Ayumi Koketsu on Jazz of Japan | Brian McCrory

Ayumi Koketsu: Struttin’

Sun, 17 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Struttin’ is saxophone player Ayumi Koketsu’s jazz quartet album released in Japan in 2010. This is her debut album, the first of over a dozen killer jazz albums that she has been releasing through the years, each filled with material ranging from straight-ahead, cool jazz, hard bop, ballads, bossa nova, and other themes. This first album features Koketsu on alto sax with her quartet of Yoshihiko Naya on piano, Masayuki Tawarayama on bass, and Mark Taylor on drums.

Akane Matsumoto & Ayumi Koketsu: Trust

Sat, 12 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Trust is a 2024 release from the duo of pianist Akane Matsumoto and saxophonist Ayumi Koketsu. These two musicians are leaders of their own combos, members of other groups, and also friends and working bandmates for many years running. The pair have gathered a lot of performance experience from live shows and tours taken together and have developed a deep connection between their musical instincts. Surprisingly, Trust is the first album they’ve recorded together. This serendipitously timed release also commemorates twelve years of their working together, a number that is meaningful in Japan for its significance in cyclic durations and milestones, symbolizing the closing of loops and the start of new stages. Perhaps it can be said that trust grows over time, and it’s wise not to rush it.

Ayumi Koketsu: Rainbow Tales

Fri, 04 May 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Saxophonist Ayumi Koketsu creates exciting modern jazz on her third album Rainbow Tales from 2012, where she leads of group of accomplished Norwegian musicians on a modern-sounding recording.

The session was beautifully captured at the famous Rainbow Studios in Oslo, where the European-label ECM sound seems to influence the session under Koketsu’s leadership and virtuosity. With crystal clear sax and cymbals riding above the warm, full piano and deep wood bass, this style is particularly noticeable on “Mikazuki” (Crescent Moon), a folk/rock-like tune reminiscent of Keith Jarrett.

Ayumi Koketsu: Art

Tue, 30 Jan 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Alto saxophonist Ayumi Koketsu released a sophisticated tribute to Art Pepper on her album Art from 2016. With slick bop lines and a fresh spirit, Koketsu and her bandmates deliver the goods sincerely, kicking things off at high tempos with “Cool Bunny” and “Straight Life” before moving into other moods of mid-tempo bop and ballads. Koketsu is a prolific artist who releases high-quality albums and often uses overseas musicians for her backup band. This album will satisfy fans of straight-ahead jazz quartets with a bright and exciting saxophone prodigy taking center stage.