Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin: Ichigo Ichie
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin: Ichigo Ichie
By
Count Basie
piano1904 - 1984

Satoko Fujii
pianob.1958
For sixteen-plus years, she has established large jazz orchestras in New York, Tokyo, Nagoya, and Kobe. She now gives us Orchestra Berlin, from her place of residence since 2011. Each city's orchestra finds the finest in forward thinking performers and improvisers to accomplish the intricate and elaborate music she composes. This Berlin recording follows Shiki (Libra Records, 2014) by her Orchestra New York, a 15-piece big band with among others,

Steven Bernstein
trumpetb.1961

Dave Ballou
trumpet
Oscar Noriega
clarinet
Ellery Eskelin
saxophone, tenorb.1959

Tony Malaby
saxophone, tenorIn Berlin, she assembled local players and expatriate musicians living in Berlin, plus two regular collaborators, husband/trumpeter

Natsuki Tamura
trumpetb.1951

Peter Orins
drums
Dave Rempis
saxophoneb.1975

Ernest Dawkins
saxophoneb.1953

Kent Kessler
bass, acousticb.1957

Michael Zerang
drumsb.1958
Like all great leaders, she adapts the music to her assembled players. The four- part "Ichigo Ichie" opens with the clash and rumble of drummers (and yes, Peter Orins is an undiscovered superstar) jump-starting the river of music. The piece alternates between the formidable power of the large ensemble and the improvising (sometimes minimalist improvising) of the assembled players. Fujii sequences the whispered breath of trumpets and the storm surges of her orchestra to great effect. Gush, then Jan Roder's bass solo, rush followed by the whispered growls of Matthias Müller's trombone. Here music juxtaposes power and poetry, front lines versus the electric guitar effects of Kazuhisa Uchihashi's guitar. This quiet/loud dynamic has been a hallmark of her music for years. That, coupled with her composing, allows the players to navigate the written charts, but more importantly deliver noteworthy improvised parts.
The four-parts occupy about forty minutes of music. There is an additional piece, "ABCD," a composition written in graphics and with signaled improvisation cues for players to reassemble differently for each performance. The compositon doesn't lack locomotion or balance. It's momentum comes full stop before Fujii herself floats over her keyboards combining the music of

Cecil Taylor
piano1929 - 2018

Paul Bley
piano1932 - 2016
Track Listing
Ichigo Ichie 1; Ichigo Ichie 2; Ichigo Ichie 3; Ichigo Ichie 4; ABCD.
Personnel
Satoko Fujii
pianoMatthias Schubert: tenor saxophone; Gebhard Ullmann: tenor saxophone; Paulina Owczarek: baritone saxophone; Natsuki Tamura: trumpet; Richard Koch: trumpet; Nikolaus Neuser: trumpet; Matthias Müller: trombone; Kazuhisa Uchihashi: guitar; Satoko Fujii: piano; Jan Roder: bass; Michael Griener: drums; Peter Orins: drums.
Album information
Title: Ichigo Ichie | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Libra Records
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