submitted on Sat, 10/18/2008 - 06:05 in Jazz Group by Mike_Longo 
This album is a bit unusual for trumpeter Natsuki Tamura and his group Gato Libre. While many of his other recordings are in a free jazz mode--notably as an accompanist for his wife, pianist Satoko Fujii--Kuro seems largely intent in showing a varying picture of Tamura's musical scope.
Fujii forgoes her usual piano for accordion on Kuro.On the opening "Sunny Spot," she provides a tandem accompaniment with guitarist Kazuhiko Tsumura that enhances this otherwise attractive melody. There is also a hint of ambient music dropped on this track. The following "Patrol" sounds like a European folk tune, and again the combination of accordion and guitar provides a cushion for Tamura's trumpet. "Battle" is just that: a six-minute-plus track rife with squeals, honks and other musical tools of the avant-garde. Looking at the liner notes provides an explanation that "Battle" is merely "a tense, if at times whimsical, melange of an actual story of conflict, resolution and transcendence...." On further listens, a more typical response might be to reach for ear plugs...
Source: allaboutjazz
Author: Michael P. Gladstone
