須田晶子

Ami Fukui’s third album New Journey grabs the listener’s attention with colorful, immersive songs, 11 well-crafted originals played with exciting energy and vigor. Much of the music builds on strong rhythms and bassline hooks (credit given to Kudo and Fukumori, whose brightness and expert rhythms fit the music perfectly), over which catchy melodies soar. Throughout the album, surprises and discoveries often surface – bonus interludes, doubled-up lines, coordinated syncopation, even some voice and handclaps - compositional embellishments that demonstrate Fukui’s dedication to careful songwriting which pleases the listener. The result: lush music that grooves with fun, pure and simple. ...

Flowers On The Hill is a beautiful album of tender and impeccably delivered music from the vocalist Akiko Suda. The album features lovely original compositions together with jazz, bossa nova, and pop standards performed artistically with creative arrangements. The talented musicians play sensitively and at times sound like a Brad Mehldau-inspired modern jazz piano trio, creating a lush background for Suda’s masterful voice. The album starts strongly with four catchy and elaborate originals penned by Suda and pianist Yuichi Narita, then moves into jazz and pop territory. Novel versions of “Waters of March”, “Doralice”, Chick Corea’s “Crystal Silence”, and the jazz standards “How About You” and “What a Wonderful World” fill out the middle of the tracklist. The album closes sweetly with two pop songs, Paul McCartney’s “Blackbird” and Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today”, a pairing perfectly matched with the band’s modern, affectionate mood. ...