Through ten songs tuned to the mysteries of space and time, the music is solidly modern and positively charged. Tokyo-based drummer Makoto Takeshi leads a quartet consisting of sax, piano, bass, and drums, with original songs supplied by all members of the group.

The energetic opener, “Sturm und Drang” (by pianist Tamashi Goto) is a sharp-edge sprint through modern jazz, while “Bird” (by bassist Goro Takano) is a creative and mesmerizing tune, soft and deep, inspired by dreams of flying.

With strong appeal to the universe theme, Rikitake’s “Andromeda” is a gentle, peaceful ode to the wonders of space, while “Echo of Stars” (Tamashi Goto) is a darker, ECM-style mysteriously brooding adventure.

In a memorable closer, the vocalist Maki Fujimura is featured on the last tune “Moon”, a sweet song with Japanese lyrics.

Other songs feature jazz combined with pretty waltz-time ballads, poppy soft-rock, quirky uptempo funk, and snappy Latin beats, all infused with a sense of open-eyed wonder and appreciation for nature and life on this blue dot of a planet.

Audio and Video

• Promotional video for Blue Dot:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Sturm Und Drang”

Going by “The Duo!” together with the amazing pianist Hideaki Hori, the two musicians expertly create music with pulse, Fujimura building upon and playing with Hori’s rhythmic timing and impeccable pianistic touch, with her soft yet strong vocals gliding around the piano’s notes in perfect interplay.

Fujimura uses her voice as a musician’s instrument, moving from soft ballads to high-energy sprints, singing as a true musician in charge of her instrument with deep musical knowledge. The singer evokes moods from romantic love and positive energy to moments of moody solitude, while pianist Hori provides the perfect musical partnership gained through their years of playing together on innumerable live dates.

Recorded as-is and direct over two nights at the jazz bar, the duo performs both originals and standard jazz tunes. Two of Fujimura’s sparkling crowd-favorites are included: “Ray”, a cheery tune pledging eternal love and support, and “A Thousand Kisses”, where Fujimura’s voice floats gracefully over the piano in pretty melodic arcs as she positively fills the room with romance.

In addition, the duo thrills with arrangements of standards such as “Summertime”, “Caravan”, and a sincerely moving version of “The Rose”.

Audio and Video

• Maki Fujimura and Hideaki Hori performing “Caravan” live in 2017:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Ray”