Fumi Tomita Channels Haruki Murakami on “The Elephant Vanishes”
Jazz bassist Fumi Tomita has reimagined the literary works of Japanese writer Haruki Murakami into a new album. The Elephant Vanishes: Jazz Interpretations of the Short Stories of Haruki Murakami takes seven of the author’s short stories that draw on themes of despair, loneliness, disconnection, and self-discovery and transforms them into music for a jazz combo.
“Equally prominent are the Western pop culture references and magical elements that decorate each story,” a press release states. “Along with saxophonist Jason Rigby, guitarist Mike Baggetta, pianist Art Hirahara and drummer Mark Micklethwaite, Tomita reimagines Murakami’s literary themes, transforming them into rich musical landscapes.”
Hear the musical poetry in the opening track, “Wind Up Bird and Tuesday’s Women”:
The Elephant Vanishes is available now on CD and as a digital download (iTunes and Amazon MP3).
The Elephant Vanishes: Jazz Interpretations of the Short Stories of Haruki Murakami Track List:
- Wind-Up Bird and Tuesday’s Women
- Second Bakery Attack
- Barn Burning
- Part 1: The Fall of the Roman Empire
- Part 2: 1881 Indian Uprising
- Part 3: Hitler’s Invasion of Poland
- Part 4: The Realm of Raging Winds
- Dancing Dwarf
- T.V. People
- The Elephant Vanishes
