A trumpet and a voice. Nothing but a trumpet and a voice. Piercing through the air like a lament ; a primal scream .
Natsuki Tamura is no stranger to fans of Japanese jazz. He's the featured trumpeter for his wife, Satoko Fujii's quartet and Orchestra. The man has been described as a reincarnated Don Cherry. On his 2nd solo release , Ko Ko Ko Ke , he decided to veer 180 degrees from his previous one. This disc is very moody, very haunting, and very experimental. Tamura has made up a fictitious language which sounds like a chant. Each song is basically comprised of a lone trumpet line, which remains very close to the melody line, interspersed with spoken word. The overall effect is startling. Vivid imagery quickly comes to mind of a memorial ceremony, or a religious rite . Very difficult at first approach, the tracks tend to draw you in , as you sit mesmerized and transfixed.
This disc is a far cry from anything this man has ever been associated with so those of you ( like myself) who are expecting this to be a bombastic jazz excursion like his Satoko Fujii outpourings will be thrown for a major loop. This disc is a stark musical excursion which tends to render the listener melancholic. As palatable and hard to digest as raw squid, this one's an acquired taste for sure.
Track Listing:
- Mekinaka
- Peng
- Nettara Mottara
- Tahi Tahi
- Shamisen
- Kogena Agena
- Ko Ko Ko Ke
- Honamesa
- Pasurija
- Taiko
- Guta
- Epura
- Syste
- Samidare
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