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Jazz Articles about Satoko Fujii
Natsuki Tamura, Satoko Fujii: Aloft
by Dan McClenaghan
A lot of ink has poured from the pens of jazz writers in ruminations on the art of Satoko Fujii. With over a hundred album releases under her name and under the names of various groups she has led, she has given the scribes plenty to listen to and write about. Solo albums, big band albums and every size ensemble in between have come out in relative dribs and drabs--three or four releases a year--or in torrents (see 2022 comment ...
Continue ReadingVilnius Mama Jazz Festival 2024
by John Sharpe
Vilnius Mama Jazz Festival National Drama Theater Vilnius, Lithuania May 23-26, 2024 Intro As every year since 2002, the cosmopolitan Lithuanian capital Vilnius once again hosted the Mama Jazz Festival. While customarily booking acts that might please a wide range of music lovers, the bill this year was one of the strongest to date, with acts from Europe, the USA and beyond, along with a Showcase Stage offering new talent the chance to get ...
Continue ReadingKaze: Unwritten
by Doug Collette
Improvised music is an acquired taste, to be sure. But for those who dote on the spontaneous, the liberating sensation that arises from interplay in the moment is nothing less than addictive. In that regard, then, Kaze's fittingly titled Unwritten, a wholly spontaneous piece of work, holds a bounty of fascination. Presenting a formidable challenge to listeners at the very outset of the record, this foursome proffers an initial track, “Thirteen Years," that is just shy of thirty-seven ...
Continue ReadingSatoko Fujii Tokyo Trio: Jet Black
by Glenn Astarita
Satoko Fuji, a visionary pianist and composer hailing from Japan, has carved a distinct niche for herself in the world of modern jazz. Her unique style and innovative approach to music have garnered acclaim from critics and audiences alike. On her second outing with the Tokyo Trio, comprising herself on piano, Takashi Suguwa on bass, and Ittetsu Takemura on drums, Jet Black shines as a mesmeric and thought-provoking endeavor that explores the depths of human emotion and musical expression.
Continue ReadingSatoko Fujii Tokyo Trio: Jet Black
by Doug Collette
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 ...
Continue ReadingSatoko Fujii Tokyo Trio: Jet Black
by Dan McClenaghan
The January 2024 release of Jet Black starts the year out right. It is the Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio's sophomore recording, presenting the Japanese pianist in one of her most compelling modes of expression: the piano trio. This is not foreign territory for her. She headed up a superb threesome with drummer Jim Black and bassist Mark Dresser from 1997 until 2009, crafting gems like Illusion Suite (Libra Records, 2004) and Trace A River (Libra Records, 2008). As in any ...
Continue ReadingSatoko Fujii: Hibiki
by Doug Collette
Expanding upon the Futari duo concept of pianist/composer Satoko Fujii and vibraphonist Taiko Saito, as depicted on Underground (Libra Records, 2021) and Beyond (Libra Records, 2021), Trio SAN incorporates drummer/composer Yuko Oshima, the album of whose, Hibiki, is a proportionately intense companion piece to the aforementioned pair of releases. As if simultaneously beckoning the audience at Kesselhaus, Berlin in June of 2022 as well as invoking their muse as a new collaboration, Trio San begins Hibiki with its ...
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