Masahiko Satoh
Amorphism

Today I offer a contribution to the work of one of the most interesting representatives of contemporary Japanese Jazz, acclaimed in his homeland and rightfully recognized in the United States as well. I am referring to Masahiko Satoh, a Tokyo-born pianist from 1941, who had the opportunity to study composition and arrangement at the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston (between 1966 and 1968), after years of apprenticeship and research in his country. His debut was with the epochal "Palladium" in 1969, which earned him a "Japan Jazz Award" and, above all, helped spread the artist's reputation elsewhere, especially in Germany, where he collaborated with composer Wolfgang Dauner, a proponent of avant-garde "free-forms" influenced by certain works of Stockhausen. His masterpiece (a must-mention for specialists) is "Yamataifu," dated 1972, followed by an abundant and composite discography, somewhat difficult to consult due to the many scattered side projects of various nature that kept Masahiko busy between the Seventies and Eighties.

However, one of these projects, because of its overall performance quality and the importance of the product itself, is worthy of our attention: "Amorphism," published in November 1985, sees the pianist at the (charismatic) helm of a trio of authentic virtuosos of the instrument, a trio enhanced by the presence of luminaries like Steve Gadd on drums and bassist Eddie Gomez (remembered by many from Steps Ahead), here engaged with remarkable results on double bass. "Amorphism" is the property of objects that do not have a defined shape; in other words, "neutral matter" awaiting the formative action of others; this is the concept of "musical form" adopted by Masahiko in this album, with acknowledged debts to certain modal Jazz of the '60s and, in performance practice, to Chick Corea, perhaps the most evident source of inspiration among the many recognizable ones. The pianist presents himself in the studio with simple ideas, isolated and contextless cues to which a more defined aspect is given, and what is heard is the result of work that takes shape progressively from established, elementary performance schemes always familiar to the jazz trio formula: solo spaces evenly distributed among the three thinking personalities (in the predetermined sequence of piano-double bass-drums), and a generous dose of collective empathy to bind everything in a coherent whole. The harmonic structure of the pieces presented in the repertoire is very simple, sparse, I would dare say "skeletal", with a particular preference for monotonal solutions and traditional scale modulations. What strikes the most is instead the timbral approach: the perfect recording quality gives proper emphasis to clear, clean, crystalline sounds; and it's striking the speed (mixed with precision) in the execution of certain tracks, frenetic itineraries of impressive instrumental virtuosity interpreted with superb sensitivity and mastery. Despite the substantial sharing of known stylistic features, the overall sound impact surprises with the modernity of the solutions adopted: note Masahiko’s tendency to expose themes in some pieces by using a hybrid juxtaposition of classical piano and electronic keyboards, reiterating the points of contact with both the contemporary experimental Fusion and certain atmospheres in vogue in the Eighties, yet without altering the authenticity of the "feeling" (now aggressively agitated, now relaxed and meditative) of each composition. A particular note of merit goes to Steve Gadd’s indispensable work (but if anything, it's a further confirmation given the high number of "gems" in his discography), formidable in his micro-variations on the snare (Gadd's father played the drum in the U.S. Army band); the Rochester drummer stands out here in creating an extraordinary "groove," rich in "ghost notes" and impressive for precision and cleanliness, even when the complexity of certain rhythms (often odd) becomes particularly evident; the only drummer who, from this point of view, can be compared to Gadd (and who, not surprisingly, has often collaborated with him) is Dave Weckl. Nor does Gomez pale among the complex passages of "Amorphism," and his familiarity with the performance practice of the electric bass is evident in the incisiveness of the strokes and the sharp depth of certain ties.

An admirable manifesto of technique and speed of action is the opening of "Escape Velocity," where all the previously mentioned qualities and Masahiko's mastery in creating spontaneous "asymmetric architectures" of rare beauty, playing with tumultuous and hysterical rhythm, are showcased. The exact stylistic counterpart of this "escape" is represented by the subsequent "Shun Yo Sho," where it seems we're in the presence of a "classical" version of the more recent Weather Report, with the double bass replacing Victor Bailey's "fretless"; it's Gomez who proposes suggestive lines in a "call and response" style with the leader's piano, whose delicate and tender cadences characterize the track for most of its duration. More sustained is "Acid Reaction," dominated by Steve Gadd's drumming and Masahiko's "synthetic" riffs before making room for the "solo thoughts" of piano and double bass; a similar discourse applies to the neurotic, claustrophobic (and at times dissonant) "Ken Sen," before the highly experimental and fascinating bracket of "Utpala": a substantially delicate, atmospheric track, yet enhanced by a chilling keyboard background, where Masahiko seems closer than ever to his compatriot Sakamoto. The classic cherry on the cake for an album that, however, still has in store the "three-part" "Quid Pro Quo," where all three instrumentalists provide further proof of skill, and the slow and conclusive "Sai Ka U," predominantly pianistic.

It's not Masahiko's masterpiece, but this album certainly deserves four stars.