‘Second Line’ is the result of a two-year research into early jazz by Genzo Okabe. By exploring the Afro-American music that flourished in New Orleans at the beginning of the 20th century, Genzo integrated the essence of melodies, harmonies and rhythms of that time in his own, contemporary compositions.
The first half of the album is an ode to early jazz music, the introduction of stride piano, second line rhythm, and the funeral march deeply rooted in the traditions of New Orleans. Gradually, the album demonstrates Genzo’s individual way of rebuilding and integrating these basic materials, and in a freer way they fuse the interpretation of contemporary polyrhythm and harmonies. Composed as a tribute to the origins of jazz music, the album shows the rediscovery of the richness, the effectiveness and the modernity of early jazz, as well as the fundamental affinity with contemporary jazz music.