Yokai: Songs of the Japanese Supernatural

Bassist and composer Fumi Tomita richly mixes jazz ideologies with his own Japanese tradition of harmonies and folklore on this album that explores dreams and visions both spiritual and musical. He's joined by Carl Clements/fl-sax, Jason Ennis/g and Gary Fieldman/dr, as they say, every musical picture tells a story.

Tomita's rich bass has that same big feel as a Christian McBride, filled with confidence and warmth, and it snaps crisply in creating a groove with Fieldman as Clements' tenor goes rich on the pu lsating "Daija (Monster Snake" and struts over "Betobeto San", while a mix of Asia and Latin America goes well on "Kiyomori". Ennis adds flavor to the Asian charm of "Amabiko (Sea Lad") and waltzes through the folksy "Okiku", forming droplets with the leader on the upbeat "Wakana-Hime (Princess Wakana"). Beautiful bodhi tree post-bop.