Natsuki Tamura, Satoko Fujii

Only musicians as virtuosic as pianist-composer Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura could

pull off an album as lovely as Ki (Libra Records, release date September 19, 2025). While not a

display of slam-bang pyrotechnics, their tenth duo recording nevertheless draws on all their vast

musical resources. Featuring seven new compositions from Tamura (each named for a species of

tree) and a lone Fujii original, the album sustains an atmosphere of hushed lyricism. But the interest

never flags on this album comprised entirely of slow tempo ballads. Thanks to the duo’s astonishing

control of all aspects of music making and the intimacy of their performances, Ki is full of surprise,

variety, finely crafted detail, and emotional depth.