This French/Japanese quartet has an odd line-up: two trumpets, piano and drums. That is not a common formation, but listening to these guys wail, it struck many of us that it might be a good organizational idea.
In most ways, the foundation of the band is pianist Satoko Fuji. She is a demon on the keys, capable of delicately pretty melodies as easily as full-keyboard chord-blocks, and amazingly controlled inside-the-piano stringwork. Peter Orins is also an excellent drummer, very sparing in his attack at the Pavillon Arthabaska, but full of weird rhythm accents and goads. The trumpeters — Natsuki Tamura and Christian Prouvost — are both blazing. Whether swinging through brief hard-bop like heads or doing the most extreme toy- and/or tube-based improvisations, they were great.
Especially on the extended "Inspiration" (from their new CD, Uminari), this was fantastic jazz at its most exciting. That the trumpeters chose to quote Dizzy Gillespie's "Salt Peanuts" as an intro and outro for the piece is emblematic of the way they combine virtuosity and jokes. Great one.
In most ways, the foundation of the band is pianist Satoko Fuji. She is a demon on the keys, capable of delicately pretty melodies as easily as full-keyboard chord-blocks, and amazingly controlled inside-the-piano stringwork. Peter Orins is also an excellent drummer, very sparing in his attack at the Pavillon Arthabaska, but full of weird rhythm accents and goads. The trumpeters — Natsuki Tamura and Christian Prouvost — are both blazing. Whether swinging through brief hard-bop like heads or doing the most extreme toy- and/or tube-based improvisations, they were great.
Especially on the extended "Inspiration" (from their new CD, Uminari), this was fantastic jazz at its most exciting. That the trumpeters chose to quote Dizzy Gillespie's "Salt Peanuts" as an intro and outro for the piece is emblematic of the way they combine virtuosity and jokes. Great one.