SATOKO FUJII

Avant-Garde Jazz / Progressive Big Band / Jazz Related Improv/Composition / 21st Century Modern / Third Stream / Eclectic Fusion • Japan
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SATOKO FUJII picture
For Satoko Fujii-Natsuki Tamura duo look under Tamura-Fujii

Born on October 9, 1958 in Tokyo, Japan, Fujii began playing piano at four and received classical training until twenty, when she turned to jazz. From 1985–87, she studied at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where her teachers included Herb Pomeroy and Bill Pierce. She returned to Japan for six years before returning to the US to study at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where her teachers included George Russell, Cecil McBee, and Paul Bley, who appeared on her debut CD Something About Water (Libra, 1996).

Since then Fujii has founded and led numerous ensembles, ranging from duos to big bands. Her New York trio with bassist Mark Dresser and drummer Jim Black has released seven critically acclaimed CDs. "Her most substantial and musically rewarding small group outing to date," wrote Glenn Astarita of their third release, Toward ‘To West’
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SATOKO FUJII Discography

SATOKO FUJII albums / top albums

SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii featuring Paul Bley ‎: Something About Water album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii featuring Paul Bley ‎: Something About Water
Avant-Garde Jazz 1996
SATOKO FUJII Indication album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Indication
Third Stream 1996
SATOKO FUJII Looking Out of the Window album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Looking Out of the Window
Avant-Garde Jazz 1997
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra (NY): South Wind album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra (NY): South Wind
Progressive Big Band 1997
SATOKO FUJII Past Life album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Past Life
Avant-Garde Jazz 1999
SATOKO FUJII Kitsune-Bi album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Kitsune-Bi
Avant-Garde Jazz 1999
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra East/  Satoko Fujii Orchestra West: Double Take album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra East/ Satoko Fujii Orchestra West: Double Take
Progressive Big Band 2000
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra (NY): Jo album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra (NY): Jo
Progressive Big Band 2000
SATOKO FUJII Toward, 0.00 | 0 ratings
Toward, "TO WEST"
Avant-Garde Jazz 2000
SATOKO FUJII Junction album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Junction
Avant-Garde Jazz 2001
SATOKO FUJII April Shower (with Mark Feldman) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
April Shower (with Mark Feldman)
Avant-Garde Jazz 2001
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Quartet : Vulcan album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Quartet : Vulcan
Avant-Garde Jazz 2001
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Quartet ‎: Minerva album cover 3.00 | 1 ratings
Satoko Fujii Quartet ‎: Minerva
Avant-Garde Jazz 2002
SATOKO FUJII Bell the Cat! album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Bell the Cat!
Avant-Garde Jazz 2002
SATOKO FUJII Zephyros album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Zephyros
Avant-Garde Jazz 2003
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra (NY): The Future of the Past album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra (NY): The Future of the Past
Progressive Big Band 2003
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Nagoyanian album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Nagoyanian
Progressive Big Band 2004
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra (NY): Blueprint album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra (NY): Blueprint
Progressive Big Band 2004
SATOKO FUJII Illusion Suite album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Illusion Suite
Avant-Garde Jazz 2004
SATOKO FUJII Sketches album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Sketches
Avant-Garde Jazz 2004
SATOKO FUJII Angelona album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Angelona
Avant-Garde Jazz 2005
SATOKO FUJII When We Were There album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
When We Were There
Avant-Garde Jazz 2006
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra (NY):: Undulation album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra (NY):: Undulation
Progressive Big Band 2006
SATOKO FUJII Bacchus album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Bacchus
Avant-Garde Jazz 2007
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Min-Yoh Ensemble ‎: Fujin Raijin album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Min-Yoh Ensemble ‎: Fujin Raijin
Avant-Garde Jazz 2007
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York : Summer Suite album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York : Summer Suite
Progressive Big Band 2008
SATOKO FUJII Trace a River album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Trace a River
Avant-Garde Jazz 2008
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Ma-Do ‎: Heat Wave album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Ma-Do ‎: Heat Wave
Avant-Garde Jazz 2008
SATOKO FUJII Kuroi Kawa: Black River album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Kuroi Kawa: Black River
Avant-Garde Jazz 2009
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii - Myra Melford ‎: Under The Water album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii - Myra Melford ‎: Under The Water
Avant-Garde Jazz 2009
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo : Zakopane album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo : Zakopane
Progressive Big Band 2010
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York : ETO album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York : ETO
Progressive Big Band 2011
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Min-Yoh Ensemble ‎: Watershed album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Min-Yoh Ensemble ‎: Watershed
Avant-Garde Jazz 2011
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Ma-Do: Time Stands Still album cover 3.50 | 2 ratings
Satoko Fujii Ma-Do: Time Stands Still
Avant-Garde Jazz 2013
SATOKO FUJII New Trio: Spring Storm album cover 3.50 | 2 ratings
New Trio: Spring Storm
Avant-Garde Jazz 2013
SATOKO FUJII Gen Himmel album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Gen Himmel
Avant-Garde Jazz 2013
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York : Shiki album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York : Shiki
Avant-Garde Jazz 2014
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin : Ichigo Ichie album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin : Ichigo Ichie
Avant-Garde Jazz 2015
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Tobira : Yamiyo Ni Karasu album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Tobira : Yamiyo Ni Karasu
Avant-Garde Jazz 2015
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York : Fukushima album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York : Fukushima
Avant-Garde Jazz 2017
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin : Ninety-Nine Year album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin : Ninety-Nine Year
Avant-Garde Jazz 2018
SATOKO FUJII This Is It! (Satoko Fujii / Natsuki Tamura / Takashi Itani) : 1538 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
This Is It! (Satoko Fujii / Natsuki Tamura / Takashi Itani) : 1538
Avant-Garde Jazz 2018
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii, Joe Fonda & Gianni Mimmo : Triad album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii, Joe Fonda & Gianni Mimmo : Triad
Avant-Garde Jazz 2018
SATOKO FUJII Amu : Weave album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Amu : Weave
Avant-Garde Jazz 2018
SATOKO FUJII Diary 2005-2015 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Diary 2005-2015
Third Stream 2018
SATOKO FUJII Stone album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Stone
Jazz Related Improv/Composition 2019
SATOKO FUJII Satoko  Fujii / Ramon Lopez : Confluence album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii / Ramon Lopez : Confluence
Avant-Garde Jazz 2019
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York : Entity album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York : Entity
Avant-Garde Jazz 2019
SATOKO FUJII Toh-Kichi (Satoko Fujii /Tatsuya Yoshida) : Baikamo album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Toh-Kichi (Satoko Fujii /Tatsuya Yoshida) : Baikamo
Avant-Garde Jazz 2019
SATOKO FUJII Hazuki album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Hazuki
21st Century Modern 2020
SATOKO FUJII Morning Dream album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Morning Dream
21st Century Modern 2021
SATOKO FUJII Step On Thin Ice album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Step On Thin Ice
Jazz Related Improv/Composition 2021
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio : Moon On The Lake album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio : Moon On The Lake
Avant-Garde Jazz 2021
SATOKO FUJII Hajimeru album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Hajimeru
21st Century Modern 2021
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii, Alister Spence : Any News album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii, Alister Spence : Any News
Avant-Garde Jazz 2021
SATOKO FUJII Piano Music album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Piano Music
Jazz Related Improv/Composition 2021
SATOKO FUJII Piano Music Vol. 2 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Piano Music Vol. 2
Jazz Related Improv/Composition 2021
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii & Joe Fonda : Thread Of Light album cover 5.00 | 1 ratings
Satoko Fujii & Joe Fonda : Thread Of Light
Avant-Garde Jazz 2022
SATOKO FUJII Hyaku, One Hundred Dreams album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Hyaku, One Hundred Dreams
Avant-Garde Jazz 2022
SATOKO FUJII Bokyaku album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Bokyaku
Jazz Related Improv/Composition 2022
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio : Jet Black album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio : Jet Black
Avant-Garde Jazz 2024
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Quartet : Dog Days of Summer album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Quartet : Dog Days of Summer
Avant-Garde Jazz 2024

SATOKO FUJII EPs & splits

SATOKO FUJII live albums

SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii / Tatsuya Yoshida ‎: Toh-Kichi album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii / Tatsuya Yoshida ‎: Toh-Kichi
Avant-Garde Jazz 2002
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra -- East: Before the Dawn album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra -- East: Before the Dawn
Progressive Big Band 2003
SATOKO FUJII Live in Japan 2004 album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live in Japan 2004
Avant-Garde Jazz 2005
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Maru album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Maru
Progressive Big Band 2006
SATOKO FUJII In Krakow, In November album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
In Krakow, In November
Avant-Garde Jazz 2006
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo :  Live!! album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo : Live!!
Progressive Big Band 2006
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe ‎: Kobe Yee !! album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe ‎: Kobe Yee !!
Avant-Garde Jazz 2006
SATOKO FUJII Double Duo : Crossword Puzzle album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Double Duo : Crossword Puzzle
Avant-Garde Jazz 2007
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Sanrei album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya: Sanrei
Avant-Garde Jazz 2008
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Ma-Do: Desert Ship album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Ma-Do: Desert Ship
Avant-Garde Jazz 2010
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii, Joe Fonda : Duet album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii, Joe Fonda : Duet
Avant-Garde Jazz 2016
SATOKO FUJII Invisible Hand album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Invisible Hand
Avant-Garde Jazz 2016
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo : Peace (Tribute To Kelly Churko) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo : Peace (Tribute To Kelly Churko)
Avant-Garde Jazz 2016
SATOKO FUJII Live At The Room Cortez album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Live At The Room Cortez
Avant-Garde Jazz 2017
SATOKO FUJII Solo album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Solo
21st Century Modern 2018
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii / Joe Fonda : Mizu album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii / Joe Fonda : Mizu
21st Century Modern 2018
SATOKO FUJII Mahobin (Fujii / Anker / Tamura / Mori) :  Live at Big Apple in Kobe album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Mahobin (Fujii / Anker / Tamura / Mori) : Live at Big Apple in Kobe
Jazz Related Improv/Composition 2018
SATOKO FUJII Kikoeru (Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo) album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Kikoeru (Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo)
Avant-Garde Jazz 2018
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii & Joe Fonda : Four album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii & Joe Fonda : Four
Avant-Garde Jazz 2019
SATOKO FUJII Wandering The Sound Quintet : What Is...? album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Wandering The Sound Quintet : What Is...?
Avant-Garde Jazz 2021
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii / Otomo Yoshihide : Perpetual Motion album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii / Otomo Yoshihide : Perpetual Motion
Jazz Related Improv/Composition 2023
SATOKO FUJII Torrent album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Torrent
Avant-Garde Jazz 2023
SATOKO FUJII Tsuki - Piano Solo album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Tsuki - Piano Solo
21st Century Modern 2023
SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii, Taiko Saito, Yuko Oshima - Trio San: Hibiki album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
Satoko Fujii, Taiko Saito, Yuko Oshima - Trio San: Hibiki
Avant-Garde Jazz 2023
SATOKO FUJII After Fifteen Years, Live at Buddy album cover 0.00 | 0 ratings
After Fifteen Years, Live at Buddy
Eclectic Fusion 2023

SATOKO FUJII demos, promos, fans club and other releases (no bootlegs)

SATOKO FUJII re-issues & compilations

SATOKO FUJII singles (0)

SATOKO FUJII movies (DVD, Blu-Ray or VHS)

SATOKO FUJII Reviews

SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Ma-Do: Time Stands Still

Album · 2013 · Avant-Garde Jazz
Cover art Buy this album from MMA partners
J-Man
With the untimely death of bassist Norikatsu Koreyasu after the recording of Time Stands Still, the third album from Satoko Fujii Ma-Do marks the end of this unique Japanese quartet. Led by prolific jazz pianist Satoko Fujii, this 2013 release explores avant-garde and experimental stylings while remaining under the guidance of a melodic and acoustic style of jazz. It's a unique album for sure, and although it may be tough to appreciate for fans of more conventional music, listeners with an ear for experimental sounds should enjoy this sonic journey.

Beginning with the frantic screeching of an acoustic bass before evolving into a frenzied improvisation centered around oddly melodic phrasing and dissonant chord structures, the opening tune (entitled "Fortitude") gives a pretty good idea of what you can expect from the rest of the record. Time Stands Still feels pretty esoteric at times, but the strong improvisations and group interplay keep the album from sounding "avant-garde for the sake of being avant-garde".

Time Stands Still strikes me as an inspired work created by a quartet of musicians with some real chemistry between each other. Although it's a shame we'll probably never hear another album from Satoko Fujii Ma-Do, this group has made a strong exit statement with Time Stands Still.

SATOKO FUJII Satoko Fujii Quartet ‎: Minerva

Album · 2002 · Avant-Garde Jazz
Cover art Buy this album from MMA partners
snobb
Japanese pianist and composer, Satoko Fujii, is on my list of leading avant-garde jazz artists of the last decade, but "Minerva" doesn't add much to her excellent discog.

This is not the first Satoko collaboration with one of the best known Japanese avant-garde musicians, Ruins drummer Tatsuya Yoshida, but just as often happened before, the result is quite a mixed bag. Everyone familiar with Yoshida's machine-gun drumming dominance on any possible collaboration can expect a similar situation on this release - fortunately the music is a bit better balanced here. That doesn't mean this album isn't a real Satoko work - she has some moments for her piano, but the common atmosphere is still more as on a Yoshida release.

The album's main problem, in my opinion, is an unsuccessful mix of brutal avant-garde rock improvs aesthetics from Yoshida and Satoko's multi layers of complex, subtle and intellectual jazz (influenced even by some classical techniques of her early music). Yoshida's openly "underground" drumming (together with the loud and almost aggressive sound of Natsuki Tamura's trumpet) openly dominates the sound and all the music is more of an experimental mix of two very different aesthetics rather than a successful brew.

As is the case in almost any of Satoko's work, this album still has its bright moments, but possibly this is more interesting for Yoshida's fans, rather than for Satoko's.

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