Gary Hassay, Dan DeChellis, Tatsuya Nakatani (12" LP)

Z GUN issue # 1, Summer 2007
An outstanding record by a fantastic free jazz trio from Allentown, PA. Hassay/DeChellis/Nakatani play three pieces, each one eliciting conflicting moods of confusion and contentment, frustration and tranquility, sadness and fulfillment, all done with a tight intensity. What is remarkable is that this tension is achieved without resorting to the bombastic noise many of todays free groups use. Sax, piano, and percussion (and for one song, voice) are tightly entwined but still manage to give the feeling of space, something Jimmy Giuffre was able to master. All players seem acutely aware of what the other is doing, while, at the same time, cutting paths for themselves. View From The Bridge tumbles into existence and churns along like a stream that broke its banks, effortlessly navigating around seated obstacles, moving forward until the thought is dry. Our Friend Judd starts and ends subdued but intense, a quiet, compact form of energy and slyly slides into an inner dialogue that reminds me a lot of Aylers' non-dirge work on the Village Vanguard records. Nakatani reveals his magic by coaxing a series of creaks, squeaks, and shrieks out of his drum set. His work is so good that in Judd and Song For Simone, I was convinced another horn or violin somehow joined in. I write somehow because, on Song For Simone, Hassay exchanges his sax duty for vocals. Rather than sing in a conventional manner, Hassay drones sounds that remind me of old Folkways & Nonesuch records of Whirling Dervish chants and Tibetan Monk prayers. Behind Hassay, DeChellis and Nakatani slowly build, sliding in sound so effortlessly that the seam between they and Hassay is nonexistent. After ears dulled by so much noise for jazz's sake, a record like this is a big treat. Excellent.
—Scott Soriano

SIGNAL TO NOISE Fall 2007
Allentown, PA seems doomed to be remembered for Billy Joel's wretched 80’s anthem, but alto saxophonist Gary Hassay must surely be considered its free jazz king. On this limited edition vinyl pressing of Live At WDIY, Hassay and cohorts, pianist Dan DeChellis and the remarkably adept percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani, present three slices of free improvisation full of heart and impulse. Hassay’s probing, dry-ice inflected attack cuts deep, while DeChellis coaxes sounds from his keys in a technically facile, if not wholly distinct fashion. The real star of the session, though is Nakatani, who expands his traditional kit with bowls, cymbals, drums and other devices to produce an impressive battery of sounds. On the textural musings of “View From The Bridge,” Nakatani goes Euro-style with a skittish craftsmanship that takes advantage of the microtones of his kit (scrapes, beats, blinks and clangs), while DeChellis focuses on rhythmic variances and Hassay sallies forth. “Our Friend Judd” lays down an open-ended, fiery excursion with Nakatani sticking to his traps and Hassay whisking up a tempest. Finally, the meditative “Song For Simone” gives Hassay the opportunity to display his vocal techniques. While his throat singing is certainly an acquired taste, it validates Hassay’s commitment to emotional candor in his music. While the beautiful, yet modestly packaged audiophile LP presents only thirty minutes of the concert, Foreign Frequency should be commended for including an accompanying CD containing the entire performance. While this slab of wax may not be around for long, it is encouraging that Hassay’s work has its backers and proof that free-thinking individuals do exist outside of our major metropolitan locales.
—Jay Collins

DUSTED MAGAZINE       Still Single: Vol. 3, No. 7
Not knowing any of the players on this LP aside from Tatsuya Nakatani, who has spent the past few years developing a reputation as one of the better improvisational drummers in New York City, I was a little apprehensive about what might lay in this record's grooves, especially given the bassless lineup of alto sax, piano and percussion. Apprehension melted into appreciation as the two tracks on the first side showed a trio in full command of not only its instruments but its improvisational power and spontaneity, sometimes mixing in some toned-down beauty. Gary Hassay leads the way on the sax, squealing and squonking not only with an amped ferociousness, but also with a decent sense of when not to blow it all out (a quality not always shared by younger saxophonists). Nakatani and DeChellis deftly move in and out through Hassay's twists and turns, and both employ a pretty wide range of styles and techniques familiar to any fan of free music, yet are interesting enough as players so as to not sound stale. The real highpoint of the set, though, comes on side two where the side-long “Song for Simone” begins with Hassay tackling some throat-tickling solo singing, in the style of a less-nasal La Monte Young (or maybe a less-cold Tuvan throat singer). Some nice overtones ring through Hassay's wordless notes, and eventually his partners come through with some subtle scrapes and chords as accompaniment, showing a nice and gentle counterpoint to side one's occasionally frenetic jams. On clear vinyl, with hand-stamped labels, and includes a CD with album and bonus tracks. (JH)