Jet Black
Libra, 2024
8/10
The pianist and composer Satoko Fujii is aligned with Takashi Sugawa and Ittetsu Takemura for these unique jazz tunes that embrace improvised techniques across 6 tracks.
The dancing keys and rumbling spirit of “Along The Way” starts the listen with strong attention to space, where Takemura’s drumming almost seems robotic in its delivery, and “Gentle Slope” follows with Sugawa’s playfully plucked bass alongside the firm key acrobatics.
“Sky Reflection” and “From Sometime” reside in the middle, where the former uses minimalism like a refined art via the bare and warm sounds, while “From Sometime” takes that lead into melodic areas of flowing piano and frisky drumming.
The title track exits the listen, and it comes with a distinct dreaminess that wraps the mature keys around atmosphere and mystery.
A creative, thoughtful and articulate version of free jazz exploration, Fujii and company make for a colorful and textured listen that welcomes odd meters and intense bouts of energy that are quite striking.
Travels well with: Susan Alcorn- Canto; Sara Serpa and André Matos- Night Birds