Masayo Koketsu - Fukiya [Relative Pitch Records Solo Series 011]

Put out on the circuit via the NYC-based label Relative Pitch Records on May 20th, 2k22 as the latest addition to their so-called 'Solo Series' is "Fukija", the roughly 47 minutes spanning one-take album by Japanese Jazz saxophonist Masayo Koketsu. With this album the 1977 born artist is digging deep into the long-lasting tradition of FreeJazz and Free Improvisation embedded within the Japanese scene, providing an ever intensifying stream of droning sax pulses, and swells oftentimes followed by extended periods of silence as a welcome counterpoint to the extremely detailed and expertly executed, yet intense and - for the untrained ear - partially draining high frequency screams unleashed from Koketsu's instrument which, over the course of the albums total runtime, slowly make way for more melodic and playful sequences, meandering around and exploring variations of their individual motifs and, more importantly, providing a musical straw to grasp for the uninitiated when it comes to Avantgarde Jazz. Defo an experts album, this, yet one that defies the boundaries of space and time through its specific structure and approach.

Album artwork on Instagram!