Jazz Articles

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 Quartet: Bacchus

by Troy Collins
November 10, 2007

With a discography of forty plus albums featuring ensembles ranging from intimate duos to big bands, pianist Satoko Fujii is one of Japan's most prolific and versatile jazz artists. The fifth record by her long- standing quartet, Bacchus is preceded by the similarly titled Vulcan (Libra, 2001), Minerva (Libra, 2002), Zephyros (Natsat, 2003) and Angelona (Libra, 2005).

Regular members, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, electric bassist Takeharu Hayakawa and drummer Tatsuya Yoshida once again accompany Fujii, blending straightforward popular music ...

Satoko Fujii Quartet: Bacchus

by Dan McClenaghan
November 4, 2007

You'll often hear jazz artists say that they don't like to call their music “jazz." The word, after all, is a label, and labels confine--if you take them seriously/and or let them. Pianist Satoko Fujii may or may not label her music (it's doubtful), but there are certainly no constraints on the sounds she makes.Fujii records, prolifically, with any number of ensemble configurations: from her extremely freewheeling and often cacophonous big bands to duo projects, the European-flavored Gato ...

Gato Libre: Strange Village

by Jim Santella
December 1, 2005

Capturing the essence of folk music, Natsuki Tamura creates an acoustic session on Strange Village that lets him tell the stories vividly and completely. Through open trumpet, guitar, bass, and accordion, he communicates tales that stir the imagination and let the listener interpret accordingly. Each tale comes with rounded textures that belie humble surroundings where people know that they can feel at home. Slowly and deliberately, the music walks you through the streets and welcomes you with open arms.

Gato Libre: Strange Village

by Dan McClenaghan
November 25, 2005

On a blindfold test, with Gato Libre's Strange Village drifting from the speakers, not in a thousand guesses would I have identified the players. The sound is introspective and tranquil, with European folk music shadings--accordion, bass, and acoustic guitar floating behind a relaxed, round-toned trumpet. It's about as far from trumpeter Natsuki Tamura's sizzling electro-stew on Exit (NatSat Music, '04) as you'll find, but this is indeed him, joined on a gentle accoustic set by his wife and frequent musical ...