Jazz Album Reviews: Two Duo Recordings with Sui Generis Trumpeter Natsuki Tamura

By Steve Feeney

It’s always fun to hear this mischievous instrumentalist in action.

Upwards Natsuki Tamura – Trumpet, small cymbals, nut shaker; Satoko Fujii – Piano (Libra Records)

NatJim Natsuki Tamura – Trumpet; Jim Black – drums (Libra Records)

Sputtering, snorting, squeaking and growling are the signature musical statements of trumpeter Natsuki Tamura (b. 1951). But wait a minute, he can sometimes play a more or less straightforward trumpet, veering away from his surrealist ventures into the realm of elaborate-technique-meets-dumb-sounds. Give him a few duet partners and you never know what’s going to happen. Well, maybe you’ll have an idea if you’ve followed his career. Still, it’s fun to hear this mischievous instrumentalist in action.

At the top of a stack of recent records by the ever-prolific Satoko Fujii (b. 1958) — a musical collaborator and also Tamura’s wife — is the bird-themed album Upwards. Comprised of original songs, this duo release was recorded in NYC in late 2023. It continues the duo’s exploration of a sonic space where musical ideas shoot up from great depths to grab you, sometimes lovingly, sometimes not.

Powerful images come to mind as you listen to this CD. Does Tamura see his role on trumpet (and various small percussion instruments) as digging into the unconscious raw while Fujii smooths the material with lyricism? Perhaps, on some tracks. But the tables are turned on select tracks, the partners working together to create the kind of atmospheric naturalism suggested by the titles of Upwards‘s seven pieces.

“Migration” begins with a somber rumble from Fujii before Tamura adds long notes of edgy resonance. This beautiful piece seems to suggest that natural beauty is — due to global warming? — in a potentially dangerous state. A repeated melodic figure announces nobility — though it is almost deconstructed.

Harsh winds blow through Tamura’s mouthpiece on “Wintering.” A chill descends, nearly inspiring a cry for help before Fujii steps in to visit even lonelier places. “On the Flyway” taps into a rhythmic vocal groove as Tamura’s guttural growls attempt to solidify into words.

The CD closes with “Waiting for Dawn”, an eerie piece in which Fujii reaches into her piano in search of new sounds, while the trumpeter searches for the reassuring light of a better (?) day.

NatJim is the first duo recording between Tamura and legendary drummer Jim Black (b. 1967) in a quarter century. What’s surprising is that the album coheres in ways you might not expect from such famous free players. The proceedings here are a little more open and less dramatic than Tamura’s sparring duos with Fujii. This set, recorded a month or so before Upwardsconsists of original compositions by Tamura (although there is more than a little free association). In contrast to the environmental aura of the other album, the more radiant NatJim makes subtle sonic references to urban environments.

“Morning City” conjures a celebratory dance between two players familiar with the ways in which one can make the other rise and shine. “Afternoon City” and “City of Dusk” continue the dialogue as the duo rolls and tumbles through passages that veer from bright expressiveness to more complex and urgent avenues of concern.

“City of Night” conjures up a fair amount of mystery, with Tamura unleashing trumpet blasts and howls amid sharp bursts of percussive fury. Tamura eventually goes all out like a ghost show, unleashing unhinged vocals while Black puts his hands on the drums. This is not a city for the faint of heart.

“Calm City” doesn’t live up to its title, with its eerie rattling sounds and somber thematic threads. “Bright City” gives Tamura the chance to indulge in some very emotional vocal admonitions.

Given the extensive mix of biting intensity and upbeat music – plus the relative rarity of the combination – the competitive nod goes to NatJimBut it wins a neck-and-neck race with Upwards for a highlight in the extraordinary discography of the sui generis Natsuki Tamura.

Steve Feeney was born in Maine and attended schools in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. He holds a Master of Arts degree in American and New England Studies from the University of Southern Maine. He began freelance music reviewing for the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram in 1995. Later he was asked to review theatre and dance as well. He recently added BroadwayWorld.com as an outlet and is pleased to now be able to contribute to Art Fuse.