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Satoko Fujii: Dream a Dream
by John Sharpe
Japanese pianist and composer Satoko Fujii has long demonstrated her ability to marshal ensembles of varying size--from intimate duos to sprawling orchestras--with an ear attuned to both spontaneity and design. On Dream A Dream, the second release from her Tokyo Trio, she reaffirms that a small group can still conjure orchestral breadth when agency and imagination run free. With bassist Takashi Sugawa and drummer Ittetsu Takemura, Fujii leads a unit whose cohesion now feels even more instinctive than on their ...
Continue ReadingSatoko Fujii Tokyo Trio: Dream a Dream
by Alberto Bazzurro
Ormai da diversi anni ricevere e ascoltare a ritmo battente nuovi lavori di Satoko Fujii è un'abitudine che peraltro, salvo rarissimi casi, ci risulta sempre gradita. L'occhio della pianista nipponica verso la musica, con o senza il suo pendant fisiologico, Natsuki Tamura, possiede infatti una profondità, un'intenzionalità di gesto, e ovviamente concettuale, che le consentono di produrre dischi sempre con una loro cifra stilistica, un'identità, ben precise. Qui è all'opera il Tokyo Trio, già protagonista lo scorso anno ...
Continue ReadingSatoko Fujii Tokyo Trio: Dream a Dream
by Dan McClenaghan
Pianist Satoko Fujii's artistic vision has held a sharp focus since her recording debut in the late '90s. She has maintained that focus in almost every jazz ensemble configuration imaginable. That unwavering focus, combined with a superhuman creative momentum, has resulted--as of 2025--in a discography of more than a hundred albums. She has been especially effective in her work with the piano trio format, opening up that door via her Satoko Fujii Trio with Mark Dresser and Jim Black, on ...
Continue ReadingSatoko Fujii Tokyo Trio: Jet Black
by Neri Pollastri
Nuovo trio per la brillante e prolifica pianista giapponese, stavolta con due giovani compagni --il già esperto Takashi Sugawa al contrabbasso e Ittetsu Takemura alla batteria --con i quali mettere in scena qualcosa di parzialmente diverso da quanto ci ha abituato ad ascoltare. La musica dell'album muove sempre da parti scritte dalla Fujii, spesso con modalità abbastanza “tradizionali" --un incedere dinamico, quasi descrittivo del titolo, nell'iniziale “Along the Way" e in “Gentle Slope," una sospesa narrazione basata su ...
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 ...
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