Today we’re listening to Ami Fukui, a Japanese pianist and composer from Tokyo. We discovered her music in Brian McCrory’s excellent Jazz of Japan newsletter. She started playing the electone at age four, and then at six enrolled in Yamaha’s classical piano performance and composition program.¹ Oscar Peterson’s swift yet precise style drew her towards jazz, and at Senzoku Music University she formed her own trio. Since 2010 she’s put out about half a dozen records, of which a couple are widely available on streaming. First we’re playing 2022’s Nova Manha, a collection of bossa nova / samba inspired originals and a cover (of “Pra Machucar Meu Coração”). Don’t miss “Golden Field.” We’re also playing New Journey from 2016, which is a more straightforward jazz record with a lot of heart. A conversation with Ami follows the streaming links.

Nova Manha - Ami Fukui (45m, no vocals)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal

New Journey - Ami Fukui (60m, no vocals except for track 8)
Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube Music / Amazon Music / Bandcamp / Tidal

What is your earliest memory related to music?

My family loved music, and I remember my grandfather playing the accordion, and my father singing while playing the guitar. (My father also composed songs as a hobby, and I recall him performing songs he wrote for me and my brother.) I also remember that my grandfather's house had an Electone.

How do you think learning the Electone as your first instrument influenced your playing and composing style?

With the Electone, you play the bass pedals with your feet, and it was quite difficult. But I might have started paying more attention to the bass sound unconsciously from that time. When I would listen to songs I thought were cool, I often wondered how the bass riff was structured. My original compositions often start with bass motifs, or I write songs specifying bass lines. This might be because of the influence of the Electone, and now I think I even understand this better myself through this interview question!

What aspects of Oscar Peterson’s style appealed to you as a teenager? Who were other pianists that left a strong impression early on?

First of all, I was attracted to Oscar’s bouncy, round, and soft sound. Of course, his incredibly fast playing and technique are part of his charm, but I love the bright and exciting sound that he created. I was also drawn to his swing feeling and the groove that pulled you in. There are many pianists who left a strong impression on me early on. Some pianists I listened to a lot include Wynton Kelly, Kenny Barron, Michel Petrucciani, and Gene Harris.

On Nova Manha and MCY, there’s plenty of bossa nova and samba. What drew you to this genre?

I was deeply moved by the rhythms and harmonies when I listened to Elis Regina, Tânia Maria, and César Camargo Mariano, who was the pianist for Elis. After that, I wanted to compose and play music like that too.

Some favorites of mine include Eliane Elias’ Dance of Time and Romero Lubambo’s Love Dance.

By the way, the song "Emerald Lagoon" is on my third album New Journey. I composed this song while listening to a lot of Romero Lubambo. I particularly listened to the album Love Dance a lot.

Can you tell us how your trio was formed and how the collaboration has evolved over time?

As for drummer Kira-kun, from the moment we first played together, I secretly thought I would love to work with him in the future. So in my mind, that was an immediate decision. When I was considering who to choose as the bassist, I thought that a trio with Iwami-san, who works not only in jazz but also in free jazz, pop, and rap, would bring an interesting expanded musical dimension. So I invited him to join, and we formed the trio. Both of them are often performing together in other settings, and their combination is fantastic. They really respect each other, and you can feel that they enjoy each other's sounds. Even if someone takes a detour, they embrace it, and I love that open-mindedness. So, I feel like I’m just playing freely on top of their already established dynamic.

We have been performing regularly, and that solidified our sound, which was great. Currently, we intentionally perform less often. I enjoy the freshness it brings when we come together and the chance to explode with the energy we’ve built up during that time.

What other forms of art inspire you besides music?

I enjoy looking at paintings, and I get a lot of inspiration from being surrounded by nature. I think I have an inquisitive personality and I want to learn about anything I don't know. When something piques my interest, or if it catches my attention, I make sure to go and check it out immediately.

Can you name any artists from the past 50 years who you think have been underrated?

Hmm... Could it be me? Ha ha...

Joking aside, to be honest, this is a pretty difficult question for me! I'll have to think more about that.

What are you working on next?

I am always looking for new inspiration and sounds different from what I'm used to, so I'm making time for that... and for composing, of course!

I want to study Brazilian music more. I've only just started exploring it, and I hope to spend more time deepening my understanding of it in the future.