Satoko Fujii has so many ensembles and most of each serves a purpose as an outlet for one aspect of her composing approach. Five of those bands include large orchestras and her Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York may be the crown jewel of them all, as this band has always been stuffed full of the city’s world class musicians. What’s more, the lack of turnover over the 23-year life of this band — this thirteen piece band still has nine original members — is a strong signal that this is not a stepping stone to greater projects; it’s the pinnacle of the modern big bands along with Maria Schneider’s orchestra. Entity is the eleventh album from SFONY, with only trombonist Joey Sellers swapped out for alto sax player Briggan Krauss.
New York experimental jazz mainstays Nels Cline (guitar) and Ches Smith (drums) were the new kids on the block for the prior album Fukushima and both get the bright hot light shining on them for much of the opener “Entity” in a performance where Fujii left plenty of room for improvisation. Also her trademark, the improvisational moments still fit into the larger, charted course. The mass of musicians make their way to an apex led by a fiery tenor sax explosion from Tony Malaby.
Everyone gets a chance to shine, it doesn’t matter what they play…it’s usually scripted out by Fujii while she’s penning these arrangements. Electric bassist Stomu Takeishi is tabbed during “Flashback” for a back-and-forth with Herb Robertson playing a muted trumpet with astonishing facility (Takeishi’s rubbery bass is also prowling all over “Gounkaiku” and kicks off “Elementary Particle”). Just as it seems that the performance has broken down into a series of free jazz moments, the ensemble gathers itself and takes the song to a strong ending with interlocking harmonies demonstrating the collective power of a baker’s dozen of crack musicians.
What sets Fujii apart from most composers is not just her innate ability to write to the strengths of the people actually carrying out her piece; she also is a master at wringing complex emotions out of sheet music. There’s a solemn but pregnant air about the beginning stages of “Gounkaiku”, that settles into a majestic stroll, a perfect setting for David Ballou’s euphonic trumpet feature.
“Elementary Particle” ends up being a track-length stage for Ellery Eskelin’s tenor sax flights, then the concluding, bewitching “Everlasting” trots out soloists in unconventional pairs. First up is Natsuki Tamura pitting his trumpet against Curtis Hasselbring’s trombone followed by Krauss’ alto sax going up against the baritone sax of Andy Laster.
Satoko Fujii, as you may have guessed by now, doesn’t play an instrument in her New York Orchestra; she conducts it. Still, there is hardly a more accurate manifestation of her genius artistry than with this ensemble. Entity is genius as interpreted by thirteen virtuosos.
Libra Records will offer up Entity for sale on February 14, 2020.
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