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Tomas Fujiwara’s 7 Poets Trio: Pith

By Mark Corroto
October 7, 2023
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The instructions that came with

Tomas Fujiwara

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Tomas Fujiwara's 2019 release, 7 Poets Trio (RogueArt), read, "I'd like to tell you as little as possible about this music before you listen to it... and create your own scenes for which these songs can be soundtracks." The same advice is warranted for Fujiwara's 7 Poets Trio follow up recording Pith.

Historically, the talented composer and drummer writes music with his band mate's individual voices in mind. He does so in ensembles such as his Sextet, Plustet, Triple Double, The Hook Up, his duos with

Taylor Ho Bynum

cornet
b.1975

" data-original-title="" title="">Taylor Ho Bynum, and his contributions to Thumbscrew with

Mary Halvorson

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Mary Halvorson and

Michael Formanek

bass, acoustic
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Michael Formanek, to name just a few. Same can be said for this trio with

Patricia Brennan

vibraphone

" data-original-title="" title="">Patricia Brennan and

Tomeka Reid

cello

" data-original-title="" title="">Tomeka Reid. This unique lineup of vibraphone, cello, and drums is a perfect soundtrack generator for the imagination.

"Solace" finds Reid pulling notes much like

Oscar Pettiford

bass
1922 - 1960

" data-original-title="" title="">Oscar Pettiford, meaning her cello models a standard bass sound, with Brennan and Fujiwara circling melody as the composition flowers. The trio can deliver a chamber-like sound on "Breath" or rock out as with "Swelter," whose driving pulse unravels into a maelstrom before reassembling itself into a kind of order. The dreamlike "Resolve" is painted with eerie bowed cello atmospherics and the tattoo of thunderous drums to create a ghostly soundscape. The one (sort of) straight-ahead jazz piece, "Josho," swings with a nonchalance you might associate with a mid-1960s

Bobby Hutcherson

vibraphone
1941 - 2016

" data-original-title="" title="">Bobby Hutcherson performance. It's quiet coolness is hip personified. Throughout Fujiwara's drums form a three way conversation with cello and vibes, one generating individualized soundtracks for your ears.

Learn more about our star rating system

Track Listing

Solace; Swelter; Resolve; Josho; Other; Breath.

Personnel

Tomas Fujiwara

drums

Patricia Brennan

vibraphone

Tomeka Reid

cello

Album information

Title: Pith | Year Released: 2023 | Record Label: Out Of Your Head Records

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