Results for "Libra Records"

Natsuki Tamura: Dragon Nat

by Dave Wayne
April 23, 2014

The instrumentalist begins his career as, essentially, a solo artist. Whether is practicing long tones or scales or drum rudiments, nearly everyone who plays a musical instrument starts out unaccompanied. On the road to mastery, most musicians spend thousands of hours playing alone. In jazz, solo recordings by musicians other than pianists or guitarists are a ...

Spring Storm

By Satoko Fujii

Label: Libra Records
Released: 2013
Track listing: Spring Storm; Convection; Fuki; Whirlwind; Maebure; Tremble.

Tornado

Label: Libra Records
Released: 2013
Track listing: Wao; Mecanique; Tornado; Imokidesu; Triangle.

Gen Himmel

By Satoko Fujii

Label: Libra Records
Released: 2013
Track listing: Gen Himmel; In the Dusk; Hesitation; Take Right; Ram; A.S.; Dawn Broun; Summer Solistice; I Know You Don't Know; Ittari Kitari; Saka; Der Traum.

Kaze: Tornado

Label: Libra Records
Released: 2013
Track listing: Wao; Mecanique; Tornado; Imokidesu; Triangle.

Dan McClenaghan's Best Releases of 2013

by Dan McClenaghan
December 12, 2013

Lots of extraordinary music. These are my picks for outstanding CDs of the year. Keith Jarrett/Gary Peacock/Jack DeJohnette Somewhere ECM Records Pianist Keith Jarrett's “Standards Trio," with bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Jack DeJohnette, recorded Somewhere live in 2009. After thirty years together, the group is still growing. This will ...

Satoko Fujii: Gen Himmel

by John Sharpe
November 24, 2013

A solo album tends almost inevitably to focus on instrumental chops rather than compositional skills. And that's the way it is on Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii's third unaccompanied outing, following Sketches (NatSat, 2004) and Indication (Libra, 1997), although she shows herself to be blessed with both. Compared to the exuberance and spirit of her group work ...

Kaze: Tornado

by Dave Wayne
October 23, 2013

With Tornado, pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura may get you shaking your head in wonderment. Firstly, the convergence of metaphors inherent in the album title, the name of the band (kaze means “wind" in Japanese), and the fact it features two trumpeters is enough to bring a smile to anyone's face. More heartening is ...

Satoko Fujii: Gen Himmel

by Dan McClenaghan
August 27, 2013

Satoko Fujii's notoriety is based on her originality, energy, and an unmatchable sense of fearlessness and adventure in the creation of music. As a leader of numerous ensembles--duos, trios, quartets, and big bands--she is a gregarious and generous spirit. Her music ebbs and flows, a moment of captivating serenity followed by a burst of a clamorous, ...

Kaze: Tornado

by Dan McClenaghan
August 20, 2013

Kaze, one of pianist Satoko Fujii's many groups, offers up its sophomore effort with Tornado. A quartet lineup of piano, two trumpets and drums, it's sound is as idiosyncratically original and no-hold-barred as it comes. The trumpets often sound like trumpets--brassy one minute then whispery the next. The two trumpets spit hard, rapid-fire notes and long ...