Attila Zoller, Masahiko Satoh

Berlin, Teldec Studio, 7 November 1971, the same day Terumasa Hino was cutting Vibrations for Enja across town. Joachim-Ernst Berendt, who had brought Masahiko Satoh's trio to the Berliner Jazztage, put them in a studio with the Hungarian guitarist Attila Zoller: Satoh on piano, Yasuo Arakawa on bass, Masahiko Ozu on drums, Zoller on guitar. MPS released it in 1972.

Six pieces. Meet, nine minutes, opens; Sazo is short; the traditional Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair is the ballad; Close Up a two-minute sketch; Together - Not Alone and the fourteen-minute title track fill side two. The Solid CD keeps the MPS artwork and Sepp Werkmeister's photographs.

Satoh was, in the critic Teruto Soejima's phrase, ten years ahead of the rest of the Japanese scene, and his trio records of 1969-70 (Palladium, Deformation) had already gone through electronics and tape. This session is quieter than those. A Discogs listener who is no fan of Zoller admits the trio gives him plenty of room and that when Satoh's piano takes over there are "some nicely out spots". It is one of the more sought-after MPS titles; the Japanese pressing carries the title 会遇, "encounter".

Japanese CD edition from Solid's MPS series.