Bragmilwaukee 20240808 204356 saxophonist Kenji Lee. Andy Peck bass, Jonathan Barahal Taylor drums

Fortune Teller Trio
Those who practice Kyūdō, a traditional form of Japanese archery, view it as a vehicle for moral and spiritual growth. Their primary objective is not to hit the target; rather, they seek to embody the virtues of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty (Shin Zen Bi) through intense concentration on movement and form. While technical precision facilitates aesthetic sensibility, it is inner spiritual beauty that lends depth to their performance. Thus, technique and spirit are intertwined in harmonious unity. This marriage between technique and spirit is central to the musical practice of Detroit-based saxophonist Kenji Lee. His Fortune Teller Trio, comprised of himself on tenor sax, Andy Peck on bass, and Jonathan Barahal Taylor on drums, leverages its technical virtuosity to explore the profound depths of human emotion. In their debut album, Kyūdō, the Fortune Teller Trio seeks to embody the tenets of this Japanese practice through improvisation, painting sweeping sonic landscapes against a canvas of stillness.