The Elephant Vanishes: Jazz Interpretations of the Short Stories of Haruki Murakami

Bassist Fumi Tomita gives "Jazz Interpretations of the Short Stories of Haruku Murakami" in a jazz vein teamed up with Jason Rigby/ts-ss, Mike Baggetta/g, Art Hirahara/p and Mark Micklehwaite/dr. Tomita takes the band on a bop trip during "Wind-Up Bird and Tuesday's Women" with warm tenor work, while Baggeta's guitar gets a bit elliptical on "Dancing Dwarf." Tomita's touch is warm and glove soft on the lithe title track, giving a rich and thoughtful solo during " Hitler's Invasion Of Poland." Hirahara's piano gently prances on "1881 Indian Uprising" and the band gets into a soulful mood with Rigby's soprano and electric keys for "Second Bakery Attack." The music is uncluttered and mature, appealing to ears and mind.