Two words come to mind when describing pianist Satoko Fujii. They are prolific and intense. Prolific because she has recorded over one hundred albums. In fact, to celebrate her 60th birthday, she recorded an album each month. Intense is rather obvious when one listens to the thunderous, even extreme at times, sounds she produces on those 88 keys. You’ve been forewarned; that extreme potency is evident in the opening notes to this album yet you’ll also find tender, gorgeous playing as well. We may well suggest adding a third word, graceful, after listening to this work. Yama Kawa Umi, Japanese for Mountain, River, Sea is the second trio album with her husband, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, and drummer Ramon Lopez, following their 2020 debut, Mantle, on this same label. They reconvened during a touring break in Paris “to see if we could deepen our trio music,” said Fujii. She and Tamura wrote music specifically for this trio. The resulting music envisions a stream that begins high aloft in the mountains, at first gentle, then violent at times as it cascades down the slopes, eventually broadening to a river, which too has potent rippling and calmer aspects, eventually emptying peacefully into a lake or ocean.
This is a trio operating as one developing this imagery. Solos are brief as the music relies mostly on careful interaction and attentive, focused listening. “Headwaters” begins with one minute of explosive, head banging energy before receding into a calmer, steady paced soundscape as if the water is contemplating its next step. This pattern of thought is fleshed out more fully in “Signpost” which does have a series of solos that build into a layered trio section build on short bursts, simple rhythms, and a judicious use of both space and note placement.
Tamura’s “Sparking Water” is a terrific musical representation of the water finding its way down the mountain, full of twists and turns through his muted trumpet as Lopez stay with him on each step. Then, as in “Headwaters,” the music abruptly recedes to Fujii’s lyrical passage before she builds intensity, reaching inside the piano for bass notes, as Lopez rattles his cymbals and Tamura’s agitated trumpet conveys the struggles of the water finding a unobstructed path. “One Day Later” has the trio in a rather pensive mode, signifying the broadening of the river via pensive trumpet, flurries of brush work, and carefully placed lines from Fujii. Tamura’s “Cold Water” begins with energetic drumming, and continues in unsettled patterns with free playing from Fujii and more agitated lines from Tamura, to indicate the water is still indeed cold as it meanders down the slopes.
The title track, also composed by Namura, marks a transition point from the mountain to more level terrain. Fujii begins with a gripping solo and then the piece evolves into a group improvisation that weaves pensive passages with restless ones, replicating ever changing nature. “Dusk Sky” indicates that the water has found more even levels, now a broader river, flowing at an easy, steady pace. It’s another three-way musical conversation, punctuated by Lopez’s crafty kit work and Fujii’s delicate, minimalist approach.
Fuji’s “Bolognaise” seems to be a departure from the water concept. It’s the classic energy of Fujii with contrasting grooves, tempo changes, and free playing that is totally unpredictable. Lopez’s lone composition is the closer, “Malakoff,” a brief slice of free playing that once again accents Tamura’s unusual trumpet techniques. It builds to a massive crescendo and then simply fades, perhaps analogous to that rushing stream of water finally finding peace.
The best music can transport one to another place or allow one to conjure all kinds of visual imagery. This trio has done just that.
Should you be more curious, we have five other projects involving either Satoko Fujii or Natsuki Tamura on these pages. Just simply enter Satoko Fujii in the search box. While Fujii is also renowned for her large ensemble work, the projects referenced are trio, quartets, or duos. Trust us that her large ensemble work is well worth seeking out as well.
– Jim Hynes
Jim Hynes is a respected music reviewer and journalist celebrated for his thoughtful analysis and unwavering passion for a broad spectrum of music genres, particularly jazz, blues, and Americana. With a career spanning decades, Hynes has built a reputation for his articulate and insightful reviews that delve deep into the artistry, emotion, and cultural impact of the music he covers.
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Satoko Fujii – Natsuki Tamura – Ramon Lopez 
