Bristling with virtuosity and detail, Katarahi, marks the second duo release by pianists Satoko Fujii and Myra Melford, two artists with a tremendous capacity for invention and improvised storytelling. The title, a Japanese word meaning a heart-to-heart conversation between intimate friends, could hardly better reflect their work here, as they enjoy an equal share of the music-making. Neither is busier nor more commanding than the other. Instead, they integrate their ideas seamlessly, creating textures, motions, and atmospheres that speak directly to their identities as musicians. The pieces on this album were recorded live at Jazzfestival Leibnitz in 2024.
Melford’s “Interlude I” balances volatility and pacification, relying on prepared piano and a four-note motif that continually reshapes…