Shishiodoshi
Circum Disc/Libra, 2025
9/10
The international quartet Kaze are aligned with the singer Koichi Makigami for these 3 unpredictable and adventurous jazz selections.
“Make A Change” starts with a dense spontaneity, where Natsuki’s bright trumpet and Peter Orins’ playful drumming add much intrigue to the 25 minutes. Makigami’s vocal acrobatics are quite fascinating, too.
The title track follows with some initial tinkering that takes many minutes to build into thick keys via Satoko Fujii and rich trumpet thanks to Christian Pruvost, but when the vocal layering enters the tune really draws us in.
The last track, “Inspiration 2”, might be the shortest at just 16+ minutes, but it’s equally atypical, where sci-fi like noises and vocal gestures enter and it exits with dense piano, wild brass and plenty of rumbling.
A really fun listen that’s quirky and full of creative improvisation, the quartet’s chemistry is fascinating, and Makigami’s vocal techniques are unparalleled.
Travels well with: Ize Trio- The Global Suites; Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio- Dream A Dream