Fujii, Satoko Trio / Trace A River
Album: Trace A River   Collection:Jazz
Artist:Fujii, Satoko Trio   Added:Jul 2008
Label:Libra Records  

A-File Activity
Add Date: 2008-07-27 Pull Date: 2008-09-28 Charts: Jazz
Week Ending: Sep 28 Sep 21 Aug 10
Airplays: 1 1 2

Recent Airplay
1. Apr 14, 2015: In Your Ear Radio
Make A Right, Trace A River
4. Aug 08, 2008: The Tainted A-Word
Kawasemi
2. Sep 26, 2008: Memory Select
Make A Right
5. Aug 05, 2008: Streams, Highways Redux
Take Right
3. Sep 19, 2008: Memory Select, early edition
Kawasemi

Album Review
Craig Matsumoto
Reviewed 2008-07-14
Piano-led free jazz, sparkling stuff with a gripping intensity. It's accessible and often pretty, in the near-new-agey sense of ECM records, but with vicious solos and occasional crashing interludes. Japanese pianist Fujii is rejoined by Mark Dresser (bass) and Jim Black (drums), two big names on the New York scene. Dresser providers a great, rich sound and some compelling solos. Black eschews traditional jazz drums for his harder, crazier dynamics taken from rock and world influences; he's always great to hear.

As with Myra Melford, you'll find plenty of accessible sounds here and an unquestionably jazz-driven piano base.

1- Gentle-waves intro, pretty. Into a strong, tuneful chord field, bashing and pretty all at once. Tough bass solo; rambling drum solo. A pretty ending. Awesome.
2- Thumping piano pulses. Starts with a flighty, agile intro.
3- Slow, creeping. But not quiet. Kind of nice.
4- Happy springtime phrases with segments of fast madness, including a big crash right at the start. VERY catchy, but there's a near-silent music-box segment in the middle before a drum solo.
5- Thoughtful, deep. Solo piano.
6- Moody bowed bass start. Shifts into an accessible jazzy mode with a cool-stepping beat laid down by Black. Catchy. Spazz-out ending.
7- Gentle snowfall and ice crystals: Delicate solo piano.

Track Listing
1. Trace A River   4. A Maze Of Alleys
2. Make A Right   5. Day After Tomorrow
3. Manta   6. Kawasemi
  7. February