Satoko Fujii GEN: Altitude 1100 Meters

LIBRA RECORDS 206-077 (RELEASED JANUARY 24, 2025)

Altitude 1100 Meters is a first! Not only is it the first time in her nearly 30-year recording career that pianist/composer Satoko Fujii has written for a string ensemble, but it is also the debut of GEN, the string ensemble featured on the session. Those of you familiar with Fujii’s work will not be surprised by the scope of this latest effort that blends her appreciation for improvisation with her contemporary classical music sensibilities. What makes Altitude 1100 Meters unique is the rarified air of Japan’s Nagano Mountains that inspired the session. According to Fujii, the music is more about how the air made her feel at different times of day during a recent visit to the mountains. A strong bass drone from Hiroshi Yoshino sets the mood as GEN’s swirling strings and thunderous drumming from Akira Horikoshi capture the elation of “Morning Haze.” Fujii balances her distinctive piano style with the string ensemble on “Morning Sun,” which also features a nice interlude from Fujii, Yoshino and Horikoshi, reminiscent of some of Fujii’s earlier trio sessions. A strong walking bass line and propulsive jazz rhythm is juxtaposed with swirling strings on “Early Afternoon.” Nothing has the feel of “Light Rain” more than Fujii’s use of pizzicato violins. prepared piano, percussion effects and deep bass notes, not to mention a soothing piano/violin duo before the storm approaches. Horikoshi’s march begins “Twilight” which morphs into a tender violin solo and resolves with slashing strings, cascading piano runs and explosive drumming. The members of GEN — violinists Yuriko Mukoujima and Ayako Kato and violist Atsuko Hatano — deserve recognition for their ability to bring Fujii’s compositions to life. Although Altitude 1100 Meters may not be in keeping with many of her earlier free jazz or Japanese-centric music recordings, it does share one common characteristic — a true sense of musical adventure in more ways than one.

BOTTOM LINE: This is not your typical Satoko Fujji release, but what is? With more than 100 recordings to her name, each one provides a unique opportunity for Fujii to demonstrate her prowess as a pianist, bandleader and composer. Altitude 1100 Meters is her opportunity to shine as a composer of a five-part suite for string ensemble inspired by her experiences of breathing the rarified air of the Nagano Mountains in Japan.