Part of pianist Satoko Fujii's "Kanreki" (60th Birthday) tour and monthly album release, the "This Is It!" Trio with trumpeter Natsuki Tamura and drummer/percussionist Takashi Itani is heard at Koendori Classics, in Tokyo, Japan, in January 2018, for an incredible album of Fujii's compositions that include quirky asides in coherent and effusive compositions.
"Due to the fact that the productive Japanese jazz pianist and composer, Satoko Fujii, turns 60, her favorite label, Libra Records, broadcasts a whole host of new albums. Including 1538 with Fujiis trio, This is It! The trio, which consists of the trumpeter, Natsuki Tamura, and drummer Takashi Itani, further coalesces six of Fujii's new compositions, which are not surprising - taking into account her signature - are avant-garde, complex and extremely demanding.
In passages - for example, in the number, "Riding on the Clouds" - you are in meditative fashion with the light battles on metal presses or watches that Itani initiates. In other passages, you are like in a dark and cool basement, where creaking doors are attempted to open. In other passages - most - you are as in a malfunction of infernal noise without sense and gathering. Everything is interesting - all the exploratory element of the music - but everything demands the listener as well, and as such he has to be trained to love or just enjoy the music - regardless of its obvious qualities." - Ivan Rod
1. 1538 8:35
2. Prime Number 8:39
3. Climb The Rapids 3:31
4. Riding On The Clouds 8:34
5. Swoop 9:20
6. Yozora 13:10
Natsuki Tamura-trumpet
Satoko Fujii-piano
Takashi Itani-drums, percussion
