Fumi Tomita - Yokai: Songs of the Japanese Supernatural (CD)

Facts Drawing inspiration from the fantastical world of Japanese folklore, bassist and composer Fumi Tomita interprets and reveals the strange, mysterious, and often mischievous creatures of the yokai tradition through modern jazz. Inspired primarily by 19th-century woodblock prints, nine original compositions conjure monster snakes, foxes, and thunder beasts, transforming their otherworldly personalities into music that is by turns spacious, haunting, lyrical, and swinging. With saxophonist Carl Clements, guitarist Jason Ennis, and drummer Gary Fieldman, Tomita adds to his earlier acclaimed interpretation of Haruki Murakami's work, as Yokai reveals another side of his imaginative musical world, where folklore, visual art, and improvisation meet. "through Tomita's picturesque and vivid compositions, the result is a mature, cerebral and vibrant brainchild which exudes respect and devotion to it's muse." Next Bop