Japanese pianist and composer Ayumi Tanaka has become a distinctive voice on the Scandinavian jazz scene since settling in Oslo. A graduate of the Norwegian Academy of Music, she has forged musical relationships with Norwegian drummer Thomas Strønen and American bassist Thomas Morgan, whose intuitive rapport lies at the heart of Windflower. Following early performances at Oslo’s Victoria, Nasjonal Jazzscene, the trio attracted the attention of ECM producer Manfred Eicher, leading to this debut recording.
The album follows on from Tanaka’s 2021 release Subaqueous Silence. Windflower finds three experienced improvisers creating music of patience and restraint. Although eight of its nine pieces are freely improvised, the distinction…
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There’s a rare acoustic alchemy at play in Time Is a Blind Guide. Personnel changes have guided and co-shaped the musical character of Norwegian drummer Thomas Strønen’s ensemble and on the group’s third recording we once again experience a slight shift in the line-up, with Leo Svensson Sander replacing Lucy Railton on cello.