ich höre das gerade alles brav. ist natürlich nicht so der spot für kikuchi, eher für die krawallbläser (blythe, adams, harper, hannibal), aber die sachen vom album unter beider namen sind schon ziemlich toll. LIVE AT THE PUBLIC THEATRE hat kikuchi produziert. im iverson-interview erzählt er über die beziehung zu evans:
EI: What about Gil Evans? You told me you studied with Gil?
MK: Yeah, he’s my real teacher.
EI: When did you start studying with Gil Evans?
MK: I don’t know…we hung out together…the first time I went to his place was to offer him some work, because I was with the Japanese biggest booking agent and promoter Koinama, and he wanted to book Gil Evans in Japan having me featured. So we went to his loft in Westbeth and that was the first time I saw him. We then got closer and closer. He liked me and I respected him and we began exchanging music in every kind of way. When I had a studio in Brooklyn, I started playing solo piano. I wanted to know what I had played so I asked Maria Schneider to transcribe it. She transcribed a lot! And I spent a lot, too. Then when I get one I like I call Gil and he comes here and he goes through everything. He told me where he saw good places and asked, „Why is this good?“ and would then explain it. That’s all, really.
EI: Oh! So you’d look at transcriptions of your piano playing with Gil and he’d say which parts he liked?
MK: Yeah. I don’t know how many times he came over…probably twelve times or something. Mostly he always picked up a good place in the music and explained why it was good. That kind of relationship, you know? And he never charged me anything!
EI: Oh really?
MK: No, not at all! I tried to pay him and he’d say, „No, I don’t need the money.“ Yeah he was a real teacher for me. It’s quite a lot for two hours at a time, sometimes three or four hours, right? I learned a lot. Each time I finished some music after those lessons I’d go to him and play some tape I’d recorded and he’d start criticizing saying things like, „This place is great“ and explained why. That’s the relationship I had with him…and without any payment. I was so fortunate! Eventually I produced two albums with Gil. That was such an experience.
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