The creation of Masayoshi Fujita’s “Migratory” began with a homecoming. The new album from the vibraphonist and marimba player, 46, marks a return to Japan after 13 years of life in Berlin, a transition from the urban hub of uber cool to the inaka (countryside) of Kebioka, a mountain village in Hyogo Prefecture. “Berlin is an inspiring place to be,” he says, “but living and creating in nature was my long-time dream.”
Fujita originally planned to convert a traditional Japanese house into a home studio, but something else appeared on his radar: an old kindergarten building. It was modern and concrete instead of closer-to-nature vernacular design, but it proved workable. “Looking back now, it was a great decision,” Fujita says. Mountain views aside, the structure is well soundproofed, and it’s easier to maintain a comfortable temperature. “I can see the mountains and clouds while I make or listen to the music,” he adds.
Sense of place informed the album’s creative process and, at its core, “Migratory” has location as its beating heart. “Everyone has their own history and story across the continents, which gave me the idea of migratory birds,” says Fujita.
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