Satoko Fuji – Altitude 1100 Meters
The name Satoko Fuji may not ring a bell for everyone. It’s high time to change that because this Japanese composer and pianist has been delivering true masterpieces for thirty years. Her latest contribution to the musical treasury is “Altitude 1100 Meters,” a suite in five parts. Fuji wrote the pieces during a stay in the highlands of Nagano, on the western side of Japan’s main island, Honshu. Many Japanese seek out the mountains on this side of the island for their cool climate, offering relief from the summer heat of the metropolises, mostly located on the east coast.
At an altitude of 1100 meters, Fuji found the peace to compose during the summer; she wrote the five parts in a month. She gave the pieces titles that reflect the moments of the day, particularly how the sky around the mountains mirrored these moments. Naturally, the piano plays an essential role, as always, but for the first time in her career as a composer, she wrote the pieces specifically for strings. The sound of a violin does something special to her, as she explains in various interviews. ‘The violin touches me more than any other instrument.’ For this reason, Fuji invited the string ensemble Gen – Japanese for ‘string’ – for the recordings. A first for Fuji’s work.
Sit back and put on headphones. Only then will the depth of the compositions truly reach every fiber of your being. The pieces run deep, despite the 1100-meter altitude. The first note strikes immediately: a long, low tone takes us into the highlands, preparing us to inhale the pure mountain air. We slowly wake up, though in “Morning Haze,” we are still surrounded by twilight. You can feel that the day is about to begin as the sun dispels the darkness and the birds awaken. But we must be patient until the sun truly rises above the mountains in “Morning Sun.” After a few minutes, the morning unfolds in all its fresh splendor. A certain rhythm emerges, marked by percussion and bass. An uncertain rhythm, like the morning itself: tentative, cautiously shuffling in search of stability to carry through the rest of the day.
What Fuji does exceptionally well is evoking atmosphere. After “Early Afternoon,” we arrive at the two most important pieces of the suite, beginning with “Light Rain,” where we can actually hear raindrops falling, played by violins and percussion. The image is instantly clear: walking through the valley, surrounded by the mountains of the highlands, moisture drips onto us, and we hurry to seek shelter before the storm breaks. Once safe, we glide into the evening, through the twilight between day and night. The final piece, “Twilight,” begins with a percussion solo, until the strings of Gen prepare us for sleep.
On this album, Fuji creates music that floats between classical and jazz. Complex and probably not for everyone. Many will share the experience of someone hearing Davis’ “Bitches Brew” for the first time: there seems to be no structure, and everyone is free in their performance. That is partly true, but there is indeed a framework, often established in the bass line. Bassist Hiroshi Yoshino – not to be confused with the poet of the same name – provides a foundation in many pieces, giving other musicians something to hold onto in the sometimes unpredictable twists that characterize Fuji’s compositions. On “Altitude 1100 Meters,” Fuji also prominently showcases her own abilities, with exuberant improvisations in “Morning Sun” and the duet between her piano and violin in “Light Rain.” Thus, we can safely conclude that the mountain air in Nagano Prefecture has been a boon for the creativity of the now 65-year-old Fuji. (8/10)(Libra Records)
