Aloft is the ninth duet album by life partners, pianist Satoko Fujii—who released her 100th album as a leader in 2022—and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura. The album was recorded on December 13, 2003, at Samurai Hotel in New York by Mike Marciano and was released on July 12, 2024, on Libra Records.

What more can we say after nine conversations? It’s hard to guess. It probably depends on the understanding between the two partners.

Naturally, if the initial meeting is haphazard and ends abruptly due to a lack of common understanding, there might not be much more to say. But if the conversation is between a couple united by love, friendship, passion, or even life in its entirety, the ninth conversation is just as unique as the third or the thousandth.

In such a case, the conversation would get filled with the unexpectedness of the moment, the day’s happenings, and what has yet to be said or experienced, building up on a ground solidified by the already existing habits that strengthen the bonds and engage even more in discussing the unknown together.

Aloft is indeed an illustration of the second possibility. It captures that incredible moment where nothing exists, yet creation happens again, seemingly from thin air, or perhaps from everything; what seems so mysterious to us feels like a daily occurrence for Satoko Fujii and Natsuki Tamura.

Of course, all conversations offer different intensities, moments of shock, and specific depths. But Aloft stands out as an album that captivates naturally and simply in its accessibility, in what it provokes and inspires, offering a constant depth tinged with humor, seriousness, culture, and–above all–exceptional speaking skills.

Discover next: Natsuki Tamura – Summer Tree

Aloft

Natsuki Tamura: Trumpet; Satoko Fujii: Piano

Tracklisting

1. Migration (08’09”)
2. Wintering (08’08”)
3. Traveling Bird (04’57”)
4. Lifting (09’26”)
5. On the Flyway (10’04”)
6. Waiting for Dawn (09’37”)

Aloft was released on July 12, 2024 // Libra Records 102-075