Concept and project albums, especially double concept albums, tend to be interesting on first listen, but once you get the idea, it’s over. Geoff Goodman’s “Jazz and Haiku,” though, is the exception that proves the rule. This CD is a gorgeous, evocative combination of two beautiful artistic forms whose richness and revelations deepen with each listen. Of course, that’s what haiku and jazz are both all about—depth of insight. Goodman and band deliver that and then some. They have found the right resonating frequencies for the two artistic forms.
It becomes harder to review each Satoko Fujii release not because there are so many of them but because each one maintains such consistently high quality. She is prodigious in her output, but naturally so, each time signaling she still has a lot more music in her head to come. Each one of her recordings is less about hearing new songs than reentering the next stage of her musicality.
Of course, her songs do fall into song divisions, but there is more connection between her different songs than separation. They seem to be less complete, finished products, than an embrace of the process. Whether in a large group ensemble or a tightly focused quartet, her music is wild, pushy and energized. Like some musical rock climber, she looks for chinks and handholds in the cliff face that have never been grasped before, and then hoists herself and the other members up to the next sonic terrain.
Transplanted from Israel, Geila Zilkha has been singing for years in Japan. Anyone who has heard her live shows is thankful she’s here. She’s a pleasure as a performer and a knockout as a singer. On her latest release, she jumps right in to the fun just like she does at her live shows. The opening number, “Closet,” invites you right in to, well, her closet! It’s a sexy, grooving number that lets her character and charm come right to the surface.
Masahiro Tajika is one of the reasons I stayed in Tokyo. Years ago, I heard him one night at a small club near Koenji and his drumming made the trio take off and fly. I thought, wow, if there’s more jazz like this, I guess I can survive in Tokyo! I don’t usually think of the drums as the wings of a group, but with Tajika, that description fits perfectly. Tajika has played with almost everyone in Japan who is making serious, straight ahead jazz. He’s been the drummer on nearly two-dozen recordings, yet, strangely, this is the first CD under his own name. It was worth the wait. “Tahji” is an excellent recording.
Michiyo Yagi -- electric 21-string koto, 17-string bass koto Jim O’Rourke – electric guitar Tamaya Honda – drums
This intense trio plays straight on for a half hour at one go without the least slack. The intensity is striking, first of all, and then it dawns on you, she’s playing one of the most traditional Japanese instruments of all! You can feel her koto teachers rolling over in their graves, but the result is music that vibrates with passion. A trio like this one destabilizes all expectations from the first ‘notes’ and then takes you to brand new places.
ギラ・ジルカ Geila Zilkha – vocal
田鹿雅裕 Masahiro Tajika - drums
