Product Overview
By Paul Hanson
Extraordinary American musician and composer Paul Hanson lived and worked in Tokyo for four years. Commissioned to reflect on his time abroad, this is Paul Hanson's first composition for bassoon quartet.
His eclectic and innovative style has resulted in collaborations with Béla Fleck, Wayne Shorter, Dennis Chambers, the Paul Dresher Ensemble, Tower of Power, and many more. He was the grand prize winner of JAZZIZ Magazine’s Woodwinds on Fire, and was awarded an NEA Jazz Fellowship. The first bassoonist to play in Cirque Du Soleil, Paul was invited to create his own role in ZED, a Cirque Du Soleil production in Tokyo that ran from 2008 through 2011.
Hanson’s five movement piece captures the mood and feel of places in the Tokyo area that hold special meaning. Four movements give musical depictions of special places (Hinode, Nagatoro, and Rakuya); the fourth movement is titled “友人.” His background in classical, jazz, improv, and world music come together to richly express his experiences abroad.
