# Satoko Fujii

Satoko Fujii (藤井郷子, Fujii Satoko, born 9 October 1958) is a Japanese avant-garde jazz pianist, accordionist and composer.

## Early life

Fujii was born in Tokyo on 9 October 1958. She started playing the piano at age 4, receiving classical training until she was 20, when she became interested in improvisation and jazz. In her twenties, she received instruction in jazz from pianist Fumio Itabashi in Tokyo.

## Later life and career

Fujii went to the United States in 1985, graduating from the Berklee College of Music in Boston in 1987, returning to the US in 1993, achieving a graduate diploma in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music in 1996. While at the Conservatory, she also had lessons with pianist Paul Bley, "which consisted largely of conversation over cappuccinos, [and] eased her toward self-expression." In 1996, their duo album, Something About Water, was released; Fujii commented that it was a major event for her: "I started to accept myself, little by little." She returned to Japan with her new husband, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, leader of Gato Libre. She leads various big bands in Japan, such as Orchestra Tokyo. She established Orchestra New York in 1997.
Around 2007, the quartet ma-do was created, consisting of Fujii, Tamura, bassist Norikatsu Koreyasu and drummer Akira Horikoshi. In 2010, Fujii co-founded Kaze, a group containing herself, Tamura, trumpeter Christian Pruvost and drummer Peter Orins. She has played accordion on recordings by the band established by Tamura, Gato Libre, including DuDu and Kuro.
Fujii has recorded prolifically: between 1996 and 2009 she released more than 40 albums. In 2018, she released an album every month to celebrate turning 60.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fujii and Tamura have been releasing albums recorded in their home studio on Bandcamp on a regular (monthly or bi-monthly) basis.
In December 2022, Fujii released the 100th album under her own name, auspiciously entitled “Hyaku One Hundred Dreams”.

## Playing style

The Down Beat reviewer of Under the Water, a piano duet album with Myra Melford, stated that "Fujii varies dynamics widely, jump-cutting from a fierce, free barrage to a sprinkle of single, crystalline notes."

## Discography

Satoko Fujii Discography (as of October 2024) :
| Title | Year | Label | Catalog # | Other details |
| Something About Water | 1996 | Libra Records | 202-002 | Duet featuring Paul Bley |
| Indication | 1996 | Libra Records | 202-003 | Piano solo |
| How many | 1997 | Libra Records | 102-103 | First duet album with Natsuki Tamura on trumpet |
| Looking Out Of The Window | 1997 | Ninety-One | CRCJ-9139 | Trio featuring Mark Dresser, bass; Jim Black, drummer |
| South Wind | 1997 | Libra Records | 215-104 | First Satoko Fujii Orchestra album |
| Past Life | 1998 | Libra Records | 206-004 | Satoko Fujii Sextet |
| Kitsune-bi | 1999 | Tzadik | TZ 7220 | piano solo, Trio featuring Mark Dresser, Jim Black, with Sachi Hayasaka on soprano saxophone |
| Jo | 1999 | Buzz Records | ZZ76008 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York |
| Toward, 'To West' | 1999 | ENJA Records | ENJ 93822 | Trio featuring Mark Dresser, bass; Jim Black |
| Double Take | 2000 | EWE Records | EW0019/20 | Orchestra East/Orchestra West |
| April Shower | 2001 | EWE Records | EWCC 0006 | Featuring Mark Feldman, violin |
| Junction | 2001 | EWE Records | EWCC 0034 | Trio featuring Mark Dresser and Jim Black |
| Vulcan | 2001 | Libra Records | 204-005 | Satoko Fujii Quartet |
| Clouds | 2001 | Libra Records | 102-006 | Natsuki Tamura and Satoko Fujii duet |
| The Future of the Past | 2002 | ENJA Records | ENJ-94572 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York |
| Bell The Cat! | 2002 | on off | TKCB-72369 | Trio featuring Mark Dresser, bass; Jim Black, drummer |
| Minerva | 2003 | Libra Records | 204-007 | Satoko Fujii Quartet |
| Toh-Kichi (藤吉) | 2002 | Les Disques Victo | VICTO CD 083 | Featuring Tatsuya Yoshida, drums and voice |
| Before the Dawn | 2003 | NatSat Music | MTCJ 3010 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra East (Tokyo) |
| Zephyros | 2003 | NatSat Music | MTCJ 3011 | Satoko Fujii Quartet |
| Blueprint | 2004 | NatSat Music | MTCJ 3016 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York |
| Illusion Suite | 2004 | Libra Records | 203-009 | Satoko Fujii Trio |
| Nagoyanian | 2004 | Bakamo | BKM 001 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya |
| Erans | 2004 | Tzadik | TZ 7247 | Featuring Tatsuya Yoshida, drums and voice |
| Sketches | 2004 | Natsat Music | MTCJ-3013 | piano solo |
| In the Tank | 2005 | Libra Records | 104-011 | Featuring Takayuki Kato, Elliott Sharp, Natsuki Tamura |
| Fragment | 2006 | Libra Records | 203-013 | Junk Box |
| Strange Village | 2005 | on off | MZCO 1073 | Gato Libre |
| Live in Japan | 2005 | NatSat Music | MTCJ 3022 | Satoko Fujii Four |
| Angelona | 2005 | Libra Records | 204-014 | Satoko Fujii Quartet |
| Live!! | 2006 | Libra Records | 205-015/016 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo |
| Undulation | 2006 | Polystar | CJ 3032 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York |
| When We Were There | 2006 | Polystar | CJ 3034 | Satoko Fujii Four |
| Crossword Puzzle | 2007 | Libra Records | 104-017 | Double duo (Tamura/Verploegen/Mengelberg/Fujii) |
| in Krakow in November | 2006 | Not Two | MW 774-2 | Natsuki Tamura and Satoko Fujii duo |
| Kobe Yee!! | 2006 | Crab Apple records | 002 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe |
| Maru | 2006 | Bakamo | BKM-005 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya |
| Nomad | 2006 | on off | MZCO-1103 | Gato Libre |
| Fujin Raijin | 2007 | VICTO | CD 105 | Satoko Fujii Min-Yoh Ensemble |
| Bacchus | 2007 | on off | MZCO 1136 | Satoko Fujii Quartet |
| Minamo | 2007 | Henceforth Records | 105 | Featuring Carla Kihlstedt, violin |
| Kuro | 2008 | Libra Records | 104-018 | Gato Libre |
| Cloudy Then Sunny | 2008 | Libra Records | 203-019 | Junk Box |
| Trace a River | 2008 | Libra Records | 203-020 | Satoko Fujii Trio |
| Sanrei | 2008 | Bakamo | KM 007 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra Nagoya |
| Heat Wave | 2008 | Libra Records | 204-021 | Satoko Fujii ma-do |
| Chun | 2008 | Libra Records | 102-022 | Natsuki Tamura and Satoko Fujii duo |
| Summer Suite | 2008 | Libra Records | 215-023 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York |
| Under the Water | 2009 | Libra Records | 202-024 | Satoko Fujii and Myra Melford |
| Kuroi Kawa | 2009 | Tzadik | 7720-2 | Minamo |
| Cut the Rope | 2009 | Libra Records | 104-025 | First Meeting (Tamura/Churko/Fujii/Yamamoto) |
| Desert Ship | 2009 | Not Two | MW 826-2 | Satoko Fujii ma-do |
| Shiro | 2009 | Libra Records | 104-026 | Gato Libre |
| Zakopane | 2010 | Libra Records | 216-027 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo |
| Watershed | 2011 | Libra Records | 204-028 | Satoko Fujii Min-Yoh Ensemble |
| Eto | 2011 | Libra Records | 215-029 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York |
| Rafale | 2011 | Circum-Libra | 201 | Kaze (Tamura/Pruvost/Fujii/Orins) |
| Forever | 2012 | Libra Records | 104-030 | Gato Libre |
| Muku | 2012 | Libra Records | 102-031 | Natsuki Tamura and Satoko Fujii duo |
| Time stands still | 2013 | Not Two | MW 897-2 | ma-do |
| Gen Himmel | 2013 | Libra Records | 201-033 | piano solo |
| Tornado | 2013 | Circum-Libra | 202 | Kaze |
| Spring Storm | 2013 | Libra Records | 203-034 | Satoko Fujii New Trio |
| DuDu | 2014 | Libra Records | 104-035 | Gato Libre |
| Shiki | 2014 | Libra Records | 215-036 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra New York |
| Ichigo Ichie | 2015 | Libra Records | 212-037 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin |
| Yamiyo ni Karasu | 2015 | Libra Records | 204-038 | Tobira |
| Uminari | 2015 | Circum-Libra | 203 | Kaze |
| Peace (Tribute to Kelly Churko) | 2016 | Libra Records | 217-039 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo + Kaze |
| Duet | 2016 | Long Song | LSRCD 140 | Satoko Fujii, Joe Fonda with Natsuki Tamura |
| Invisible Hand | 2016 | Cortez Sound | CSJ0001/0002 | piano solo |
| Neko | 2017 | Libra Records | 104-040 (041 vinyl) | Gato Libre |
| Kisaragi | 2017 | Libra Records | 102-042 | Natsuki Tamura and Satoko Fujii duo |
| June | 2017 | Circum-Libra | LX 009 | Trouble Kaze |
| Live at Jazz Room Cortez | 2017 | Cortez Sound | CSJ0005 | Satoko Fujii Quartet (Fujii/Tamura/Itani and Ota) |
| Aspiration | 2017 | Libra Records | 204-043 | Fujii/Tamura/Wadada Leo Smith/Ikue Mori |
| Fukushima | 2017 | Libra Records | 214-044 (045 vocal version) | Satoko Fujii Orchestra NY |
| Solo | 2018 | Libra Records | 201-046 | piano solo |
| Atody Man | 2018 | Circum-Libra | 204 | Kaze |
| Mizu | 2018 | Long Song Records | LSCD 045 | Satoko Fujii & Joe Fonda |
| Ninety-nine Years | 2018 | Libra Records | 211-047 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra Berlin |
| Bright Force | 2018 | Libra Records | 204-048 | Kira Kira (Fujii/Tamura/Spence/Takemura) |
| 1538 | 2018 | Libra Records | 203-049 | This is it! (Fujii/Tamura/Itani) |
| Triad | 2018 | Long Song Records | LSCD 042 | Fujii, Fonda & Mimmo |
| Intelsat | 2018 | Alister Spence Music | ASM 007 | Fujii & Spence |
| Live at Big Apple in Kobe | 2018 | Libra Records | 204-050 | Mahobin (Fujii/Tamura/Mori/Anker) |
| Weave | 2018 | Libra Records | 204-051 (052 DVD) | Amu (Wildenhahn/Fujii/Tamura/Itani) |
| Kikoeru: Tribute to Masaya Kimura | 2018 | Libra Records | 215-055 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra Tokyo |
| Imagine meeting you here | 2019 | Alister Spence Music | ASM 008 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra Kobe |
| Stone | 2019 | Libra Records | 201-056 | piano solo (treated) |
| Confluence | 2019 | Libra Records | 202-057 | Satoko Fujii and Ramon Lopez |
| Entity | 2019 | Libra Records | 214-058 | Satoko Fujii Orchestra NY |
| Four | 2019 | Long Song Records | LSRCD 151 | Satoko Fujii and Joe Fonda |
| Baikamo | 2019 | Libra Records | 202-059 | Tohkichi (Fujii and Yoshida) |
| Koneko | 2020 | Libra Records | 103-060 | Gato Libre |
| Pentas | 2020 | Not Two Records | MW 999 | Natsuki Tamura and Satoko Fujii duo |
| Beyond | 2020 | Libra Records | 202-061 | Futari (Satoko Fujii and Taiko Saito) |
| Sand Storm | 2020 | Circum-Libra | 205 | Kaze & Ikue Mori |
| Prickly Pear Cactus | 2020 | Libra Records | 203-062 | Ikue Mori, Satoko Fujii & Natsuki Tamura |
| Hazuki | 2020 | Libra Records | 201-063 | piano solo |
| Mantle | 2020 | Not Two Records | MW 1003 | Satoko Fujii, Natsuki Tamura, Ramon Lopez |
| Keshin | 2020 | Libra Records | 102-064 | Natsuki Tamura and Satoko Fujii duo |
| Moon on the Lake | 2021 | Libra Records | 203-065 | Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio |
| Piano Music | 2021 | Libra Records | 203-067 | Satoko Fujii |
| Underground | 2021 | Libra Records | 203-068 | Futari (Satoko Fujii and Taiko Saito) |
| Mosaic | 2021 | Libra Records | 203-069 | This is it! |
| Any News | 2021 | Alister Spence Music | | Fujii & Spence |
| Thread of Light | 2022 | Fundacja Slucha! | | Satoko Fujii & Joe Fonda |
| Hyaku One Hundred Dreams | 2022 | Libra Records | 209-071 | Satoko Fujii, Ingrid Laubrock, Sara Schoenbeck, Wadada Leo Smith, Natsuki Tamura, Ikue Mori, Brandon Lopez, Tom Rainey, Chris Corsano |
| Perpetual Motion | 2023 | Ayler Records | AYLCD-175 | Satoko Fujii/Yoshihide Otomo |
| Crustal Movement | 2023 | Circum-Libra | 206 | Kaze & Ikue Mori |
| Torrent | 2023 | Libra Records | 201-072 | Satoko Fujii |
| Hibiki | 2023 | Jazzdor | 0001/20 | Trio San (Fujii, Saito, Oshima) |
| Jet Black | 2024 | Libra Records | 203-073 | Satoko Fujii Tokyo Trio |
| Unwritten | 2024 | Circum-Libra | 207 | Kaze |
| Aloft | 2024 | Libra Records | 102-075 | Natsuki Tamura and Satoko Fujii duo |
| Kira Kira LIve | 2024 | Alister Spence Music | ASM015 | Kira Kira |
| Dog Days of Summer | 2024 | Libra Records | 204-076 | Satoko Fujii Quartet |
BANDCAMP RELEASES :
* July 2020 - Emaki/Solo improv
* August 2020 - Midsummer
* September 2020 - Solo concert
* December 2020 - Futari at Guggenheim House
* February 2021 - Morning dream
* March 2021 - Step on thin ice
* April 2021 - Piano music Vol. 1
* May 2021 - Piano music Vol. 2
* July 2021 - Underground Vol. 1 (Futari)
* August 2021 - Underground Vol. 2 (Futari)
* October 2021 - Underground Vol. 3 (Futari)
* November 2021 - Hajimeru
* February 2022 - when you turn off the light Vol. 1
* March 2022 - when you turn off the light Vol. 2
* April 2022 - when you turn off the light Vol. 3
* April 2022 - Bokyaku
* April 2023 - 342: Live in Tokyo
* May 2023 - Amanojaku
* August 2023 - After Fifteen Years
* September 2023 - Tsuki
* November 2023 - Hakuro
* October 2024 - Bishamonten