Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Satoko Fujii Four: When We Were There

139

Satoko Fujii Four: When We Were There

By

Sign in to view read count
Satoko Fujii Four: When We Were There
Satoko Fujii, Natsuki Tamura, Mark Dresser and Jim Black took time off from their touring schedule in the fall of 2005 to record this CD. There were a couple of changes from their earlier efforts: this was the first time they had Tamura in the studio, and the pieces are shorter than what one has come to expect from Fujii. Nevertheless, they continue to be a deft combination with yet another persuasive album.

Fujii does away with her usual persuasion of using several elements in a single composition to concentrate on a single idea. This works well: the motifs are immediate, making their impact and opening the door for the next one. As is her wont, Fujii leaves plenty of room for improvisation and interpretation. Tamura gets to squeeze the notes out of his trumpet on "Runaway Radio —a squiggle, a query, an elastic spiral—all rising and floating away on the air of his imagination. Fujii adds a temperate clime, her piano melodic, before the quartet drives forward with a rampant burst of intensity.

Composition grabs the ear on the tuneful "When We Were There, where Tamura takes the herald, spurred by Black, whose drums bring in a refreshing tangent. "A Diversion is precisely that. The road is wide open on the longest tune on the CD, which runs just over fifteen minutes. A lot goes on, from the introspection of Fujii's opening lines to the energetic pulsations of the four players in tandem. Fujii sets the path, once again shaping the journey in a coruscation of harmonic swells; Dresser casts a dark shadow with his bowing, at first finding a companion in Tamura, and then going on to lighten the atmosphere as he holds a conversation with Black on percussion. There are dramatic turns, and the forge is in constant evolution to stir and surprise. But then, that is what Fujii's music is all about.

Track Listing

Sandstorm; Runaway Radio; When We Were There; In Your Dream; A Path through the Garden; Nourishment; Nocturne; The Lion of the Heart; An Excursion; Inori; A Diversion.

Personnel

Satoko Fujii: piano; Natsuki Tamura: trumpet; Mark Dresser: bass; Jim Black: drums.

Album information

Title: When We Were There | Year Released: 2006 | Record Label: Polystar

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Sensual
Rachel Z
Over and Over
Tony Monaco Trio
Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.