Azuma got inspired to perform with a clarinetist when she saw English jazz vocalist
Norma Winstone sing accompanied on clarinet and piano in
Tokyo, Japan in 2015.
"I thought I would like to sing like an instrument plays", said Azuma. "I always want to blow my ax like a singer sings", replied Suzuki.
The duo in that harmony played jazz standards, animation theme song, compositions by giants such as Clifford Brown, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins and Carlos Aguirre.
Sonny Rollins' "Pent Up House" is one of the pieces Azuma learned with
Sheila Jordan when she attended the
City College of New York.
Along with the popular ones, the original tunes attracted the audience.
The
Kenji Miyazawa poem was set to music by pianist
Michiko Uemura.
The song of "
Lumière" is Suzuki's original composition.
Azuma: "One of the reasons why I like singing in this venue is because the afternoon sunlight is getting in like this now".
Suzuki: "I wrote 'Lumière' with rays of sunshine coming between the clouds in mind".
He added Azuma was practically the first who put words to his work and he was so honored.
On the Cliff Edge
As a matter of fact, it is the club owner who referred to this duo as "performance on the cliff edge".
Azuma and Suzuki totally agreed that the phrase was quite appropriate to express their true sentiments:
They feel like they are walking on the edge of the cliff when they have a one-on-one rendition. One of or both of them constantly risk falling to the bottom of the valley. Meanwhile, once they do, it's fun to crawl up from there or to welcome the one back.
The real experienced phenoms are the only ones who can perform such a feat as accompanying and singing on the monophonic instrument.
The afternoon show vividly reminded the layman that he can hardly imagine what they see from the cliff edge.
