Michika Fukumori - Quality Time (2016)

A dynamic, New York-based piano trio featuring extremely talented Japanese pianist Michika Fukumori on an incredibly enjoyable and aesthetically pleasing recording.

“Now here is a straight-ahead piano album right out of the American tradition. Guess it makes no difference that the pianist is a native of Japan. However, it should be noted that Michika Fukumori has been a New Yorker for some years. Her style is spare, her touch is lovely, and on an album of eight standards and four originals, she fills the bill quite well. Her relaxed, piano bar presence draws inspiration from such players as Teddy Wilson, John Bunch, and other practitioners of elegance. She and colleagues Aidan O’Donnell (bass) and Billy Drummond (drums) offer well-known entries like “Make Someone Happy,” “Solitude,” “Lucky To Be Me,” “That’s All,” and a couple of Brazilian choices as well. So if you are looking for some “Quality Time,” here is a nice place to find it.” Summit Records; 2016; appx. 65 min.~George Fendel, Jazz Society of Oregon