5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential jazz, December 17, 2011
This review is from: Toward to West (Audio CD)
Toward "To West" is intense, essential contemporary jazz. Satoko Fujii is an impressive pianist. Mark Dresser is arguably among the best jazz and contemporary music bassists playing, and Jim Black is an exceptional jazz drummer. These are musicians playing at the highest level. This isn't scorched earth jazz that causes some people to say "I don't get it". It's intense, sometimes dissonant, complex, improvised music that is worth repeated listening. The piano/bass/drum format is generally my favorite format in jazz, and jazz is my favorite music. I have many, many excellent piano/bass/drum jazz discs, and I count Toward "To West" as one of the best contemporary jazz discs I have heard. It would be worth the price of the disc just to have the title track, which runs over thirty-two minutes. However, there is nearly sixty minutes of outstanding music here. The point isn't to understand this music, or "get it". The point is to open up and enjoy the energy, creativity, and the high level of performance.
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