05 Jul

[ July the 11th, 2025 release on Libra Records: Kaze & Koichi Makigami – Shishiodoshi ]

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Kaze, the cooperative quartet featuring Japanese composer-pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura along with French trumpeter Christian Pruvost and drummer Peter Orins, joins forces with vocalist Koichi Makigami, a legend of Japanese avant-rock and free improv, for an inspired blend of serious music-making and quirky humor on their new album Shishiodoshi. The album is out today, July 11 via Circum/Libra.

“a bounty of fascination” — Doug Collette, All about Jazz

“[Kaze] does the unexpected in ways that delight.” — S. Victor Aaron, Something Else!

Dee Dee McNeil of Making a Scene agrees: “…a flash of improvised music and unique vocals that are like none other…. I would expect nothing less from the creative and intense composer and pianist, Satoko Fujii.… surprising, stunning and exceptional. Especially with the addition of their special guest vocalist, Koichi Makigami.”

05 Feb

[ February 9th, 2024 release via Circum-Libra: Satoko Fujii/Kaze – Unwritten ]

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The cooperative international quartet Kaze, featuring Japanese composer-pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura along with French trumpeter Christian Pruvost and drummer Peter Orins, will release Unwritten, the first completely improvised album in their 13-year history, on February 9, 2024 via Circum/Libra. Recorded live in Lille, France, the album showcases the depth and connection of the musicians.

“Romantic, cacophonous, intelligent, and thoroughly without pretence.” — Steve Mossberg, Arts Fuse

“The Kaze concept shows no sign of going stale. Every time out they freshen that concept in ingenious ways.”— S. Victor Aaron, Something Else!

16 Mar

[ March the 17th,2023 release via Circum/Libra: Satoko Fujii’s Kaze and Ikue Mori – Crustal Movement ]

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The pioneering musician Ikue Mori on laptop electronics joins Kaze – the cooperative quartet featuring Japanese composer-pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura plus French trumpeter Christian Pruvost and drummer– for their innovative new album Crustal Movement, out March 17, 2023 via Circum/Libra. Album is a visceral, richly textured hybrid of pre-recorded music files exchanged during pandemic and live performance

“[Their music is] a well-judged amalgam of adventurous and empathetic ensemble playing, and striking individual flights,”—John Sharpe, All About Jazz

“So intriguing that you’ll listen to it as music, not noise, and you’ll start to think about the relationship between music and sound and then . . . you’ll be hooked–just as I am.”—Marc Phillips, The Vinyl Anachronist

07 Sep

[ September the 18 th,2020 release via Circum/Libra Records: KAZE & Ikure Mori- Sand Storm ]

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release date: 18th of September, 2020 via Circum / Libra Recs.

“…genius….[Sand Storm] reveals the true spirit of jazz in the way the ideas and themes slowly emerge from that odd sonic landscape.” – Marc Phillips, Part Time Audiophile

“Intense and playful, down-to-earth and international, Kaze communicates in a musical language of contrasts and continuity.” —Virginia Schaefer, JazzTimes

“If you think you can imagine what piano, drums, and two trumpets will sound like, think again.” ― Derk Richardson, KPFA Radio

On Sand Storm , Kaze – the cooperative quartet featuring Japanese composer-pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura along with French trumpeter Christian Pruvost and drummer Peter Orins – welcomes pioneering laptop player Ikue Mori as a special guest. It’s no easy task for a band that’s been together for 10 years to add a player without upsetting a well-developed group balance, but the merger proves to be a natural one.