Fumio Itabashi Special Unit
July 24, 2023 Aketa no Mise
Fumio Itabashi 板橋文夫 – piano
Ruike Shinpei 類家心平 -- trumpet
Ryuichi Yoshida 吉田隆一 – baritone saxophone
Daysuke Takaoka 高岡大祐 – tuba
Takashi Seo 瀬尾高志 – bass
Naoki Takahashi 高橋直希 – drums
The best part of hearing one of Fumio Itabashi’s groups is that from the first song, you have no idea where he’s going. At Aketa no Mise, he started playing totally out, letting each of the musicians bring their own chaos to the stage, and work their way in. That let the audience warmup, too. And then, just to see if everyone was paying attention, he finished the totally free opener with a little Count Basie ending. A kind of musical whiplash.
From there, the special unit was ready to move into a free funk version (more whiplash) of a song from Dollar Brand, the revered African pianist. That took everyone’s ears in another direction altogether. The band synced into the rhythmic exploration. From there, the unit segued (if that’s the right word) to an especially delicate version of Coltrane’s “Naima.” Many crowds would have been left behind, but not at Aketa no Mise. Everyone from hardcore Itabashi businessman fans to the high school girl in her sports uniform were ready to follow Itabashi anywhere.
Little by little, as the musicians moved easily between the song styles, they blurred any difference between genres, approaches, or styles. Intensity became the common thread, and creativity the driving force. Bassist Seo was as bold on arco as on fast full-on passages. Yoshida’s baritone sax ranged from warmth to wildness with equal facility.
Takaoka on tuba was particularly amazing, and not just because the instrument is somewhat rare. He blended in easily on the calmer and the wilder songs, his solos broke open the room. Like all great free players, he has an amazing range, using the instrument, and its parts, in unique ways for unique sounds.
Drummer Takahashi was also impressive, whether driving the time forward or responding to the subtleties of everyone’s solos. He handled both and added his own approach. He has a real command of the drums but not one that commands. He never interfered with the direction others took, but never just followed either. He was in constant conversation with everyone.
The standout of the evening was “Alligator Dance,” landing somewhere between funky and free. It had an amazing intro, a startling drum solo, and a melody as catchy as it was intricate. Blues, funk, free, straight jazz, big band touches, small group, it’s all part of Itabashi’s unique mix, and “Alligator Dance” was the most perfect blending of all of them.
Sitting at the piano, Itabashi is a presence. He commands a looseness in the room that everyone, onstage and off, respects and enters into. Itabashi knows how to pick the right guys for his special blend of music, and he draws his own special audience. And when he does, he keeps the intensity high and the music intriguing.
