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

With haunting melodies, the combination of writer Haruki Murakami's influence on bassist Fumi Tomita's compositions is a singular affirmation of Asian-American identity. "The Elephant Vanishes" performs seven short stories by the Japanese author that are inspired by the themes of despair, loneliness, disconnection and self-discovery.

The references to Western pop culture and the magical context that serves as the setting for each story are equally important. Along with saxophonist Jason Rigby, guitarist Mike Baggett, pianist Art Hirahara and drummer Mark Micklethwaite, Fumi Tomita reimagines Murakami's literary themes, transforming them into lively musical landscapes. Active on the New York scene for the past fifteen years, Fumi Tomita is currently a professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.