Here’s the part of the annual Best of 2017 lists that’s the most fun to pull together.

feature photo: Bryan Murray Now boasting a remarkable ten albums over twenty years, Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York today takes another step forward with Fukushima (Libra Records), the first new recordings from Satoko Fujii’s American large ensemble project since 2014’s Shiki. The best big band leaders know how to exploitRead More

Four masterfully intuitive musicians who regularly aspire for greater heights with each venture reach the summit together on Satoko Fujii’s ‘Aspiration.’

Through death comes transformation. Gato Libre is a band whose body has changed, but its original heart perseveres.

The sextet Trouble Kaze and their debut album ‘June’ is an inspired way to extend and expand on the ideas first put forward by the Japanese/French quartet Kaze.

As a celebration of the Satoko Fujii Orchestra Toyko’s fallen guitarist Kelly Churko, ‘Peace’ couldn’t be any more true to his memory and the fearlessness he brought to this band.

There isn’t anyone who is exploiting the possibilities presented by big band jazz more aggressively these days than Satoko Fujii. Another chapter in her orchestra book is opened with the Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin debut ‘Ichigo Ichie.’

With ‘Yamiyo Ni Karasu’, the transition from ma-do to Satoko Fujii’s exciting new quartet Tobira becomes complete.

Here is a review of ‘Nax,’ a free-jazz trumpet/bass encounter between Natsuki Tamura and Alexander Frangenheim.

This doesn’t often sound like big band music, as Fujii draws from every impulse at her disposal.