The electronic work of Ikue Mori, trumpet and flugelhorn of Christian Pruvost, trumpet and voice of Natsuki, piano of the legendary Satoko Fujii and drumming of Peter Orins results in seven intuitive improvisations and explorations. The team plods through some dissonance and mouthpiece musings on “Rovodoza” with trickling electronics sounding like drops from a stalactite cave with trumpet toots on “Kappa”. Tweets and twoots dominate the eerie “Under The Feet” and the brass gurgles with voice on “Noir Poplar”. Sound effects creating effects of sound.
Pianist Satoko Fujii introduces a new trio with two younger and very active musicians on the Japanese jazz scene–bassist Takashi Sugawa and drummer Ittetsu Takemura–recording in 2020 at Pit Inn in Tokyo for their 3rd live date together, performing five lyrical Fujii original compositions, including "Aspirations" from her album with Leo Smith & Ikue Mori.
Live at Big Apple in Kobe captures a riveting, wildly unpredictable live performance by Mahobin, a formidable quartet of improvisers gathered together for the first time by pianist-composer Satoko Fujii. The recording is the eighth of Fujii’s yearlong birthday celebration which has her releasing a new CD every month. Joining her on this recording are trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, Danish saxophonist Lotte Anker, and laptop musician Ikue Mori. Performing without any compositions or pre-arranged plan, the quartet improvises a thrilling album of music laced with brilliant colors, compelling rhythms, and melodic beauty balanced with otherworldly abstraction.