Fumika Asari Trio

No Trunks, Kunitachi

August 14, 2026

Fumika Asari浅利史花 - guitar

Hajime Teshima手島甫- bass

Hiro Kimura木村紘-drums

Asari plays in some of the best jazz groups in Tokyo, but this evening was her own as the leader of a sleek, tight trio that created deeply felt, strongly played jazz. Digging into standards and classic bop tunes, she showed why she had a sold-out house—her playing is immensely complex yet satisfyingly fluid.

Kicking off with “I’m Old Fashioned,” a standard that let Asari move patterns in all directions during her solos. Asari, Teshima, and Kimura played as a single complete unit, each one adding to the merger. What struck me from the first count in was the calm, unhurried way she approached her playing. She stayed focused on each tune’s nuances, unhurried, dedicated, and almost unaware of the audience.

“What Is This Thing Called Love?” took off at a quick tempo, with a stretched-out approach that let the trio loosen up and play unconstrained. That vibe lasted through both sets. On Thelonious Monk’s “Reflections,” Asari played a magnificent intro and outro, keeping the pace for single-line runs and elegant chording up and down the fretboard.

“O Grande Amor” was the right closer to the first set, with a slow, measured approach that centered on the lovely melody. Teshima and Kimura delivered nimble soloing. Her way of moving between melodic motion and harmonic structure was beautifully done. She gave good introductions to all of the songs, offering her own ideas on background, feeling, and interest in the songs, which enhanced the music.

In the second set, with interesting fingering and an ear for the full sound the guitar can produce, she turned each song into a delight. On a tune like “Turn Out the Stars,” which she took as a waltz, the fluid, easy way she moves through the potential patterns hidden in the chords was as interesting as the phrasing. Her fingered notes sounded like a singer shaping each note with her voice.

For McCoy Tyner’s “Inception,” she introduced the song wondering whether it would fit the guitar. But of course, in her hands, it fit perfectly. “The Nearness of You” was taken with the same steady, unhurried pace as in the first set. The bluesiness of the song made me want to hear more of her playing full-on blues.

“There Is No Greater Love” closed out the evening with the trio landing on the right notes at the right time. Together, the trio really commanded both the tune and the room. Asari’s way of playing creates delicacy and intimacy, a big sound that stays deft and focused, and puts as much heart as dazzling technique on every tune.

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