Biography

"Satoko Fujii is one of the more arresting new voices in jazz." --- Stuart Broomer, Coda

Pianist and composer SATOKO FUJII splits her time between New York City and Japan where she has an active performing and recording career. She has received wide acclaim for her music, which is a unique combination of jazz, contemporary classical music and traditional Japanese folk music. Her compositional range is astonishing; her playing has been compared to that of Cecil Taylor, Keith Jarrett, Don Pullen, Paul Bley, Marilyn Crispell and Myra Melford; her bandleading abilities to George Russell. In the past few years, she has released nine CDs as a leader, one as co-leader. She has performed at clubs and festivals throughout the world, including the 1998 Texaco New York Jazz Festival, Tonic (NYC), the Knitting Factory (NYC), Willow Jazz Club (Boston), Pit Inn, Dug, Buddy (Tokyo) as well as the Yokohama Promenade Jazz Festival '98 and '99. In addition, she was invited by the Japan Foundation to do a solo performance at the 1999 Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival and, in March of 2000, Fujii performed as part of the 300th Anniversary of the Piano Concert Series at The Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC). Her CDs often appear in critics top 10 lists for Best CD of the Year, and she was honoured by the Jazz Journalists Association's Jazz Awards 2000 with a nomination for "Composer of the Year" along with Andrew Hill, Chick Corea, Dave Douglas, Dave Holland, Wynton Marsalis and Sam Rivers. In 2001, Satoko embarked on highly successful tours of Japan and Europe and was nominated as "Best Composer" by the Jazz Journalists Association.

Fujii began playing piano at age four and received classical training until age twenty. Then she realized that the improvisation that had come so easily to her as a child was now very difficult. So she decided to stop playing piano and began a band in which the members would sing and clap their hands to explore the origins of music. One year later, she changed her focus to jazz improvisation, coming back to the piano. She was inspired by her teacher, Koji Taku, a classical pianist and composer who at sixty quit his job as chairman of the piano department at Tokyo College of Art and Music to play jazz. Another inspiration was the Japanese jazz pianist Fumio Itabashi, who performed with Elvin Jones and Ray Anderson. Eventually, Fujii began private studies with Itabashi. In order to pursue her own interest in jazz, Fujii left home because her parents wanted her to continue her classical studies at college. Once on her own, she struggled with the expense of renting a piano room and supporting herself.

Fujii first came to the United States in 1985 when she received a scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music. Her teachers there included Herb Pomeroy and Bill Pierce. After graduating in 1987 magna cum laude with a Diploma of Professional Music, she returned to her musical career in Japan. Here her experiences included everything from performances at leading jazz clubs in Tokyo and Yokohama and teaching at the Yamaha Popular Music School to a seven-year

stint playing keyboards for television and recording music for the JI software company. Among the Japanese groups she worked with are Tobifudo, Joseph Jarman & Douglas Ewart Ensemble and Teruaki Todo. Fujii is featured on a 1990 release with Tobifudo .

In 1993, she was awarded a scholarship to attend the renowned New England Conservatory of Music, from which she received a Graduate Diploma in Jazz Performance in 1996. Among her teachers were jazz greats George Russell, Cecil McBee and Paul Bley. Mr. Bley was featured on her first CD Something About Water (Libra; 1996), a recording of improvised piano duets which received wide critical acclaim. "Distinguishing Bley from Fujii is guesswork; they play as equals, which represents a considerable achievement on Fujii's part," --- James Hale, Ottawa Citizen. "Their duets often sound like the work of one remarkable brain trust," --- K. Leander Williams, TimeOut NY. "Combines two piano voices in subtle, quiet interplay. The music has a crystalline spareness about it, the two players so intertwined it sounds almost like one voice. There is a floating lyricism to the music… like a delicate dance… sheer beauty." --- Michael Rosenstein, Cadence.

Fujii's 1997 recording Indication (Libra), is a stunning solo recital that features the pianist contrasting sound and silence in her music, often to dramatic effect. "Most vivid is the totality of her musicianship…. It's particularly encouraging to hear a pianist of her generation who is possessed of such a mature concept of space…. This is a most artfully-done endeavour." --- Chris Kelsey, Cadence. "I was knocked out by this brilliant collection of solo piano pieces. Indication evoked memories of my enthusiastic reaction to Keith Jarrett's Facing You in the early 1970s…. Fujii's output here is very much in that lineage, as well as her obvious inculcation in classical music… startling power." --- Michael J. Williams, American Reporter. "This is some of the most gifted and expressive solo piano I've heard in many years.… Most Highly Recommended." --- Rotcod Zzaj, Improvijazzation Nation.

In 1997 Fujii and her husband, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, released the duo CD How Many? (Leo Lab). "Together Tamura and Fujii construct perfect little structures; their collaboration is balanced, astute, and very musical. A lovely album." --- Chris Kelsey, Cadence. "Tamura's trumpet caterwauls through the opening tune…. Fujii serves as the ideal foil, with an intuitive sense of when to underscore or contrast Tamura's blowing. Their music catches you unaware, creating tension and intrigue." --- Marcela Breton, JazzTimes. "A rare breed of mood-derived propulsion…. Fujii's solo, 'Kaleidoscope', recalls her delicate but salient lyricism."--- Sam Prestianni, Jazziz.

In 1998, Fujii was featured on two exceptional, critically acclaimed recordings. Her piano trio recording Looking Out of the Window on the Japanese label Nippon Crown, has been hailed as "An album to remember!" by Yukihiko Sugie in Jazz Life. The CD earned wide acclaim and was chosen as a Top 10 CD of the Year by both Coda and Jazziz magazines. Looking Out of the Window puts her in a traditional trio setting and the results are exhilarating."--- James Hale, Ottawa Citizen. "Fujii is in the sphere of players (Myra Melford and Geri Allen come to mind) who can completely take over a set with their sheer energy and creativity. To her credit, she has enlisted two extremely able artists in Dresser and Black who are capable of

carrying a session with their own dynamism.… Fujii displays power and sensitivity, while Dresser and Black fit like a glove with the fast-paced program… quite rewarding."--- Frank Rubolino, Cadence.

Her other 1998 recording South Wind (Leo Lab) was equally praised as "an enormously successful orchestral debut.… For those of you on the lookout for a state-of-the-art, end-of-the-millennium big band, it has arrived." --- Michael Davis, Option. Editor's Choice. An avant-garde big band capable of raising a ruckus rivalled only by a herd of elephants tumbling into a ravine…. What makes her special is her developing gift for blending composition and improvisation, as well as a progressive vision that sees no boundaries within tonality and no restrictions within the avant-garde."--- Drew Wheeler, Jazz Central Station. "This orchestra album shows her avant-garde musical essence, as well as her rather dry sense of humour. This fresh album shows Fujii's talent coming into bloom. This album may well change the Japanese jazz scene, which currently lacks a diverse range of musical ideas." ---Masahiko Yu, Shinano Mainichi Newspaper. South Wind also received Cadence "Editor's Choice" plus two "Writer's Choice" awards from Coda magazine.

In 1999 John Zorn's Tzadik label released Fujii's Kitsune-bi which showcased her playing in three intimate groupings: in duo with her long-time associate Sachi Hayasaka, in trio with the dynamic NY rhythm section of Mark Dresser and Jim Black and her critically acclaimed solo playing. "Satoko Fujii negotiates the path between Cecil Taylor's hyper-kinetic dissonance and more meditative styles of piano players like Randy Weston and Abdullah Ibrahim…. Fujii transforms jazz into something architectural, full of designed shapes that jut and jab at the silence of an enclosed space… an intimate album, full of interior explorations and adventures."--- Michael Kramer, New York Times. "This fine comprovising pianist gets better with every album, and her new Kitsune-bi is no exception." ---Richard Gehr, Village Voice. "… one of the most exciting young pianists in improvised music." ---James Hale, Ottawa Citizen.

In addition, Libra Records released Past Life by the Satoko Fujii Sextet in April of 1999, also to high praise. "I've already shortlisted this record for consideration in my year-end best. Fujii has assembled an excellent group and given them first-rate material with which to work."--- Robert Iannapollo, Cadence. "Fujii's own chops are unimpeachable, combining the studied precision of Paul Bley with the muscular attack of Cecil."--- Mike Zimbouski, Signal To Noise. "Past Life creates a fine balance between Fujii's stark composing and the myriad of textures created by her band's soloing."--- Dave McElfresh, JazzNow.

Jo (Buzz) featuring her NY big band was released in January 2000, again meeting with critical acclaim. "Satoko Fujii rounded up some crack players for this big-band date, and they interpret her melodiously left-of-center compositions and those of her husband, Natsuki Tamura, with real verve… the lyrical edge of the players and the leaders' focused production make Jo consistently involving." --- Billboard. "This new album showcases [Fujii's] considerable abilities as a composer/organizer, the contrast between the majestic 'Japanesque' melodies with grandiose orchestrations

and the rustlings of unique soloists will especially astound Western listeners."--- Masanori Tada, Out There. "I am so glad I took the time and made the effort to really listen to this challenging but incredibly beautiful CD." --- Jeanette Housner, Victory Review.

In 2000, Fujii continued to reward us with more CDs. The Japanese label East Works released Double Take in June, featuring Satoko's New York big band on one CD and her Japanese big band on another in a fascinating juxtaposition. "The latest, and most ambitious, orchestral project… With all its diverse energies, from turntable and toys to ancient penatonics, Double Take seems like a musical future that's here already." --- Stuart Broomer, Coda. "2000 Top Ten Critics' Picks" --- Martin Wisckol, The Orange County Register. "Writers' Choice 2000" --- Benjamin Franklin V and Marc Chenard, Coda. "Y2K Top 10 Lists" --- Steve Koenig and Dave Wayne, JazzWeekly.

"Fujii's trio album Toward 'To West' featuring Fujii with Mark Dresser and Jim Black was released on Enja in August and met with more accolades. "The Year's Best Jazz Top 10" --- Nate Chinen, Philadelphia CityPaper. "Her most substantial and musically rewarding small group outing to date…. Besides all of the purposeful soloing, sinuous flow and hard-edged musings, Ms. Fujii injects a potpourri of underlying themes and fluctuating cross-currents into her music… and perhaps the best is yet to come, as we watch her star rapidly ascend above the horizon! Highly recommended. ***** (out of 5)" ---Glenn Astarita, All About Jazz

Satoko Fujii's duo recording with Mark Feldman, April Shower, was released in February 2001 and will be followed by another trio collaboration with Mark Dresser, and Jim Black, also on EWE.

4/2001