecture folk song.
The track starts out like a traditional folk song, and then-surprise-a strong Latin rhythm comes in on top. The shakuhachi is heard in all but two tracks, in many cases as the signature instrument. One of the major challenges was how to adapt its contemplative sound for instruments that are, so often in jazz, shamelessly unabashed.

CANDELA'S VOICES
''The shakuhachi only has five holes, so you have to use a lot of half-holing and change your head position to change the pitch,'' Huebner said. Katz added, ''He is not trying to change it into a flute. He is trying to keep the idiomatic aspects of the shakuhachi pure. ... He keeps the beautiful tone and all those little sound effects. He retains the spirit of the instrument.'' ''Mogami'' ranges from upbeat Latin rhythms to laid-back lounge-style music,folk songs and the dream-like sounds of the Middle East. The track ''Dreaming'' melds Japanese Buddhist music with Western chamber music and African and Middle Eastern rhythms.

For ''Furusato,'' Katz expanded his original solo piano arrangement of this well-known school song to include the shakuhachi and a soprano sax solo. And on several tracks, Katz plays the French horn, a physically demanding instrument that, like the shakuhachi, is not often heard in jazz. But it is the shakuhachi that gives Candela its voice. Ironically, Candela has even begun to get calls to play in schools to demonstrate how the instrument can be used in new and innovative ways.

''One of my philosophies has been to let Japanese people see their instrument out there in the world making music, not because it's Japanese, but because it's good,'' said Huebner.

2. 4/20/2002 CD Journal "Recommended CDs" (review translated from Japanese)

With the exception of the drummer, all of this group's members are American musicians who are active in Japan. This in itself is quite unique, but the band has other distinguishing features, for instance, three of its members are outstanding multi-instrumentalists--shakuhachi player Bruce Huebner also plays flute and sax, pianist Jonathan Katz plays French horn and percussionist Robert Belgrade plays sax and bass clarinet. These four Americans (with Mark Tourian on Double Bass) who have lived a long time in Japan, have excellent command of Japanese, and above all share a love for Japanese culture, joined forces with Jun Saito, a Japanese drummer (who is proficient in English,) to form CANDELA. This is the debut CD of the group, which has been quietly making a name for itself over the past two years. Their music is jazz based, but with an added entertaining Latin flavor that results in a rhythmic and colorful sound. Japanese folk songs and original compositions by the band's members shine amid sophisticated arrangements and energetic playing. The solos, in particular the unconstrained shakuhachi improvisations, leave one speechless with admiration. This reviewer feels that CANDELA has the potential to reach an even higher degree of originality.
by Masahiko Yuh (CD Journal, Tokyo, April 2002)

Reviews of Candela's 1st CD "Mogami"

In "Mogami" the rich texture of the shakuhachi matches perfectly with light Latin and jazz-flavored grooves. The colorful sound of Candela features instruments as diverse as French horn and Brazilian pandeiro, and the performances of Mogamigawa Funauta and other Japanese songs are fantastically fresh. It is a disk that you can relax with, and one that projects a sensibility that goes with the trendy "Modern Japanese" current in Tokyo cuisine.
Mika Yamamoto, Ad-Lib, June 2002

Candela's unique instrumentation features shakuhachi and its repertoire includes Japanese folk songs such as Nambu Ushioi Uta. The French horn also adds a nice color to the over all sound. Furusato, the last song on the album, goes straight to the heart, leaving a deep impression.
Swing Journal, June 2002

An encounter between the shakuhachi and jazz has resulted in a truly contemporary music. Candela is ready to take off. This is a rare gem of Japanese-Western fusion!

Candela's music is jazz based with an entertaining Latin flavor that adds up to a rhythmic and colorful sound. Japanese folk songs and the band's original compositions shine out with sophisticated arrangements and energetic playing. The solos, in particular the all out shakuhachi improvisations, leave one speechless with admiration.
Masahiko Yuu, CD Journal, June 2002

The CD's opener "Mogami," is a brilliant fusion of Latin flavors, Japanesque and jazz elements. "Othello," which opens with a firm, compact bowed bass solo, and the rest of the album sustains a high-quality, multicolored sound that is enjoyable throughout.
Kazuo Kamisaki, Stereo, June 2002

This is a jazz album with a freshness born of Candela's unique, hybrid instrumentation. The recording is not only first-rate as an audio source, but is broad ranging and thoroughly incorporates the respective timbre of each of the instruments in a clean pattern. Candela and engineer Andy Bevan have achieved an unfettered sense of performance space and transparency.
Hirotsugu Saito, Stereo, June 2002

http://www.jjazz.net/ Weekly Review "Live at Blues Alley" Apr 8, 2003

Candela roots itself in jazz, but branches out to embrace Latin, world and ethnic rhythms, textures and structures. Their vision is fresh and all encompassing, and their sound unique and engaging. The different elements they include flow together organically and effortlessly. Formed by four long-term foreign residents in Tokyo, along with jazz drummer Hirayama, their particular blend of sounds reflects their individual musical interests. They have already released one CD “Mogami,” and toured throughout Japan. On a rainy night last week, they dug into their unusual musical combination with great ease to a welcoming crowd.

The most unusual element in Candela is the shakuhachi. Bruce Huebner studied this Japanese instrument in the time-tested manner of traditional schools, with strict relations between master and pupil. The longer he studied, though, the more he wondered if the shakuhachi’s sound could convert to a jazz setting. It does, and wonderfully. The tone of the shakuhachi has a purity that contrasts with the rough, rhythmic insistence of jazz. Last Tuesday, Huebner never let the subtlety get lost in the mix. He played strongly, right up front, and kept the elegant tone crystal clear amidst the other instruments. The shakuhachi is not an easy instrument to improvise on, but the effort produces lines very different from the flute or saxophone.

The melodies were also enhanced by juxtaposing Huebner’s shakuhachi with Jonathan Katz on French horn and Robert Belgrade on bass clarinet. The tension created by pairing the pristine tone of the shakuhachi with the roughness of the bass clarinet or the rounded fullness of the French horn kept the melody lines fascinating. These front line players showed an ease and comfort with their own, very original leads and the other traditional melodies arranged by the band. The compositions mixed the fluid, high lines of traditional Japanese songs with the deeper rhythms of jazz, and kept the passages moving in and out of interesting new sections.

Also adding to the intriguing sound was the mix of Latin and world rhythms. Hirayama was more than just the jazz pulse. He added complexities that shifted smoothly through the different moods of the sections. Two past drummers in the band, Jun Saito and Tommy Campbell hopped up for one song each, giving a party feel to the second set. Belgrade used different percussion instruments for textural variety. He released a continual series of Latin, Indian, folk and jazz sounds throughout the songs. Katz and Tourian created a thorough range of harmonies that owed the most to straight-ahead jazz. They both play piano and bass respectively in many different jazz groups in Tokyo, (Katz has an excellent piano trio CD out), and added fluent harmonies and counterpoints as another complicating element to the overall sound.

At first listen, Candela may perhaps appear an easy listen―pretty melodies with lightly nuanced textures--but after hearing their live shows, the range of contrasts, tensions and experimental blending emerges as inspired and unique. They are a band to hear.