Satoko Fujii Quartet

Dog Days of Summer

 Libra

Pianist and composer Satoko Fujii has already released two albums in 2024 covered on these pages and now there is a third. Fujii reconvenes her avant jazz-rock quartet after an 18-year hiatus. Perhaps some of the impetus for this was her recent duo album, ALOFT with trumpeter Naksuki Tamura, a member of this fiery quartet  Her rhythm mates differ from those in her Tokyo Trio for this past January’s Jet Black with Fujii turning to her longtime collaborators bassist Takeharu Hayakawa and drummer Tatsuya Yoshida. Considering that the trio album was an unpredictable raging fire, Dog Days of Summer goes further, into volcanic and equally unpredictable territory. This is a foursome playing without any guardrails and bent on adventurous rides. As Fujii says, not willing to retreat to their music  from almost two decades ago, “I don’t like looking back…I believe good music needs to be alive, and that means it changes. I want each project to be a new step forward.”  That may sound like words from our current Vice President’s campaign but this has nothing to do with that, of course.

The group was first formed in 2001 and released five albums, until taking a pause after their last recording in 2006. So Dog Days of Summer is their sixth. Fujii uses odd meters, different dialogues within the quartet, and lots of tension and release through her singular mix of free jazz and jazz-rock. Her music is thunderous, exciting, and full of surprise. Four of the seven tracks extend beyond seven minutes, as she gives free rein for individual statements within each piece. The sharply angular, behind-the backbeat opening to “Not Together” dissolves into inspiring free jazz before the quartet reconvenes the opening choppy rhythm to take it out.  Then we plunge into calm waters in the duet between Fujii’s jazzy piano and Hayakawa’s thumping rock-like bass lines in the duet “Haru wo Matsu” that eventually invites in the drummer and trumpeter to engage in odd-meter swing, with Tamura especially soaring aggressively over intensely rumbling accompaniment.

The standout track is arguably “Metropolitan Expressway,” featuring Hayakawa at his fierce, rock-like best, making his standup sound like an electric bass as Fujii’s glistening pianism follows. Tamura enters on frantic, anguished muted trumpet, with Fujii morphing to free jazz antics while Yoshida keeps steering the unit mightily, until he too makes a declarative statement.each with a uniquely different voice that somehow binds together to bring it to an abrupt Ornette-like finale. The boisterous “A Parcel for You” is defined by two duos heading in divergent paths as bass meets drums and trumpet meets piano – a rousing mashup of free jazz and avant rock. “Circle Dance,” the lengthiest track at over 11 minutes begins with abstract doodling before Yoshida establishes a tight groove over which Tamura blows remarkably lyrical lines, spiked with jabs and bursts over a feverishly busy rhythm trio that gives the leader a long leash around the five minute mark. She proceeds to violently attack the piano in concert with Tamura’s throbbing beats and yes, they make way for Hayakawa too before coming together for another abrupt close.

“Low” churns along mightily in its start-stop rhythms, each member passing the baton to the next to the point where the solos intersect and blur together in gleeful free jazz.  The closing title track consistently displays these distinctive individual voices – Hayakawa’s bent toward rock, Yoshida’s creative, kinetic energy, Tamura’s abilty to straddle the melodic and the free, and Fujii’s facility to change on a dime and play both ‘in’ and ‘out’ with ease.

Satoko Fujii’s quartet shows no rust. They play loosely, free, and aggressively throughout.  While the title Dog Days of Summer implies sloth, there is nary a trace of it here. This is an album of relentless pedal-to-the-metal energy, a true gift to adventurous listeners.

– Jim Hynes

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