Noriko Satomi on Jazz of Japan | Brian McCrory

Noriko Satomi: Project-N

Fri, 24 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Project-N is the debut album from violinist Noriko Satomi, a classically trained violinist and “Nissan Presents Jazz Japan 2019” award winner. Satomi is active in the Japanese jazz live scene as a jazz violinist and graces many live spots with her beautiful string tone and charming presence.

On this 67-minute album, Satomi leads a jazz quartet featuring Masaaki Imaizumi on piano, Kunio Oinuma on bass, and Masahiko Osaka on drums. This ambitious violinist released Project-N /in 2017, following up this debut with future releases /A Love Supreme (2019) and Duke String Quartet (2023), two excellent releases that focus her debut’s wide jazz spectrum into clear concept albums.

Rie Taguchi: The Gift II

Fri, 26 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Vocalist and pianist Rie Taguchi delivers a follow-up to her debut album The Gift with her 2021 album naturally titled The Gift II. This swinging outing features her Special Sextet as before with new outstanding arrangements.

Presenting Taguchi’s sweetly mellow voice in an exquisite frame, Pianist Seiji Endo arranged all the songs on this album, and his vision combined with the front line of saxophone, violin, and guitar creates a lush, big band-style sound from the six instruments.

Ruriko Kawamura: Blossoms

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Vocalist Ruriko Kawamura released Blossoms in 2016, her second album following her 2011 debut record Loo Loo.

The album is a relaxed tour through 11 varied tracks, all arranged by pianist Seiji Endo who backs up the vocalist throughout the disc. Six songs feature Kawamura singing as a duo with the pianist, and more color is added with violinist Noriko Satomi joining on three tracks and guitarist Akira Sekine joining on two others.

Noriko Satomi: A Love Supreme

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Noriko Satomi brings the passion and vibrancy of jazz violin to an acclaimed jazz composition on her 2019 homage to A Love Supreme, which received a Jazz Japan Award from Jazz Japan magazine in January 2020.

No doubt familiar to most jazz fans, John Coltrane’s 1965 masterpiece sets a high bar for any jazz group, with both rote recitation and musical reinvention being risky propositions. At the same time, re-experiencing the classic performance at live concerts or on newly recorded albums can provide a thrilling way for fellow fans and the performing musicians themselves to appreciate the music together.

Rie Taguchi: The Gift

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Vocalist Rie Taguchi leads a swinging sextet on her first full-length album, The Gift.

Her sultry voice seems to crack smiles and reminisce on old times as she dips and sways through the music. Popular standards such as “I Wish You Love” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” convey her cheerful energy, hearkening back at times to a type of Las Vegas showroom jazz. Her bright charm describes a sparkling smile, perhaps even a tipsy grin as she gracefully sings the notes.