If ever an album needed a video of the performance, “Duet” by pianist Satoko Fuji and bassist Joe Fonda (Long Song Records) is one. Not that the music the duo performs is not strong on its own but it would be enhanced by watching the musicians playing and interacting. Personally, I have seen Mr. Fonda play numerous times and there are few people I have seen who are as “one with their instrument” as he. If you listen closely to this recording, you can hear him breathe and occasionally sing.

This is a recording of the first time Ms. Fujii and the bassist ever met and played together. They certainly knew each other’s works and sense of adventure so it comes as little surprise that this performance goes in so many directions and never loses it’s focus. The first cut, “Paul Bley”, is 37:32 seconds of powerful music, with both musicians really digging in, pushing each other to go deeper, to take musical chances – the closing moments are simply beautiful. The second track, “JSN”, adds the pianist’s husband Natsuki Tamura on amplified trumpet to the duo. Also totally improvised, it’s a meditative piece, moving out of its rubato interaction of trumpet and bass into a poetic piano melody supported by the full bass tones. The trumpeter plays quiet bells in the background and slowly the intensity rises with the insistent piano pushing the others to raise the volume. Later on, Ms. Fujii plays inside the piano as her husband creates a sonic storm and Mr. Fonda moves to flute. The piece fades out at just over 11 minutes.

Satoko Fujii and Joe Fonda meet for the first time yet their mature and and adventuresome musical interactions sound as if they have been together on the bandstand for decades. Because both musicians have long careers creating challenging and rewarding performances, they trust each other to be “free” and honest. For more information, go to www.longsongrecords.com.If ever an album needed a video of the performance, “Duet” by pianist Satoko Fuji and bassist Joe Fonda (Long Song Records) is one. Not that the music the duo performs is not strong on its own but it would be enhanced by watching the musicians playing and interacting. Personally, I have seen Mr. Fonda play numerous times and there are few people I have seen who are as “one with their instrument” as he. If you listen closely to this recording, you can hear him breathe and occasionally sing.

This is a recording of the first time Ms. Fujii and the bassist ever met and played together. They certainly knew each other’s works and sense of adventure so it comes as little surprise that this performance goes in so many directions and never loses it’s focus. The first cut, “Paul Bley”, is 37:32 seconds of powerful music, with both musicians really digging in, pushing each other to go deeper, to take musical chances – the closing moments are simply beautiful. The second track, “JSN”, adds the pianist’s husband Natsuki Tamura on amplified trumpet to the duo. Also totally improvised, it’s a meditative piece, moving out of its rubato interaction of trumpet and bass into a poetic piano melody supported by the full bass tones. The trumpeter plays quiet bells in the background and slowly the intensity rises with the insistent piano pushing the others to raise the volume. Later on, Ms. Fujii plays inside the piano as her husband creates a sonic storm and Mr. Fonda moves to flute. The piece fades out at just over 11 minutes.

Satoko Fujii and Joe Fonda meet for the first time yet their mature and and adventuresome musical interactions sound as if they have been together on the bandstand for decades. Because both musicians have long careers creating challenging and rewarding performances, they trust each other to be “free” and honest. For more information, go to www.longsongrecords.com.

The pairing of pianist Satoko Fujii, 58, and bassist Joe Fonda, 62, for a Duet concert recording in the Meloon Chapel of the Woodfords Congregational Church in Portland Maine was made even more magical than it already was when Fujii’s husband, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, surprisingly bum-rushed the stage to make the second set into a trio.

There’s only two tracks on Duet (Long Song Records). “Paul Bley” is the duo arresting time and space in reorganizing the molecules of their own environment for a full 37:10. Named after pianist Bley who helped pioneer the kind of free-jazz that Fujii, especially, writes, arranges and performs, it’s a twisting, turning circuitous romp through the imaginations of both participants. Her solos contain sharp angles, even sharper left turns, syncopation run amok and the kind of arpeggios that surprise and delight.

Bassist Fonda is super-attuned to her every tic. When you consider that the two never performed together or never even met, the results are jaw-dropping. No stranger to free-jazz, Fonda was the bassist in Anthony Braxton’s avant-garde band from ’84 to ’99. In the new century, he’s been in, out and back in again with no less than five different ongoing bands while still leading two of his own bands, one of which, From The Source, includes his bass with four instrumentalists, a tap dancer and a body healer who sings. He has recorded 12 CDs under his own name.

Fujii has had her name on over 80 albums in Japan where her music straddles folk, classical, avant-garde pop and, of course, jazz. As a composer, she’s been called “The Ellington Of Free-Jazz” for, not the least of which, her forays into dissonance and chord-less meanderings.

The second set consists of one 11:20 “JSN” jam and, truth be known, her husband steals the show with his woodpecker staccato trumpet. Put aside all your notions of melody, harmony, rhythm and beats. Duet is here to freak you out. And it will. Just give it time.The pairing of pianist Satoko Fujii, 58, and bassist Joe Fonda, 62, for a Duet concert recording in the Meloon Chapel of the Woodfords Congregational Church in Portland Maine was made even more magical than it already was when Fujii’s husband, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, surprisingly bum-rushed the stage to make the second set into a trio.

There’s only two tracks on Duet (Long Song Records). “Paul Bley” is the duo arresting time and space in reorganizing the molecules of their own environment for a full 37:10. Named after pianist Bley who helped pioneer the kind of free-jazz that Fujii, especially, writes, arranges and performs, it’s a twisting, turning circuitous romp through the imaginations of both participants. Her solos contain sharp angles, even sharper left turns, syncopation run amok and the kind of arpeggios that surprise and delight.

Bassist Fonda is super-attuned to her every tic. When you consider that the two never performed together or never even met, the results are jaw-dropping. No stranger to free-jazz, Fonda was the bassist in Anthony Braxton’s avant-garde band from ’84 to ’99. In the new century, he’s been in, out and back in again with no less than five different ongoing bands while still leading two of his own bands, one of which, From The Source, includes his bass with four instrumentalists, a tap dancer and a body healer who sings. He has recorded 12 CDs under his own name.

Fujii has had her name on over 80 albums in Japan where her music straddles folk, classical, avant-garde pop and, of course, jazz. As a composer, she’s been called “The Ellington Of Free-Jazz” for, not the least of which, her forays into dissonance and chord-less meanderings.

The second set consists of one 11:20 “JSN” jam and, truth be known, her husband steals the show with his woodpecker staccato trumpet. Put aside all your notions of melody, harmony, rhythm and beats. Duet is here to freak you out. And it will. Just give it time.

Pianist Satoko Fujii coming from Japan, and is, in my opinion, one of the toughest jazz musicians on the planet at present. She moved across the ocean in 1985, to study at Berklee, where she finished in 1985, when she returned to Japan. But where she could not be. So in 1993 she sat in the nose against the United States, where she studied further in New England Conservatory of Music until 1996. Then it was the sea again, to Japan with her husband, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura.

But she has not let go of the United States, and the 15th November 2015, she was in a church in Portland, along with the householder and the American bassist Joe Fonda, to record “Duet.”

Joe Fonda was born in Amsterdam, New York to parents who both played jazz. In his youth he started, like so many others, with guitar, before he went over to bass guitar. He also studied at Berklee, where he started playing acoustic bass. Since then he has been an active bassist in the freer part of the American jazz scene, and he has recorded with, among others, trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith.

In “Duet” we get two long compositions. The first they called “Paul Bley” and is a tribute to the late pianist that lasts throughout the 37 minutes and 10 seconds, and there’s not a moment too long. They get two really shown himself. Fujii inside and piano, as if it was Aki Takase, Eve Risser or Cecil Taylor who held on, and Fonda with his powerful and magnificent bass. All the way improvised it and the song will be created there and then. It is extremely creative and tough. Fujii is a powerful pianist who puts something in between, and with Fonda as accomplice, so this is very exciting and interesting. We can, with a little good will, recognize Paul Bley in the way she spoiller on, when she is staying at the black and white keys, but since she operates as often inside the piano, so she creates something completely separate, which is fascinating and fine.

And Fonda, who I believe has been far too little attention over the years, is a powerful bassist in line with William Parker, although his playing is more European than Parker.

On the second track, “JSN” they have also Natsuki Tamura on trumpet, and the soundstage is a little different. We know him best from the band Gato Libre, but he has also worked with Larry Ochs from Rova Saxophone Quartet, the Dutch pianist Misha Mengelberg, saxophonist Elliot Sharp, pianist Paul Bley and a number of Japanese musicians.

The “JSN” is he who opens, with a bit thin and sore intro before “mistress” takes over the lead, together with Fondas bass. In Fujiis game here I feel like Misha Mengelberg and Thelonious Monk hovering over the waters. But it is constantly distinctive to Fujii, together with Fondas powerful bass dominate. When Tamura enters, together with Fondas flute, the music in a slightly different direction, without excitement or intensity disappears.

The three musicians play is powerful music is creative, beautiful, exciting and challenging, and I can not understand why these musicians have not been placed on any of the jazz festivals in the Nordic countries in recent years.

But it’s never too late! If the three show up at one of the festivals or clubs in your vicinity, it is only to secure a place, for this is one of the most exciting things I’ve heard in a long timePianist Satoko Fujii coming from Japan, and is, in my opinion, one of the toughest jazz musicians on the planet at present. She moved across the ocean in 1985, to study at Berklee, where she finished in 1985, when she returned to Japan. But where she could not be. So in 1993 she sat in the nose against the United States, where she studied further in New England Conservatory of Music until 1996. Then it was the sea again, to Japan with her husband, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura.

But she has not let go of the United States, and the 15th November 2015, she was in a church in Portland, along with the householder and the American bassist Joe Fonda, to record “Duet.”

Joe Fonda was born in Amsterdam, New York to parents who both played jazz. In his youth he started, like so many others, with guitar, before he went over to bass guitar. He also studied at Berklee, where he started playing acoustic bass. Since then he has been an active bassist in the freer part of the American jazz scene, and he has recorded with, among others, trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith.

In “Duet” we get two long compositions. The first they called “Paul Bley” and is a tribute to the late pianist that lasts throughout the 37 minutes and 10 seconds, and there’s not a moment too long. They get two really shown himself. Fujii inside and piano, as if it was Aki Takase, Eve Risser or Cecil Taylor who held on, and Fonda with his powerful and magnificent bass. All the way improvised it and the song will be created there and then. It is extremely creative and tough. Fujii is a powerful pianist who puts something in between, and with Fonda as accomplice, so this is very exciting and interesting. We can, with a little good will, recognize Paul Bley in the way she spoiller on, when she is staying at the black and white keys, but since she operates as often inside the piano, so she creates something completely separate, which is fascinating and fine.

And Fonda, who I believe has been far too little attention over the years, is a powerful bassist in line with William Parker, although his playing is more European than Parker.

On the second track, “JSN” they have also Natsuki Tamura on trumpet, and the soundstage is a little different. We know him best from the band Gato Libre, but he has also worked with Larry Ochs from Rova Saxophone Quartet, the Dutch pianist Misha Mengelberg, saxophonist Elliot Sharp, pianist Paul Bley and a number of Japanese musicians.

The “JSN” is he who opens, with a bit thin and sore intro before “mistress” takes over the lead, together with Fondas bass. In Fujiis game here I feel like Misha Mengelberg and Thelonious Monk hovering over the waters. But it is constantly distinctive to Fujii, together with Fondas powerful bass dominate. When Tamura enters, together with Fondas flute, the music in a slightly different direction, without excitement or intensity disappears.

The three musicians play is powerful music is creative, beautiful, exciting and challenging, and I can not understand why these musicians have not been placed on any of the jazz festivals in the Nordic countries in recent years.

But it’s never too late! If the three show up at one of the festivals or clubs in your vicinity, it is only to secure a place, for this is one of the most exciting things I’ve heard in a long time