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Reviews

Satoko Fujii Quartet — Dog Days of Summer
(Libra 204-076, 2024, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2025-05-04

Dog Days of Summer Cover art

Of the many ensembles led by pianist Satoko Fujii, the quartet that recorded Dog Days of Summer might be my favorite. There are a number of factors that lead to my fondness of the album. In no particular order, they include: 1. Tatsuya Yoshida on drums, a constantly energetic and engaging rhythmic powerhouse whose distinctive playing brings a refreshing solidity to Fujii’s music, which is sometimes lacking in her many improvisational recordings; 2. Hayakawa Takeharu’s electric bass, which is often overdriven in a way reminiscent of classic Magma music, not to mention Hugh Hopper, and brings an intensity to the proceedings; 3. Natsuki Tamura’s playing is tilted more towards the conventional than the avant-garde, reminding us that he is a really fine jazz player aside from the weird noises he’s known for; 4. The seven tracks feature a lot of improvisation, but are much more structured than much of Fujii’s work, providing the listener with themes to latch onto and great moments of ensemble playing. In the more composed sections, I would hesitate to use the word “tight” because Yoshida’s drums treat the rhythmic figures as jumping-off points rather than strict markers. Many of the drummers in Fujii’s groups tend towards the more free and abstract, but Yoshida’s version of free is much more aggressive than the others. When Hayakawa’s bass is growling like it wants to defect to a metal band, the other musicians respond by attacking their instruments with great intensity. But within the maelstrom of energy, there is a lyrical sense that shines through. I suppose listeners who favor more traditional jazz sounds might be put off by the raw electric sound, but they aren’t the people who are likely to go for Fujii’s acoustic music either. And for fans of the jazzier side of Magma or the wilder side of Soft Machine, Dog Days of Summer should be a real treat.

Filed under: New releases, 2024 releases

Related artist(s): Tatsuya Yoshida, Satoko Fujii, Natsuki Tamura

More info
http://satokofujii.bandcamp.com/album/dog-days-of-summer

 

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