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ニューヨークでの出会い、大切な人との別れ、すべてを音楽に込めて
小4でチャーリー・パーカーの演奏と出遭い、5年へ進級した頃には地元・札幌のオーケストラでジャズを演奏していた。最年少記録の13歳でボストン・バークリー・アワードを受賞、高校時にメジャー・デビュー。バークリー音大へ進学してからも、アルバム制作や有名フェスティヴァルへの出演を適える躍進ぶりで、23歳ながらすでにその名は世界中に轟いている。
「バークリーを卒業し、私は初めて音楽家として一人立ちをしました。日本人であり女性であり、言語の壁もあって厳しい現状を体験しています。でもアメリカと同化するのでなく、アメリカに暮らす日本人として何をやらなければならないか。そんな気づきを音にして残したい…それが制作の一番のきっかけでした」
人の庇護のもとで演奏してきたこれまでとは異なる、人生における第二ターム。逞しく生きるしかなくなった寺久保の、その第1弾である。ブラインドで聴けばきっと、太っちょな黒人が汗水を飛び散らせながら無性にサックスを吹く図を思い浮かべるだろう。ただどこを切っても一分のダレを感じさせないこの繊細な16分音符の奔流は、彼女自身の表情に他ならない。
「ニューヨークへ出てすぐ、大切な出会いがありました。ヴィンセント・ハーリングさんとは、彼のライヴに飛び入りした時から固い師弟関係を結びました。志向がぴったり同じで、そんな存在って砂漠で指輪を探り当てるようなもの。どうやら彼は私に、宝物をプレゼントしてくれたようです。懇意にするレーベル社長とかけ合い、彼らの共同プロデュースで『ア・タイム・フォー・ラヴ』を制作させてくれたわけです」
これまで以上にジャズ文化の源流を探るべく向学心が満載されていて、ビ・バップ好きには堪らない1枚になった。楽器の鳴りも変化を窺わせ、マウスピースは奥津乾のトラディショナルに（現在は同じ奥津乾のビンセント・ハーリング・カスタム6番）、リードはバンドーレンに変更。この組み合わせでまた新たな吹奏を入手し、創作意欲を掻き立てたものと思われる。
「そして、デビューから私をプロデュースしてくださった伊藤八十八さんの逝去。ちょうど卒業したての頃で動揺したけど、私の独立を促してくれたんだと考えるようにしました。《88》は闘病中の八十八さんに捧げたオマージュ。さらに、ハーリングさんを通じてお会いする約束をしていたフィル・ウッズさんは、この録音が済んだ直後に亡くなられました。病床にありながら面会を楽しみにされていて、そんな複雑な心情もすべて、今回の作品には詰め込んでみました」
何より各曲ソロで見せるすさまじい彼女のプレイ・スピリットに、誰もが度肝を抜かれるに違いない。
Erena Terakubo "A Time For Love"
Interview & text by: Tatsuya Nagato
Encounters in New York and parting with her beloved ones are all injected into her music
Having encountered the works of Charles Parker in the 4th grade of elementary school, Erena Terakubo started to play jazz as a member of the local orchestra in her hometown Sapporo by the time she reached the 5th grade. She won the Boston Berklee Award at the age of 13, the youngest in its history, and made her major label debut when she was in high school. After entering the Berklee College of Music, she made further progress in her career, including making her own albums and appearing at famous music festivals, which made the name of the 23-year-old young artist known all over the world.
"After graduating from the Berklee College of Music, I started working on my own for the first time as a musician. I have been faced with a harsh reality as a Japanese and a female who has a language barrier. But I try to find out what I should do as a Japanese living in the U.S. rather than assimilating into it, and want to express it in my music. That worked as the main inspiration for this album."
It is the start of the second term in her life, which is different from what she has gone through so far under the auspices of other people. The first piece of work from Terakubo who now has no choice but to carry on by herself. When listening to the album without seeing her perform, one may imagine a beefy black musician intently playing the saxophone, with sweat flying from his face. However, the rushing stream of delicately-crafted 16th notes without a hint of looseness is none other than her own.
"Soon after coming to New York, I had an amazing encounter with Vincent Herring. He and I embarked on a mentoring relationship after I suddenly joined in his live show. We have exactly the same taste in music. Encountering such a person is like finding a ring in the desert. It appears he gave me a precious gift. He asked the president of the record label he has known well to give me a chance to produce an album, which resulted in this album "A Time For Love" co-produced by both of them."
Her desire to explore the origins of jazz culture can be found in this album more than before, making it a great piece of work for bebop fans. Some changes are also found in the sound she produces. She changed her mouthpiece to Ken Okutsu Traditional model (she now uses Okutsu's Vincent Herring Custom Model #6) and her reed to Vandoren's. This new combination resulted in a new sound, which apparently stimulated her creativity.
"The passing away of Yasohachi Ito (Japanese renowned jazz producer), who had been working as a producer since my debut, also inspired me to write. I was upset when I heard the news of his death as I had just graduated from the college. But I tried to think he was pushing me to become independent. The track "88" is a homage to Yasohachi Ito who was battling illness. Phil Woods, who I promised to meet through Herring, also passed away soon after the recording of this album was completed. He reportedly was looking forward to meeting me despite being sick in bed. I put all of these complicated feelings into the album."
Above all, her tremendous play spirit shown in the solo of each song will surely amaze you.
