Deserted Island by Naoki Iwane

Most importantly, he took a jazz ensemble class on

drums that led him to becoming very interested in

playing jazz. A turning point was when he tried out a

neighbor’s saxophone, immediately felt at home playing

it, and bought it for $100 before the end of the first

day. After graduating from SCCC, he transferred to the

University of Washington to study computer science.

However he became so proficient on the alto that he

enrolled at the New School University Jazz program in

New York City.

At the New School, he studied under tenor-saxophonist

George Garzone. “I consider him my mentor. He stressed

the importance of time and also introduced me to

musical concepts which helped me to really open up my

playing.” Naoki was considered such a promising young

saxophonist that his recital performance awarded him a

position on the New School’s promotional CD.

For Deserted Island, which features eight of his

original songs, Naoki Iwane is teamed with a strong

rhythm section and welcomes four guest appearances by

Garzone. “I prefer to play with people who understand

my music quickly and who bring more to the music than

what I wrote on the paper. That way they are able to

be creative in the music. I’ve known pianist George

Dulin for a year. As an improviser, he always blows me

away and his comping melts perfectly with my solos.

Bassist Chris Tordini has perfect time and intonation.

Drummer Tommy Crane always swings and is very musical.

I’ve known guitarist Kazuhiro Ikeda for five years so

he definitely knows my playing well. I’m very happy

with this group and the music that we play is

definitely very contemporary.” Whether it is the

stirring “Twentieth Century Bebop,” the quirky

“Deserted Island,” an introspective “Sea Watch” or the

fiery “Slip + Slide,” the innovative alto solos, the

tightness of the ensembles and the interplay between

Naoki and George Garzone are not to be missed.

Naoki Iwane, who recently finished his Masters degree

in jazz at NYU, has in recent times taught at NYU for

a semester, gigged at the Lincoln Center and toured

Japan with his group. For the future he says, “I want

to tour all over the world and introduce audiences to

my music. I want to play and record music that hasn’t

been heard before.”

A great deal is going to be heard from this young

saxophonist in the future for Naoki Iwane’s career is

off to a very impressive start.

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