Label: ECM Records, 2026
Personnel - Ayumi Tanaka: piano; Thomas Morgan: bass; Thomas Strønen; drums.
Japanese-born, Oslo-based pianist, composer, and improviser Ayumi Tanaka presents a new trio with in-demand American bassist Thomas Morgan and Norwegian drummer Thomas Strønen. Until now, Tanaka had released two albums—Memento (2016) and Subaqueous Silence (2019)—as a leader with her former trio, featuring Christian Meaas Svendsen on bass and Per Oddvar Johansen on drums, and she’s been a wild card in Strønen’s chamber-jazz group Time Is A Blind Guide. The new trio first played together in 2024 at Oslo’s Victoria, Nasjonal Jazzscene, and Windflower consists mostly of improvised music.
The album opens with the title track, which enchants with the enveloping, organic sound that stems from continuous impressionistic pianism, sophisticated bass lyricism, and the rich embrace of percussion. It is followed by “La Source”, an achingly beautiful ballad wrapped in idyllic contemplation. This is the only piece written by Tanaka and reveals her maturity, intelligent restraint, and fragile melodicism. Morgan brings his hypnotic bass to the fore, while Strønen injects occasional snare fluxes, deviating attention from his light-footed toms-and-cymbals maneuvers. The piece gets intriguingly layered by the end.
A gentle pulse takes over “From Us, To You”, enhanced by muted piano hits. A tranquil aural construction flits by expertly measured brush strokes and an elucidating, supportive bass drive. This is the kind of trio that loves to let things flow naturally and spontaneously, unattached to tempo or rigid structure. The threesome integrate their sounds as a breathing whole, and that’s noticeable on the concise “The Sea Is Still”, introduced by Strønen’s impeccably tuned kit and unfolding with Tanaka’s shapeless fidgeting and Morgan’s unmistakable bass foundation. It’s a shame it ends so fast.
“Spring” is another example of graceful delicacy, while “Driftwood” is imbued with loose freedom yet flows with a more familiar swing vibe and pace, fusing modern classical and chamber jazz elements with refined taste.
Tanaka’s concept of intent anchors the ensemble’s creative abstraction. Morgan and Strønen help her flesh out atypical yet non-discordant ideas as they share their own musical perspectives. The modern, often introspective chamber textures on Windflower bring tranquilizing comfort.
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Windflower ► 02 - La Source ► 06 - The Sea Is Still