Satoko Fujii

Koh | Satoko Fujii | Ted Reichmann | Yamabuki | Libra Records

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Koh is a charming singer and here she collaborates with Satoko Fujii on piano and Ted Reichman on accordion. On the opening piece, “Sola”, Satoko plays mostly inside the piano with some objects as Koh stretches out her notes pure and clear. Satoko’s piano is rich, melodic and quite haunting. Koh is singing in Japanese and it sounds as if she is singing a touching ballad. Satoko’s lovely piano and Ted Reichman’s eerie, yet melancholy accordion both surround and support Koh’s precious voice just right. The songs seem to come from an older tradition with their quaint, Broadway-like melodies. Koh reminds me at times of Laura Nyro, perhaps a bit more quirky. Since I don’t know what she is singing about, the feelings and emotions in her voice do still come through. What I find most amazing is that this disc brings out something quite different from Satoko Fujii than we’ve ever heard, her playing is just so warm, exquisite, rich and touching it is hard to believe that she also spars with master drummer Tatsuya Yoshida. — Downtown Music Gallery Continue reading →

First Meeting | Cut The Rope | Libra Records

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In many improvised music sessions or bands, playing a diatonic scale can get you some evil looks. First Meeting, however, is completely free in that respect. The range of volume and expression is also as broad as we can make it. If you want to see for yourself, come to one of our gigs. And bring 15 or 20 friends, please. — Natsuki Tamura (Translation by Alan Gleason) Continue reading →

Gato Libre | Shiro | Libra Records

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Tamura’s compositions and his lead horn form the centerpiece of this album. He weaves melodies that retain a classic majesty even when they are stark, and within this mellow setting, he nevertheless inserts ideas that grab your attention. Shira is a Latin-flavored avant garde jazz that soothes, not confronts, and offers a unique melding of differing styles. Tamura proves once again why he has earned a reputation in improvised music circles as a top trumpeter, bandleader and composer. ― Victor Aaron, Something Else Reviews Continue reading →

Larry Ochs Sax & Drumming Core | Stone Shift | RogueArt Jazz

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For me form precedes function. If I can’t see the big picture, that universe of sound within which a given piece will come to life, it is hard to organize the internal details. The great thing about the Sax & Drumming Core experience is that I have four special forms developed for this band. So I actually get to write pieces similar to other ones I’ve already penned, just like a jazz band-leader who works with “the changes.”! It’s cool, and it really helps to get to the center of the music and probe and evolve. — Larry Ochs, quotation from the liner notes Continue reading →

Satoko Fujii ma-do Quartet | Desert Ship | Not Two Records

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4 ½-stars…. Satoko Fujii. She and her band are the perfect synthesis of modern music, going beyond jazz, integrating anything from classical over folk and traditional music, with jazz, free improvisation and avant-garde, but then pushing it all over the edge. This enables her to explore composition/improvisation with a musical richness which is given to few…. The last piece’s title, “Vapor Trail” is a good descriptive of the music, which comes as a kind of soothing finale, when catharsis has been reached, a moment of acceptance, of resignation, of awe for the beauty that arises after the violence, the fire has died down, after the sun has set. Brilliant!” ― Stef Gijssels, Free Jazz Continue reading →

Satoko Fujii Quartet | Zephyros | Not Two Records

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The Satoko Fujii Quartet makes full use of their characteristic musical density and speediness. Satoko Fujii’s powerful left hand, Takeharu Hayakawa’s fat, distorted and rolling electric bass sound, busy but extremely solid drumming of Tatsuya Yoshida and Tamura Natsuki’s trumpet conveying linear power and lyricism altogether pump out impending groove which is maximized by the slick and radical mixing technique incorporating compression and reverberation.” ― Koji Murai, Swing Journal Continue reading →