C.O.M.A. | California Outside Music Associates | Big Words | Edgetone Records

As the demiurgic inklings of the COMA collective came together the autoschediasms became alimental… Being both introspective and temerarious simultaneously, the music itself became expiscatory. The resulting sonic assemblage gave rise to the exigence for BIG WORDS. C.O.M.A.’s third aural assortment gives the auditor an unabridged image of the collective’s amelioration. So, please, experience all of the BIG WORDS in COMA’s current euphonic offering. Continue reading

John Tchicai with Rent Romus’ Lords of Outland | Adapt… or Die! | Edgetone Records

Rent Romus extends his ethos “to continually be on the path for something new” with the self-explanatory Adapt… or Die!. This recording revamps the Lords of Outland insto a more deviant configuration joined by drummer Dave Mihaly and sousaphonist Jon Birdsong. This project is also blessed with the immense presence of master tenor saxist John Tchicai. The shift in instrumentation provides a punchier, more expansive format for Romus’ self-proclaimed “Nordic Viking Jazz” or “Bull in China Shop” attitude toward improv. With a post-grunge audacity, Romus kicks solos that he says come “straight from the groin” — all of which bodes well for this sonic explorer. Continue reading

Mikolaj Trzaska | Olie Brice | Mark Sanders | Riverloam Trio | No Business Records

The Riverloam Trio are Mikolaj Trzaska (alto sax, bass clarinet), Olie Brice (double bass) and Mark Sanders (drums). This trio has been working together for a couple of years, touring Europe and performing at festivals including Kerava Jazz and Jazz Od Nowa. They have an LP due out in November on NoBusiness Records. For this concert they’ll be joined by special guest Paul Dunmall who’ll play a solo set on pipes before joining the trio on tenor sax. Continue reading

Koh | Natsuki Tamura | Masahiro Uemura | Nankoh Kumon | Do-Chū | Koya Records

KOH (Koh Otera) began her musical career with the help of composer and pianist Satoko Fujii, who produced and played on the Japanese vocalist, pianist and composer’s spare and promising debut, Yamabuki (Libra, 2005). A unique vocalist and pianist, with a rare sensitivity to poetic texts that are the basis for her playful compositions, KOH proves—six years later, with two completely different releases—why Fujii trusted her talent. On both sets she collaborates with drummer Masahiro Uemura, known for his association with sound sculptor Otomo Yoshihide’s outfits and the Shibusa Shirazu Orchestra. — Eyal Hareuveni Continue reading

Koh | Masahiro Uemura | Komado-No-Oh | Tension | Koya Records

Tension is the debut from Komano-No-Oh the duo of KOH and drummer Uemura, who began to perform under this name in 2009. A sense of playfulness is stressed here, and Uemura has much more freedom, in this context, to interpret KOH’s dream-like poems with changing pulses and a wider palette of colors. He mirrors the often cryptic lyrics with healthy doses of fun, either challenging the dramatic delivery or simply injecting a surprising, aggressive shuffle drumming in the middle of an abstract reciting of a poem, as on “A Spider and a Flower.” — Eyal Hareuveni Continue reading

Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo | Live!! | Libra Records

Live!! is pure candy, a treat in every aspect. This album offers a riveting 70-minute set, both as an audio CD and a video DVD… Highlights abound… Each of the seven tracks features two lead players or soloists, so that at the end of the album all 14 members of the orchestra had their moment in the spotlight. Fans of Fujii’s highly personal, lyrical yet high-energy composition style will be in seventh heaven. Highly recommended and a 2006 must-have. ― François Couture, All Music Guide Continue reading

Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York | Summer Suite | Libra Records

I love Satoko’s strong charts and engaging harmonies for all of the reeds and brass with inspired solos from the tenor sax and trombone, but it is the strong ensemble sections that really stand out… Her great New York Orchestra has not played in New York for quite a while, we can only hope they have an opportunity to do so in the not too distant future. In the meantime, you can get this treasure and their many layers of talent. — Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery Continue reading

Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York | Eto | Libra Records

My husband, Natsuki Tamura will turn sixty years old this year. In Japan we have a special celebration for sixty years olds, called “Kanreki.” We use the Chinese zodiac in Japan which is called “Eto,” so 12 years is one cycle. 60 is a special number because it is 12 x 5 and 10 x 6. The duodecimal system and decimal system meet at 60. I wanted write some music for this, and read a bit about the Chinese zodiac. Each of the 12 animals in the zodiac has its own character and each character inspired me a lot, so I wrote a short piece for each of them to make one long suite. Each piece has featured solo player. — Satoko Fujii Continue reading

Angelo Verploegen | Misha Mengelberg | Natsuki Tamura | Satoko Fujii | Double Duo | Crossword Puzzle | Libra Records

They (Mengelberg and Verploegen) converse and dovetail with the amazingly prolific team of trumpeter Natsuki Tamura and pianist Satoko Fujii in a uniquely textured and beautifully nuanced performance recorded live at Amsterdam’s Bimhuis… At 43:31 this music would have fit on a single vinyl LP and it feels just right: long enough to be satisfying and short enough to leave you wanting more. Crossword Puzzle is a poly-portmanteu packed with creative, adventurous music. — Bill Barton, Signal To Noise Continue reading

Satoko Fujii Min-Yoh Ensemble | Watershed | Libra Records

As with all Fujii recordings, Watershed contains some very challenging and complex music, amidst quite a bit of beauty and wonder. The juxtaposition of traditional Japanese melodies and this quartet’s unusual sensibilities—even by avant- garde jazz standards—may ensure that even some of Fujii’s longtime fans are perplexed, or even confounded, by this music, yet, there’s no denying the passion and virtuosity involved. — Dave Wayne Continue reading