Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio: Jet Black

Of all the varied settings in which Satoko Fujii places herself, the piano trio may be the most satisfying, if only because of the distinct way she and her respective bandmates stretch the boundaries of this ever-so-venerable instrumental concept.

Hardly an exception to the rule of wholly arresting collaborative musicianship, Jet Black is the third outing of a lineup Fujii has dubbed the Tokyo Trio. Also including bassist Takashi Sugawa and drummer Ittetsu Takemura, this unit redefines one of jazz music's most-longstanding formats.

Recorded on a single day by Takanori Terabe (subsequently mixed by Masatake Fujikare, then subsequently mastered by Mike Marciano), the burnished audio captures the detail of imaginative interplay within six tracks. Initiating a circular pattern on "Along The Way" that encompasses the whole of this roughly fifty-six minute running time, the three musicians flex their muscles almost as often on their own as together.

Those smooth interactions only presage what occurs on later cuts like "Gentle Slope" and "Sky Reflection." The Tokyo Trio's mutual engagement is as vivid as the titles of the compositions: Fujii, Sugawa and Takemura all speak a common language of style on their respective instruments, but in hearing "From Sometime," there appears a readily discernible dialect exclusive to each.

Yet that very contrast only makes their conversations more fascinating to follow. As with the multi- colored cover art that belies this album title, the resulting interweaving of piano, bass and drum highlights is a means to a continuity that never turns predictable over the course of Jet Black.

Nor does ego intrude upon the individual or shared facility of the members of this ensemble. No doubt the knotty nature of Fujii's compositions presents challenges to all in the playing, but each of the three participants—as well as the collective—appear to derive inspiration from those very exercises in effort. Together and alone, the Tokyo Trio applies as much persistence as patience to interpretations like that of the title tune.

In doing so, however, the threesome leaves space (and silence) for the notes they strike. On "Take A Step," for instance, those tones resonate, then hang in the air before being absorbed into the next melodic or rhythmic theme. In asserting such complementary virtues, Satoko Fujii, Takashi Sugawa and Ittetsu Takemura transfer unto listeners a sense of the abiding pleasure they share.

Accordingly, Jet Black becomes not only a means for the Tokyo Trio to further solidify the bond they discovered in 2019, but also to conjure a sense of inviting community beyond the confines of their lineup.

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