Taylor Ho Bynum & Tomas Fujiwara - Through Foundation (Self released, 2014) ****

By Josh Campbell 

Taylor Ho Bynum and Tomas Fujiwara meet once again share the stage in the under used trumpet/drums format. 7+ years since the wonderful True Events album, Bynum and Fujiwara show they still have a lot to say. Bynum's now trademark cornet is unmistakable, and ever since the wonderful, not to mention epic Navigation, I have been pining for more Bynum.

 While the Anthony Braxton influence can be derived from his playing, you cannot deny Bynum has mastered his own unique style. Throughout the 48 minute journey of Through Foundation, Bynum digs into his bag of tricks and keeps you on your proverbial toes. Trading short phrases with long searing tones, the album, glued together by Fujiwara on drums, flies by in the blink of an eye. And Fujiwara is only getting stronger with each album he is apart of. Whether its his militaristic drums lines or the kodo-esque beats, your attention is immediately grabbed and held. Inevitably, I’m sure people are curious as to how this stacks up with True Events. Well, in my opinion they are two completely different albums. True Events felt like a spontaneous burst of creativity, where Through Foundation is structured, though clearly free, the musical soul of Bynum and Fujiwara have a much stronger bond after two decades of friendship.

The entire theme throughout Through Foundation is mellow with a much more gallant feel that True Events. From the passionate Micro (For Bill Dixon) to the playful Literary References And Basketball Minutia, there is a little bit of everything but it doesn’t have wild extremes that you can find in the Trumpet/Drum format. Another fine performance by a duo who knows how to let the kinship speak through their playing.