Nov 8 2018
Recommended: Kira Kira – “Bright Force”
If you’re seeking out a sonic approximation of catching a ride in the center of a tornado, this session from the Kira Kira quartet of trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, pianist Satoko Fujii, keyboardist Alister Spence and drummer Ittetsu Takemura is a step in the right direction. There is some melodic intent present. Even amongst the chaos of Bright Force, you can catch glimpses of a melodic fragment. But they are at the mercy of the forces of motion that rip a streak down the center of each piece, where turbulence and volatility are the gods that will the music forward. Those moments when the trio gives a hint of the peacefulness that lies at the heart of the storm are almost stunning, both for their sudden appearance and also their piercing beauty. This effect is revealed in its starkest terms on the three part “Luna Lionfish Suite.”
I’m believe I’m on solid footing to claim that people who use the word ‘fun’ to describe roller coasters have a far too liberal definition of that word, not to mention a thin grasp on their own sanity. Be that as it may, those same people would probably tag Bright Force in much the same way.
Your album personnel: Natsuki Tamura (trumpet), Alister Spence (Rhodes electric piano, effects pedals, preparations), Satoko Fujii (piano) and Ittetsu Takemura (drums).
Released on Libra Records.
Available at: Amazon
Jun 20 2019
Album of the Day: Alister Spence and Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe – “Imagine Meeting You Here”
Album: Imagine Meeting You Here
Label: Self-Produced
Style: Avant-garde big band
Favorite track: “Imagine Meeting You Here 3 (You)”
Music from: Newtown, Australia & Kobe, Japan
What I like about it: I like how this album radiates the energy of an exploding sun and how that display of power still provides the environment for a simple melodic thread to thrive. I like the modulations in the rise and fall of intensity, and that even during those transitions that are almost jarring, there’s a fluidity to them not unlike slipping into a pool of water and slowly floating away. I like how this album’s 50 minutes of playing time easily flies on by, a quality that seems counterintuitive to the music’s immense presence… a quality that, under certain conditions, has the potential to be emotionally draining. There’s an extended bass solo dead center of this recording, and I swear even with all of the craziness on this performance, it snaps right into place… a fascinating moment, but also representative of how the flowing undercurrent of the music is as much a guiding hand as its more volatile characteristics.
Your album personnel: Alister Spence (conductor), Satoko Fujii (piano), Ko Iwata, Yasuhisa Mizutani (alto saxophones), Eiichiro Arasaki (tenor sax, shakuhachi), Tsutomu Takei (tenor sax), Keizo Nobori (baritone sax), James Barrett, Shojiro Yokoo, Natsuki Tamura, Rabito Arimoto (trumpets), Yusuko Kaneko, Yusuke Imanishi (trombones), Takumi Seino (guitar), Hiroshi Funato (bass) and Yoshikazu Isaki (drums).
Available at: Amazon
Be sure to check out the artist’s site.
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By davesumner • Jazz Recommendations, Jazz Recommendations - 2019 • 0 • Tags: Alister Spence, Kobe (Japan), Newtown (Australia), Satoko Fujii, Self-Produced