Jazz Articles about Satoko Fujii

Satoko Fujii: Four And More

by Jason Crane
October 20, 2008

For pianist Satoko Fujii, 50 is the new 20.

That refers to her age, although you could almost believe it refers to the number of albums she's released in 2008 alone. Fujii appears on four records this year: a trio session called Trace A River (Libra, 2008); a quartet session with her band ma-do called Heat Wave (Not Two, 2008); a session with a completely different trio called Cloudy Then Sunny (Libra, 2008); and an album with the ...

Satoko Fujii Quartet: Bacchus

by Budd Kopman
September 23, 2008

The jazz of today is the most vibrant ever. It has shaken off the straitjacket of “jazz as style," replacing it with the concept of “jazz as an attitude or aesthetic." Paradoxically, the music produced by the players embracing this concept is called avant-garde; primarily because it cannot be immediately pigeonholed and is inherently challenging. In truth, however, jazz has always been a moving target, and has always challenged those who choose to remain comfortable. Pianist Satoko ...

Satoko Fujii ma-do at Dizzy's, San Diego

by Dan McClenaghan
September 11, 2008

Satoko Fujii ma-doDizzy's San Diego, California August 31, 2008 The Satoko Fujii ma-do quartet kicked off its North American tour in support of their CD Heatwave in the middle of the three-day Labor Day Holiday at Dizzy's in downtown San Diego.Pianist/composer Fujii leads numerous ensembles: crazy, freewheeling, riotous big bands (several), trios (at least two) and two other quartets. Her sound is characterized--in any of her chosen formats--by constant audacity and ...

Satoko Fujii Ma-Do: Heat Wave

by Troy Collins
August 26, 2008

Heat Wave is the fourth record released in 2008 featuring the prolific and talented Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii. In honor of her 50th birthday, she organized an intensive release schedule, issuing three albums so far on her Libra imprint, including Trace a River with her veteran trio featuring bassist Mark Dresser and drummer Jim Black, Cloudy Then Sunny with the collective trio Junk Box, as well as appearing on her husband trumpeter Natsuki Tamura's recent Gato Libre album, Kuro.

Satoko Fujii Trio: Trace A River

by Jerry D'Souza
August 24, 2008

Pianist and composer Satoko Fujii returns with Mark Dresser (bass) and Jim Black (drums) on another exciting recording. Not only does Fujii go further in her explorations, she also shows a deeper sense of harmony, developed in tandem with her band. Her writing is varied and accentuates her skill as a composer.

In the past, Fujii, Black and Dresser have shown that intuition plays a key role in the development of their music and they continue to do ...

Satoko Fujii: Trace a River, Cloudy Then Sunny & Kuro

by Kurt Gottschalk
July 20, 2008

Satoko Fujii Trace a River Libra 2008 Junkbox Cloudy then Sunny Libra 2008 Gato Libre Kuro Libra 2008

The ever-prolific Satoko Fujii is celebrating the year of her 50th birthday by doing what she does ever year: touring, composing and recording relentlessly. The ...

Satoko Fujii Trio: Trace a River

by Troy Collins
July 7, 2008

Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii celebrates her fiftieth birthday this year. A prolific and diverse artist, Fujii has one of the most impressive discographies in contemporary jazz. In honor of this milestone event she has concurrently released two very different trio albums on her label, the other being Cloudy Then Sunny, an experimental project from the collaborative trio Junk Box.

Fujii's trio features longstanding members Mark Dresser on bass and Jim Black on drums. Trace a River is her ...