Fumio Karashima Trio with Okazaki

Shinjuku Pit InnJanuary 12, 2010Fumio Karashima – pianoRyu Kawamura – bassNobuyuki Komatsu - drumsMasanori Okazaki – saxFumio Karashima plays jazz that lets you know you are in the hands of a master. From the opening notes, the tight swing his quartet lays down flows out from the heart of jazz and never lets up. “Kanri”, written for the Pit Inn owner got right down deep into a driving pulse. Karashima is a leader that knows how to get the best out of the carefully chosen (much younger) members in his groups. The quartet flows from his two hands, but by guiding more than dominating. He opened up the first several tunes into a back-and-forth exchange among all the musicians that leveled up everyone where they ought to be.His leadership displayed itself on the approach to the first of several Thelonius Monk numbers, “Ruby My Dear.” Taking a page from Monk’s book, Karashima knows that these tunes need open spaces and soft handling. He never removes the quirkiness from Monk, but digs into their often-dormant swing and bop with equal attention. Unlike less seasoned leaders, he did not rip through it as simply bop, swing or pure Monkishness, but let the song develop at its own measured pace. That approach lets all the more heart into the total sound, especially with the calm reflection from everyone in the quartet.

That isn’t to say the evening was all ballads; Karashima knows how to turn up the flame and dig into fly-high, full-on bop. Even at fast tempos, he always plays with character and taste. Rather than using songs to establish meaning, he plays songs through his own individual ideas, drawing out the set of meanings within each song. The second set’s “Dolphin Dance” opened up into the variety of nuances and textures the song encourages. Karashima opens that up as a strong pianist he never plays too strongly, as a charismatic leader who doesn’t need to be out front, and as a hip player who knows subtlety is the always the most hip. On ballads like “So In Love” he really lets loose with his full keyboard sensibilities, lush, layered and hardworking. Easing into the lovely melody makes it even more engaging and appealing. That is just what jazz improvisation is supposed to do—enhance the melody! Karashima’s piano enhancements are at the center of every tune. The band brought along plenty of their own experience, too, not measured in years but in thoughtful musicianship and refined passion. It’s tempting to call Karashima’s playing perfect, but jazz has never been about perfection. His style of modern jazz has a steady hand that resolves tensions with the right balance: traditional-minded and change-ready; sharp-edged yet listenable; intense but relaxing. In other words, he plays jazz!