The Thing plus Otomo Yoshihide and Akira Sakata live at Super Deluxe, Tokyo, 2009

Following up this fine series of Japanese improv, here's a more recent collaboration between Scandinavian power trio The Thing and Otomo Yoshihide and Akira Sakata, recorded live at Super Deluxe in Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan on 9 September 2009.

Setlist :
1.? [ 24min 42sec ] The Thing plus Otomo Yoshihide
2.? [ 11min 43sec ] Mads Gustafsson (ts) and Akira Sakata (as)
3.? [ 08min 44sec ] Mads Gustafsson (flutophone) and Akira Sakata (cl)
4.? [ 30min 04sec ] TT, OY and AS
5.? [ 14min 46sec ] TT, OY and AS
-encore-
6.? [ 09min 26sec ] TT, OY and AS


The Band:
Mats Gustafsson(ts, flutophone)
Ingebrigt Haaker Flaten(bass)
Paal Nilssen-Love(drums)
Otomo Yoshihide(guitar)
Akira Sakata(as,cl, voc)

Different combinations here, first with The Thing and Otomo Yoshihide, then a couple of duets with Mads Gustafsson and Akira Sakata and the whole crew in full flight. As I mentioned in a previous post, there is a sense of continuity from the 60s/70s pioneers and up to the younger generation of European and Japanese players with Sakata representing the binding thread in this instance. Gustafsson has professed to be an admirer of Sakata, so this gig presented an opportunity for them to get together and blow out on a couple of duets as part of the set. The Thing has worked with guitarists before, among others Thurston Moore and Terrie Ex and here Otomo Yoshihide provides the right screechy foil to the rhythm section of Haaker Flaten and Nilssen-Love who, by the way, also worked with guitarist Raoul Björkenheim as the Scorch Trio, a name quite appropriate for the music they dished out. No mellowing out here!

Video clips can be found on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY8l_UOS7kk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOqw5T8g-50

and considering the season we're heading into:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf7lRGDxMx0

Yes, Akira Sakata does sing!

Recorded and upped to Dime/YouTube by "fykfyk"who keeps a steady track of musical events in the Tokyo underground. Thanks, mate!

SABU TOYOZUMI "WATER WEED" (NADJA / TRIO,1975)

Here's more fantastic music from Sabu Toyozumi,Takashi Tokuhiro and Mototeru Takagi.
Although the pieces/themes are written by Takagi the album files under Toyozumi's name.


SABU TOYOZUMI "WATER WEED"

Sabu Toyozumi,perc
Mototeru Takagi,reeds
Takashi Tokuhiro,b


1. Meteor Crowd (Takagi) 22:47
2. Water Weed (Takagi) 16:02


Recorded: The concert "Sabu Toyozumi/The Seven Seas"
Live at Nichifutsu Kaikan Hall, July 2, 1975

NADJA (Trio) PA7113

Carman Moore (feat. Sam Rivers): Four Movements for a Fashionable Five-Toed Dragon (repost)

Due to requests, here is a repost of an album posted last year. The links appear to have been deleted, so new links have been posted.

This one was supplied by inamorata who wrote a little intro to the record. Links in comments.

1 Overture 2:44
02 1st Movement - Pastorale 11:22
03 2nd Movement - Urban Walk 14:58
04 3rd Movement - Colours 14:27
05 4th Movement - Folk Energy 12:47

This is a rather peculiar record, and a strange context for Sam Rivers to appear in. It may not be exactly rare (there is a copy on offer at *bay right now for USD 19.95) but definitely has not left many traces on the WWW. Here's what Rick Lopez in his amazing Sam Rivers Sessionography (http://www.bb10k.com/RIVERS.disc.html) says about it, quoting Anthony B. Rogers (I included the whole entry with the files):

"This is an LP produced by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and released in celebration of the American Bicentennial. The music was first presented at the 9th Hong Kong Ready-to-Wear Festival... The music was composed by Carman Moore and performed by members of the American Symphony Orchestra with... soloists."

The soloists are Sam Rivers, Elliott Randal, Kenneth Bichel, Richard Davis, and Warren Smith. The score by Carman Moore is played by members of the American Symphony Orchestra conducted by Isaiah Jackson. Although it has a jazzy tinge, it is not at all what one would expect from the list of soloists or, more specifically, the presence of Sam Rivers. I find it strange and fascinating and quite nice, but judge for yourselves.

The LP was recorded on February 29, 1976 (again according to Rick Lopez), right in the middle between what I consider the absolute high points of Sam Rivers prolific oeuvre: the IAI duo sessions with Dave Holland (February 18), and the Quest session with Holland and Altschul (March 12--13), both featuring the most intense and intimate musical communication I can think of.

I was lucky enough to find a well-kept copy and ripped and cleaned it very carefully (all remastering was done in 24bit resolution). I'm glad to share it here with the kind help of kinabalu. To him and to all other contributors here I wish to express my gratitude for the amazing amount of fine and rare music I got from this blog. I am mostly too busy to leave a comment, but this (and , hopefully, some future indirect contributions) is my sincere thank you to all of you.


Kind regards,
inamorata

MANFRED SCHULZE BLÄSER QUINTETT "CHORAL-KONZERT" (AMIGA, 1988)

Another gem from Manfred Schulze.
An already almost forgotten musician with a highly original vision. Too little recordings were issued and fewer are still available. Hopefully someone will reissue this and other LPs from Amiga. For the time being...



MANFRED SCHULZE BLÄSERQUINTETT "CHORAL-KONZERT"

Johannes Bauer,tb
Manfred Hering,ts
Dietmar Diesner,as
Heiner Reinhardt,ss
Manfred Schulze,bars

1. Choral-Konzert (Part I) (Manfred Schulze) 17:39
2. Choral-Konzert (Part II) (Manfred Schulze) 16:36

Recorded: 8th January, 1988 in Berlin

AMIGA 8 56 356

MASAHIKO TOGASHI & MOTOTERU TAKAGI "ISOLATION" (Take One Records, 1969)

This early japanese Free Jazz LP was originally recorded for a movie by Masao Adachi - "Renzoku Shasatsuma (Ryakusho)".
But it certainly works without the pictures.

A classic recording - not only from Japan - Enjoy!



MASAHIKO TOGASHI + MOTOTERU TAKAGI "ISOLATION"

Mototeru Takagi,ts,bcl,cornpipe
Masahiko Togashi,dr,vib,marimba,tube-bell,tympany

1. Isolation 1 (TOGASHI) 16:45
2. Isolation 2 (TOGASHI) 19:08

Recorded on 19th December, 1969 in Tokyo

Columbia JDX-49 (first edition)

YOSUKE YAMASHITA TRIO "CONCERT IN NEW JAZZ" (UNION, 1969)

This was the third LP of the Yamashita Trio, still with the original sax player Seiichi Nakamura. It was reissued as CD in 1991 with one piece more. Also some pieces were longer than on the LP.
But both are out of print.

Yosuke Yamashita is in Japan much more famous for his movie acting and his books which are bestsellers - as I was told by a japanese friend.
Sometimes he is marked as the japanese Cecil Taylor - but I think it is obvious that he has a voice all his own. However - C.T. was/is his "hero" - and there was a concert in which both played together. It seems it was filmed - something I would like to watch.

Here again one can notice, as Kinabalu remarked, the extraordinary energy and stamina of the group.


YOSUKE YAMASHITA TRIO "CONCERT IN NEW JAZZ"

Yosuke Yamashita,p
Seiichi Nakamura,ts,ss,cl
Takeo Moriyama,dr

1. Sate (Well) (Moriyama) 13:11
2. Mina's Second Theme (Yamashita) 06:44
3. Mokurin (Nakamura) 11:52
4. Gugan (Yamashita) 07:49

Recorded live at "Sankei Hall", Tokyo on 21st September, 1969

UNION UPS-20115

The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble - Live in Turin '78

The original EHE lineup three years before the debut album
"Three Gentlemen From Chicago" (Moers Music 01076-1981).

Rec. live at "Auditorium R.A.I.", Turin, Italy,
on November 12, 1978 (mics recording)

Kahil El'Zabar,percussion,flute,vocal
Edward Wilkerson,tenor & alto sax,flute
'Light' Henry Huff,tenor,soprano & alto sax,bass clarinet

1. Unknown (14:16)
2. Unknown (07:54)
3. Unknown (08:02)
4. Unknown (11:38)

Total Time 41:52

Yamashita Trio - Clay

Life's full of coincidence, isn't it? Yesterday I downloaded this album from the blog and listened through it. Today I dropped by a second-hand store and found it to my great surprise. If that wasn't enough, discovering that there was a scanner at work that could accommodate lp size covers was reason enough to make a post out of it. This was slipped into the comments section of the previous Yamashita trio post by pablo who digitised his own copy of the lp. No point in me replicating those worthy efforts.

Basic facts:

Side 1:
Mina's Second Theme (Yosuke Yamashita) 21:15

Side II
Mina's Second Theme (cont.)(Yosuke Yamashita) 7:35
Clay (Dedicated to Muhammad Ali) (Takeo Moriyama) 15:15

Akira Sakata - Clarinet & Altosax
Yosuke Yamashita - Piano
Takeo Moriyama - drums

Recorded June 2, 1974, live at the open-air III. New Jazz Festival in Moers, Germany

Released as Enja 2052.

Listening to this, I'm amazed at the sheer energy and stamina of these three musicians. Keeping it going at full throttle for well over 40 minutes is no mean feat and there is an intensity and an underlying sense of violence which is scenically captured in this You Tube film excerpt:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD3Q060KI28

Heady stuff in other words and a source of inspiration for a younger generation mixing the in your face attitude of punk and rock with the abandonment of free impro. Perhaps no wonder that Sakata has recently played with the Scandinavian power trio The Thing. Mads Gustafson is a huge admirer, which shouldn't surprise anybody listening to these tracks.

KAZUTOKI UMEZU "BAMBOO VILLAGE" (WHAT NEXT , 1980)

Another Trio from Japan. Quite different in its attitude.
I was a bit surprised to hear David Friesen in such a musical enviroment.
More probably than not I'm only biased.



KAZUTOKI "KAPPO" UMEZU "BAMBOO VILLAGE"

Kazutoki Umezu,as,ss,bcl
Masahiko Togashi,perc
David Friesen,b

1. Bamboo Village 10:11
2. Jumpin' Sambo 09:32
3. How Are You 14:33
4. Blue Tree 06:53


Recorded March 21, 22, 1980 at Onkio Haus (sic!), Tokyo


NEXT WAVE 25PJ-1003

YOSUKE YAMASHITA "GHOSTS" (WEST WIND 1977)

DELETED! see comments...



Here's one for Sunday. The Yosuke Yamashita Trio with Akira Sakata. See also Riccardo's post from 6th November for another fine recording with Akira Sakata!



YOSUKE YAMASHITA TRIO "GHOSTS by Albert Ayler"

Yosuke Yamashita,p
Akira Sakata,as
Shoichi Koyama,dr


1. Chiasma (Yosuke Yamashita) 16:30
2. Ghosts (Albert Ayler) 35:30

Recorded : May 23, 1977 at "Jazz in der Kammer", Deutsches Theater, Berlin, Germany.

Elton Dean's Ninesense - Live in London '79

I hope this is still inedited for the Blogland.

Rec. live at "100 Club", London, England, on March 5, 1979
(mics recording)

Elton Dean,alto sax,saxello
Alan Skidmore,tenor & soprano sax
Mark Charig,trumpet,tenor horn
Harry Beckett,trumpet,flugelhorn
Radu Malfatti,trombone
Nick Evans,trombone
Keith Tippett,piano
Harry Miller,bass
Louis Moholo,drums
+
Jim Dvorak,trumpet (2nd set only)

1st set :

1. Oasis_139 (35:22)

2. Sweet F.A._Seven For Lee (32:04)

2nd set :

1. Nicrotto_Mark's_First Born_Bounce (58:09)

Total Time 2:05:36

BERGISCH - BRANDENBURGISCHES QUARTETT (AMIGA ,1982)

This post is an addendum to the german thread.

Humorous - Gentle - Assertive - Realistic - Dadaistic - Social - Individual - Accurate - Fuzzy ....



BERGISCH-BRANDENBURGISCHES QUARTETT


Ernst-Ludwig Petrowsky, as(1,2,6), bs(3), cl(4,5,6,7), harmonica(2), ratchet(1)
Rüdiger Carl, ts(1,2,3,6), accordion(2,4,5), cl(7), voc(5)
Hans Reichel, g, v(1), cigarbox(1), radio(5)
Sven-Åke Johansson, dr, perc, voc(2,4,5,7), telephone books(5), etc

A1. Ohne Telefonbücher 04:18
A2. Empfindungen und Nachempfindungen 03:49
A3. Eskapaden 09:30
A4. Die Kuh mit den zehn Litern 04:52
B1. Kalldautzki 06:41
B2. Neapolitanische Schwermut 09:28
B3. Blues Skies In The Background 01:49


Recorded on  March 1, 1982 at Haus der Jungen Talente, Berlin.

AMIGA 8 56 031

(lp-rip)

GROUP ONGAKU (1960/61) HEAR sound art library

Here's something which is more related to experimental or contemporary classics than to Free Jazz/Improvisation. But it is improvised as well...


Takehisa Kosugi was later co-founding the "Taj Mahal Travellers" and since 1978 he served as the musical director of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company..
He, Yasunao Tone and Chieko Shiomi were also associated with the Fluxus movement.

More information on Takehisa Kosugi > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takehisa_Kosugi &
http://www.lovely.com/bios/kosugi.html & http://www.artpool.hu/Fluxus/Kosugi.html

Yasunao Tone > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasunao_Tone
&
http://www.lovely.com/bios/tone.html & http://www.thewire.co.uk/articles/208/

also > http://www.shukomizuno.net/
and
http://www.fluxus-east.eu/index.php?item=exhib&lang=en&sub=shiomi


GROUP ONGAKU

Track 1 & 2:
performed by
Takehisa Kosugi, Chieko Shiomi,Yumiko Tanno, Yasunao Tone, Shukou Mizuno


Track 3:
Takehisa Kosugi,v,sax,tape
Chieko Shiomi,p
Mikio Tojima,vc
Yasunao Tone,sax,tape
Genichi Tsuge,g
Shukou Mizuno,vc,dr,tape

1. Automatism
2. Object
3. Metaplasm 9 - 15

Recorded :
Track 1 & 2 on May 8, 1960 at Mituno's House.
Track 3 on September 15, 1961 at Sogetsu Kaikan Hall, Tokyo

O.M.C.I. - Contro [1975 - L'Orchestra OLP 10004 (LP)]

O.M.C.I. is the acronym for "Organico di Musica Creativa e Improvvisata"
one of the seminal groups for the Italian creative-music in the seventies.
"Contro" is the first album to which will follow "Free Rococò" (OLP 10011-1977) and "Happy Days" (OLP 10018-1979) : all unfortunately OOP!
About R.Geremia : Born in Venice in 1930, he graduated in violin at the
Santa Cecilia Music Conservatory in Rome. He immediately chose to
set out on an adventurous career that led him to play in night club
orchestras and jazz bands,with Stephane Grappelli and Armando
Trovajoli, as well as in recording studios and in concert halls.
In 1951 Bruno Maderna heard his playing and invited him to record
as a soloist on tenor and alto sax and violin for a movie soundtrack.
He had retired from extensive concert activity and was living a quiet
life just performing locally when Guido Mazzon and Tony Rusconi
insisted on him participating in the improvising group O.M.C.I. .
His talent as a poly-instrumentalist and improviser is extraordinary
as will be apparent in his appearances with the Italian Instabile
Orchestra (till 2003) and as a violinist in the Italian String Trio.
He has recorded with The Unrepentant Ones, the ICP Orchestra
and Misha Mengelberg, and with O.M.C.I.. Among his records
currently available are the outstanding Italian String Trio CD
"From Groningen To Mulhouse" (SPLASC(H) Records 416.2-1994)
with Paolo Damiani and Bruno Tommaso, and "Blue Memories"
(Splasc(h) Records 449.2-1995) a trio with Mario Schiano and
Joelle Leandre.

Rec. at "Studio Ariston", San Giuliano Milanese (MI), Italy,
on September 9, 1975

Renato Geremia,tenor & soprano sax,flute,violin,piano
Mauro Periotto,bass
Tony Rusconi,drums

A1 Contro (05:33)
A2 Ballad For Teresa (07:27)
A3 Ex S.Chiara (07:07)
B1 Itinerari (20:01)

Total Time 40:10

All compositions by R.Geremia

KANG TAE HWAN "ASIAN SPIRITS"

Another gem from Kang Tae Hwan. Here he collaborates with two master musicians from Japan.

This recording was initiated by Teruto Soejima. He's together with Aquirax Aida (1946 - 1978) the most prolific critic and organiser/promoter of the japanese Free Jazz scene.
He also wrote the seminal book about japanese Free Jazz - Nihon Free Jazz-shi [The History of Japanese Free Jazz] - sadly only in japanese language. He has organized such events as the 14-day Free Jazz festival "Inspiration and Power" (in 1974 and 1976) etc.



KANG TAE HWAN "ASIAN SPIRITS"

Kang Tae Hwan,as
Masahiko Satoh,p (tr.2 & 3)
Masahiko Togashi,perc (tr.3)


1. Improvisation 1 (solo) 16:21
2. Improvisation 2 (duo) 15:45
3. Improvisation 3 (trio) 23:23

Recorded : Live on October 10th, 1995 at Pit Inn, Shinjuku, Japan

Artist Co-ordinator : Teruto Soejima

AD.forte CD-9602 (unfortunately deleted - buy other CDs from Kang Tae Hwan!!)

Korean Traditional music Casette-Asia Record co-ALC-1026

Here's some more Traditional Korean Music as an accompaniement to Onx's great Sinawi lp upload.

A- Mystery Casette of Korean traditional music , bought in a grocery shop that made damned fine Kimchi , sadly he place is long gone.

Asia record co-ALC 1026
this is a beauty , even if it requires some tolerance of saturated recording levels in spots .... the first Track sounds like 80's hardcore band Steel Pole Bathtub , at double speed through a lead pipe!!!
(its a processional percussion ensemble piece)

After that the rest is recorded at high but clear levels.... the whole tape has a beautiful grainy quality i like a lot.
Side a .. features Flute , and Piri solos, and court music for ensemble
Side b, features , mostly Kayagum with a bit of percussion.

perhaps some korean speaker/reader can help clarify what's actually present ..

enjoy!!!

Musiques du Viet-Nam- Disques Bam lp rip (ld 434)Flac

A georgeous , lp of Vietnamese music on the Defunkt, Parisian Disques Bam ,label

Side one seems to be songs and pieces in the classical "high" or court tradition

performed by the director of Oriental music studies at the centre de la musique orientale in Paris Tran Van khe , and a few otherS , His students perhaps.

side 2 is the real meat ... Raw field recordings made in Hill tribe villages in 1955 , the year after the French got their asses kicked.
those recordings on side 2 feature some quite extreme fades , some tracks fade out after 30seconds .
side b is also quite over recorded , mouth organ and dan tranh garage style!

i havent seperated out the tracks at all .... downsampled from 24-bit 48hz to 16 bit 41 hz..
no editing other than very slight eq , no compression or de crackle



its a short one clocking in at just 28 minutes...

New Link, 10-7-013, see comments

Ninh Le Quan,Michel Doneda & Daunik Lazro-Concert Public, Van D'oeuvre LP 8903, 1988

Here's an exuberant early Session by three Artists who have become stalwarts of the European Free scene.
Michel Doneda is by now almost a household name as a free improvisor considered by some one of the greatest living saxophonists.
Lazro and Ninh le Quan , seem almost unjustly neglected by comparison.
Le Quan in particular is one of the most inventive percussionists in the music.. his playing on this album seemingly rooted in the traditions of East Asia...
the whole alternates between folk tinged free jazz , with a few more severly austere processional sounding improvs,consisting of interlocking textures born of extreme Timbral contrasts.

My favourites though are probably the 2 very free treatments of traditional tunes .. Thillana by Carnatic & Hindustani musician, T.V. Gopalkrishnan, and the joyous Macedonian folk tune Prespansko,the sort of thing played by street brass bands accompanied by huge Tapan drums, after the consumption of the 80 proof ,plum Brandy known as Slivovitz.

Concert Public- Van D'oevre lp8903,1988
This was reissued on CD in 1990 on In Situ, (In Situ 37) but is no longer available.



Michel Doneda (soprano saxophone), Daunik Lazro (alto saxophone), Lê Quan Ninh (percussion)

Thillana (1:10), Paradi, parada, jelenia polska (4:50), Le chien à trois têtes (5:27), Eos III (14:50), Lune de quatre heures (7:40), Prespansko (4:22), Le souverain jaune (9:26), Hydrelerne (6:45)

Recorded on January 26, 1988 at Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy


Lp ripped at 48Hz-24bit then downsampled To 44hz-16 bit, and converted to Flac


http://www.lequanninh.net/?v=bio&lang=en

http://puffskydd.free.fr/neda/

Andrea Centazzo/Alvin Curran/Evan Parker - Live in Florence '78

An adventurous trio...

Rec. live at "Teatro Tenda", Florence, Italy, on July 8, 1978
(mics recording)

Andrea Centazzo,percussion
Alvin Curran,piano,synth
Evan Parker,tenor & soprano sax

1. Improvisation (44:34)

Harry Beckett on BBC Jazz Club

Here's the final batch of this Harry Beckett mini series. These are three different sessions done for the BBC's Jazz Club, the oldest from 1975 and the newest from 1982.

The first session was with Joy Unlimited and featuring a line-up which nearly matches that of the 1975 album we posted here earlier.

(1) Harry Beckett's Joy Unlimited

BBC Jazz Club session

Broadcast 27 July 1975

Harry Beckett (tp, flgl horn)
Brian Miller (el p)
Ray Russell (g)
Steve Cook (bg)
John Webb (dr)
Robin Jones (perc)

1. Green Stripes on Red 07:08
2. announcer 00:42
3. Not for Tomorrow, for to Now 10:07
4. announcer 00:30
5. Rings within Rings 7:59

The only difference is that Steve Cook is on bass guitar for this session, while Daryl Runswick takes care of bass duties on the "Memories" lp. Another nice difference is that none of the three selections here is on the actual lp, giving us three bonus pieces, which can't be bad, eh? The music is delightful, as expected, in the fusionist latinist mode of the two Joy Unlimited albums posted here before. Ample room for Beckett and Russell soloing on these pieces.

The next session is from sometime in 1981/82 with a fully different lineup:

(2) Harry Beckett Quintet

BBC Jazz Club session

1981 / 1982(?)

Harry Beckett (tp, flgl horn)
Elton Dean (as, saxello)
Martin Blackwell (p, el p)
Paul Rogers (b)
Tony Marsh (d)

1. Images of Clarity 07:53
2. announcer 00:52
3. Pictures of You 08:25
4. announcer 00:20
5. Time of Day 07:51

No clear indications of the date, though there is a brief mention of "last time" in the presentation which might be taken to mean that the quintet has guested on Jazz Club before. Highlights here; some very vital bass work from up-and-coming bass maestro Paul Rogers; a ballad solo from Elton Dean on the saxello (not quite what one might expect from that quarter).

(3) Harry Beckett Quintet

BBC Jazz Club session

Broadcast 14 Feb 1982

Harry Beckett (tp, flgl horn)
Elton Dean (saxello, as)
Michael Garrick (el p, p)
Paul Rogers (b)
Tony Marsh (d)

1. Symbols 09:12
2. announcer 00:58
3. Chandeliers and Mirrors 13:18
4. announcer 00:35
5. Chase me no more 07:15

Almost the same lineup here, except Michael Garrick has stepped in for Mr. Blackwell, not a bad substitute by any stretch. Highlights here; a Dean right-in-your-face outburst right at the beginning which sounds more like the venerable Peter Brötzmann than Mr. Dean himself; dramatic piano on the middle, slow, tune from Garrick (the second piece is always a slow one on these three sessions).

Astounding good sound quality on these sessions; only a little FM static in the background. I've no idea whether these sessions have been preserved in the BBC archives or whether the tapes have been wiped or deleted or whatever has happened. In any case, kudos to the preservationist ethos of whoever recorded this and whoever made it more widely available through the Dime network. I'm merely passing it on to the open domain, which is where it should be.

All three sessions hosted by legendary BBC jazz presenter Peter Clayton who, alas, is no longer with us.

MASAHIKO TOGASHI "GUILD FOR HUMAN MUSIC" & "ESSENCE"

Two recordings from Masahiko Togashi's "Guild for Human Music".



MASAHIKO TOGASHI "GUILD FOR HUMAN MUSIC"


Shigeo Suzuki,woodwinds
Hideo Miyata,woodwinds
Masami Nakagawa,woodwinds
Masahiko Sato,keyboard[1]
Keiki Midorikawa,vc,b[2]
Yoshio Ikeda,b
Yoshisaburo Toyozumi,perc
Tatsuji Yokoyama,perc
Masahiko Togashi,dr,perc

1. First expression (TOGASHI) [2] 07:59
2. Second expression (TOGASHI) [2] 04:20
3. Third expression (TOGASHI) [2] 08:10
4. Fourth expression (TOGASHI) [1] 06:38
5. Fifth expression (TOGASHI) [2] 02:44
6. Sixth expression (TOGASHI) [1] 10:21

May, 23-24, 26-27, 1976 : Nippon Columbia 1st Studio, Tokyo

Denon Jazz/Nippon Columbia YX-7504-ND







MASAHIKO TOGASHI's Guild for Human Music "ESSENCE"


Masami Nakagawa,Shigeo Suzuki,fl / Masahiko Sato,p
Yoshisaburo Toyozumi,marimba / Tatsuji Yokoyama,perc
Masahiko Togashi,dr,perc
1. Turning point 09:29

Masahiko Sato,p / Yoshisaburo Toyozumi,Tatsuji Yokoyama,perc
Masahiko Togashi,dr,perc
2. Miror 03:46

Masami Nakagawa,Shigeo Suzuki,ss / Keiki Midorikawa,vc
Masahiko Togashi,dr,perc
3. Anecdote 05:57

Masami Nakagawa,fl / Masahiko Togashi,dr,perc
4. Essence 06:11

Masahiko Sato, Yoshisaburo Toyozumi, Tatsuji Yokoyama,perc
Mieko Togashi,wine-glass / Masahiko Togashi,dr,perc
5. Direction of the wind 03:57

Masami Nakagawa,as / Masahiko Sato,p
Yoshisaburo Toyozumi,Tatsuji Yokoyama,perc
Masahiko Togashi,dr,perc
6. Bonfire 05:49


All music by M.Togashi
November 3-6, 1976 : Nippon Columbia 1st Studio, Tokyo

Denon Jazz/Nippon Columbia YX-7513-ND

Han Bennink & Daniele D'Agaro - Live in Pavia '10

Recorded in a deconsecrated church (Santa Maria Gualtieri)
without amplification.

Rec. live at "Santa Maria Gualtieri", Pavia, Italy,
on March 14, 2010 (mics recording)

Han Bennink,drums
Daniele D'Agaro,tenor sax,clarinet

1. Duo #1 (13:01)
2. Duo #2 (07:45)
3. Duo #3 (13:44)
4. Duo #4 (14:14)
5. Duo #5 (05:20)
6. Duo #6 (08:08)
7. Duo #7 (04:48)

Total Time 1:07:03

MASAHIKO TOGASHI "SONG FOR MYSELF" (EAST WIND 1974)

Here's more from Masahiko Togashi. Three duos and a solo piece. My favourite track is "Fairy Tale" a duo with Masahiko Sato.




MASAHIKO TOGASHI "SONG FOR MYSELF"

Masahiko Togashi,dr,perc
Sadao Watanabe,fl (tr.1)
Masahiko Satoh,p (tr.2)
Masabumi Kikuchi,p (tr.4)

1. Haze 09:53
2. Fairy Tale 10:51
3. Song For Myself 08:09
4. Song For My Friends 11:38


Recorded at Victor Studios, Tokyo

October 10, 1974 (tr.1)
September 23, 1974 (tr.2)
September 30, 1974 (tr.3)
July 25, 1974 (tr.4)

EAST WIND / Nippon Phonogram EW-8006

Archie Shepp Quartet - Live in Alassio '77

According to the official program of the festival, the rhythmic-section
had to be M.Waldron/C.Brown/C.Persip...
but even with more modest partners Shepp played wonderfully.

Rec. live at "Belvedere S.Croce", Alassio, Italy,
on September 2, 1977 (mics recording)

Archie Shepp,tenor & soprano saxophone
Siegfried Kessler,piano
Saheb Sarbib,bass
Noel McGee,drums

1. Things Have Got To Change [C.Massey] (28:25)
2. Straight Street [J.Coltrane] (18:11)
3. Sophisticated Lady [D.Ellington] (09:51)
4. Sonny's Back [G.Moncur III] (07:47)
5. New Africa [G.Moncur III] (25:01)
6. In A Sentimental Mood [D.Ellington] (05:45)
7. U-Jaama [A.Shepp]/Body And Soul [E.Heyman]/
52nd Street Theme [T.Monk] (29:38)

Total Time 2:04:41

Harry Beckett's Joy Unlimited - Memories of Bacares/Got It Made

"The world is a great place to live in if you can throw off the blues every so often. It is with this thought in mind that we have set out to create joyful music using styles of jazz rock and Latin American rhytms and voicings to help us achieve our aim. We have enjoyed creating this music. We hope it has the desired effect and that you, the listener, are that bit happier for hearing it." So said Harry Beckett in the sleeve notes to "Memories of Bacares".

"A generous and open-hearted man and one of the most popular characters on the British jazz scene, you get the impression that if it hadn't occured to Harry Beckett to call his band "Joy Unlimited", his fans would have come up with the idea anyway. It has the atmosphere of a steel band, or a calypso group or something that happened along at a Mexican wedding; an infectious chuckle, like the sound of Harry's trumpet". Those are the words of UK jazz critic John Fordham in the liner notes to "Got It Made."

The above quotations might have given you an idea about what these two albums are about: Groovable, memorable tunes with a fat layer of jazz expertise on top to give you that uplifting vibe. For this project, Beckett recruited a solid bunch of fellows; Ray Russell, Roy Babbington, Alan Jackson and others with one foot in jazz and beyond and the other in rock and musicals. The result is accessible, but never facile, slick or cliched. "Memories" is live, "Got it made" is studio, so the live one gives the crew a chance to go a little further while the studio one is sharp, tightly arranged and executed, yet never sterile. These are not your typical Ogun releases, to the extent that term applies at all to that exquisite record label. The non-applicability of the word "typical" is a definite plus in my book.

Basic facts:

Harry Beckett's Joy Unlimited - Memories of Bacares
Ogun OG 800

Side One
The Dew At Dawn
Dreams Come And Go

Side Two
Crystals
Can't Think About Now

Harry Beckett - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Ray Russell - Guitar
Brian Miller - Electric Piano
Daryl Runswick - Bass Guitar
Robin Jones - Percussion
John Webb - Drums

Recorded at a Hackney Jazz date at the Sussex, Culford Road, London, N.1 on 25 November 1975 by Keith Beal

All music composed by Harry Beckett


Harry Beckett's Joy Unlimited - Got It Made
Ogun OG 020

Side one
Got It Made
Moon Dancer
Time Again

Side Two
Jungle wild
Spiral Image
Getting It Right

Harry Beckett - trumpet, flugelhorn
Ray Russell - guitar
Pete Lemer - Keyboards
Roy Babbington - bass, bass guitar
Martyn David - percussion
Alan Jackson - drums

Recorded 13 July 1977

All music composed by Harry Beckett

To be enjoyed standing up or leaping about in an approximately rhythmic manner.

KANG TAE HWAN "KOREAN FREE MUSIC" (YEH EUM 1989) & SINAWI MUSIC OF KOREA (KING 1984)

Before posting more japanese OOP - here are two recordings from (South) Korea.
The first is from Kang Tae Hwan - saxophonist extraordinaire! - with the first recording of Free Jazz (Music) from this divided country. Both LP and CD are sadly deleted.
In an article some months ago in the magazine "The Wire" the german saxophonist Alfred Harth said that Kang Tae Hwan, Choi Sun Bae and Kim Dae Hwan (rip!) are content with playing their music without thinking about posteriority. Therefore one can only find few recordings with these astounding musicians.
Midori Takada is a musician which plays prominently in "Contemporary Classic" context.
And Evan Parker I do not need to introduce. In fact I became aware of Kang Tae Hean through an interview with Evan Parker, where he mentioned him.

Some CDs can be obtained here: http://www.afterhours.co.kr/product/korea_list.asp?

The second is "Sinawi Music from Korea" and goes back several hundreds years at least.
This music from the south of Korea comes from its shamanistic tradition and it sounds sometimes like a wondrous kind of Free Music. It was used (maybe still is) during healing ceremonies. This is an "art" version but nonetheless more than captivating.


KANG TAE HWAN "KOREAN FREE MUSIC"


Kang Tae Hwan,as
Kim Dae Hwan,perc (only tr.1)
Choi Sun Bae,tp (only tr.1)
Midori Takada,perc (only tr.2)
Evan Parker,ss (only tr.3)


1. Seoul Free Music Trio 11:24
2. Duo I 13:28
3. Duo II 15:09
4. Solo 07:23


Track 1 & 4 recorded on June 23, 1988 at Tokyo FM Hall, Tokyo
Track 2 recorded on July 3, 1988 at Suntory Hall, Tokyo
Track 3 recorded on September 14, 1988 at Yeh Eum Hall, Seoul

YEH EUM Records YPDL 8004 (released: South Korea, 30 Nov. 1989)


and



SINAWI MUSIC of KOREA

1. Sinawi Ensemble (13:43)
2. Heagum-sanjo (11:40)
3. Piri-sinawi (08:01)
4. Poong-mool nori & taepyongso sinawi (14:40)

Kim Kwangbok,piri (tr.1) & taepyongso (tr.4)
Choe Sanghwa,taegum (tr.1)
Choe Taehyon,heagum (tr.1,2)
Kim Mugil,ajaeng (tr.1)
Kang Jongsuk,kayagum,kuum (tr.1)
Im Sukcha,komungo (tr.1)
Chang Dokhwa,changgo (tr.1 - 4)
No Jongak,ching (tr.1,3,4)
Pak Pomhun,piri (tr.3) & puk (tr.4)
Nam Kiun,kwaenggwari (tr.4)

Recorded: 12 March 1984, KING RECORD #2 STUDIO, Tokyo

King Records KICC 5163




Maybe someone knows more about Kang Tae Hwan or Sinawi Music and is willing to share his knowledge?!

Enjoy.

Akira Sakata Trio - Live in Moers '81

A short addition at the recent wave of Japanese free-jazz.

Rec. live at "The 10th Moers Festival", Moers, Germany,
on June 6, 1981 (mics recording)

Akira Sakata,alto sax,clarinet,vocal
Hiroshi Yoshino,bass
Nobuo Fujii,drums

1. Track #1 (17:49)
2. Track #2 (13:42)

Total Time 31:32

ICP Orchestra - Live in Sant'Anna Arresi '04

Probably this recording has been already blogged and/or seeded, but
perhaps, for someone could still be an addition at the ICP Orchestra
knowledge.

Rec. live at "Piazze del Nuraghe", Sant'Anna Arresi, Italy,
on September 5, 2004 (radio broadcast)

Thomas Heberer,trumpet
Wolter Wierbos,trombone
Ab Baars/Michael Moore/Tobias Delius,reeds
Misha Mengelberg,piano
Mary Oliver,violin and viola
Tristan Honsinger,cello
Ernst Glerum,bass
Han Bennink,drums

1. Track #1 (08:47)
2. Track #2 (19:41)
3. Track #3 (04:21)
4. Track #4 (22:15)
5. Track #5 (07:46)

Total Time 1:02:52

Penguin Cafe Orchestra - live in Adelaide 1992

Here is a radio broadcast of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra from Adelaide in Australia in 1992. The Orchestra dates back to the 1970s and made their record debut for Brian Eno's Obscure label. It's an orchestra incredibly hard to classify in any coherent way, so instead of trying in vain, maybe just a few quotes from Simon Jeffes will do, taken from the official PCO web site:

The music can be broadly regarded as " a very big yes to the survival of the heart in a time when the heart is under attack from the forces of coldness, darkness and repression." More precisely, as "imaginary folklore" and "modern semi-acoustic chamber music."

"What sort of music is it? Ideally I suppose it's the sort of music you want to hear, music that will lift your spirit. It's the sort of music played by imagined wild, free, mountain people creating sounds of a subtle dreamlike quality. It is cafe music, but café in the sense of a place where people's spirits communicate and mingle, a place where music is played that often touches the heart of the listener."

Jeffes himself died in 1997, but the PCO lives on and gives concerts up to the present date. On this particular concert, they were joined by Annie Whitehead, whom we have posted before as a member of the Brotherhood of Breath, strongly involved in the preparation for the Banlieues Bleues concert with Archie Shepp. Here she adds a touch of brass to the proceedings and I believe she may still be with the Orchestra.

PENGUIN CAFE ORCHESTRA

Date: March 1992
City: Adelaide, Australia
Venue: Adelaide Town Hall


Simon Jeffes - conductor, piano
Helen Liebmann - cello
Peter McGowan - violin
Barbara Bolte - ukulele
Julio Segovia - percussion
Geoffrey Richardson - bass
Steven Fletcher - keyboards
Annie Whitehead - trombone

Tracks:
01 Numbers 1-4
02 Perpetuum Mobile
03 Telephone And Rubber Band
04 Bean Fields
05 White Mischief
06 Surface Tension > Oscar Tango > Music For A Found Harmonium
07 Isle Of View (Music For Helicopter Pilots)
08 Pythagoras’s Trousers
09 Scherzo and Trio
10 (orchestra introduction by Simon Jeffes)
11 Salty Bean Fumble
12 Giles Farnaby’s Dream

Joyful music with a meditative core, so enjoy in repose!

MASAHIKO TOGASHI "VOICE FROM YONDER" (1978) & "STORY OF WIND BEHIND LEFT" (1975)

These two marvelous recordings are coming to you in one post. The reason is more trivial - I do not own this LPs - and it seems to be impossible to find the cover-art or even more than a few photographs from Togashi himself in the net.
(Finally I've found also the second cover - in February 2015)

The music itself is percussion heavy with gorgeous results. Hope it will enchant you as it does to me!



MASAHIKO TOGASHI "STORY OF WIND BEHIND LEFT"


Masahiko Togashi, percussion
Mototeru Takagi, soprano saxophone, percussion
Yoshisaburo Toyozumi, percussion
Yoshio Ikeda, bass, percussion
Keiki Midorikawa, bass, cello

1. Premonition Of Wind's Coming 04:21
2. Reunion 12:17
3. And then 02:11
4. Life Story Of Wind 09:27
5. Those Passing Things 07:13
6. Things That Will Come Again 05:04

Nippon Columbia 1st Studio, Tokyo on September 2-3,5,1975


Columbia YQ-7515-N

Note: Unknown recording staff also play bells on tr.6

(vinyl rip)


-------------------          ---------------------            -----------------            -----------------

MASAHIKO TOGASHI "VOICE FROM YONDER"


Yoshiaki Fujikawa, reeds, percussion
Takashi Kako, piano, percussion
Keiki Midorikawa, cello, bass, percussion
Masahiko Togashi, drums, percussion


1. Voice From Yonder 13:30
2. Silence 02:07
3. Welcome 03:09
4. Travelers 11:59
5. It's Time 03:38
6. Farewell 02:44


Nippon Columbia 1st Studio, Tokyo on Frebruary 2-3, 1978


Denon/Nippon Columbia YX-7519-ND

(vinyl rip)

Black Unity trio -Al Fatihah-(Salaam, 777-A) Flac upgrade

Masahiko Sato,Peter Warren, Pierre Favre-'trinity' 1971 enja

Heres a wonderful record , following on from Onxdlibs,incredible share of Masahiko Togashi's speed space also Featuring M.Sato.

This was the 5th release on the Fledgling ENJA label ,who back then were among the few independent s putting out challenging material , in a totally free vein.

This is the sort of gig that a label like Intakt would now put out.
2 side long Totally free improvisations rooted in the traditions of jazz language , and the Darmstadt Avant guard of the day.

Sato's subtle use of ring modulator , is very reminiscent of the sound effects on Alois Kontarskys piano , on the original recording of Stockhausen's Mantra.
All three Musicians are still active as far as i know , though both Sato and Warren have since the 70's focused more on making modern mainstream Jazz orientated recordings.

Pierre Favre continues as an occasional free improviser , composer and band leader in rewardingly challenging territory.
A lot of his current projects can be found on the aforementioned Intakt label ,which he co founded with Irene Schweizer.

Given that this record did the rounds a few years ago as mp'3s , I'll stick to the Flacs

PS .. this rip is taken from a first pressing , and has been well loved , i've done very little by way of cleaning , very light crackle sweep& in some places removal; of a few 'objects'..

I and i'm sure many others would welcome a remastered cd edition of, this great lp.

ITARU OKI "SHIRASAGI" NADJA/TRIO (1974)

Although I already knew some recordings from japanese creative Jazz - this is the music which ingnited my interest seriously.

ITARU OKI "SHIRASAGI"


Itaru Oki,tp,indian-fl,perc
Syohji Ukaji,bs
Takashi Tokuhiro,b
Tatsuya Nakamura,perc
Joe Mizuki,perc (only tr.2)

1. Shirasagi (20:04)
2. You Don't Know What Love Is ~ October Revolution (25:09)

Recorded live at Akasaha Sohgetsu Hall,Tokyo(?), June 7, 1974

No more words - decide for yourself.

La Vina de S.Balachander-E.S.P (Disques d'esperance-Fr) 1978

Before moving back to the currently ,recently established fascinating threads .
i thought Id introduce another great passion (sneak in) .. one of the Best recordings by the Great Carnatic master of the Vina ,S.Balachander

This is such an extraordinary performance.


Balachander is a master Improviser who in this long raga, pushes the Harmonic boundaries of this genre.
At times the tunings seem deliberately flat ,and ragged ,defying convention and the listeners expectations.

Seat of the pants stuff that will rivet the open minded,from first to last.
Anyone interested in Improvisation , should hear this genuinely challenging gem.


Guaranteed to broaden the horizon of even the most steadfast Jazz-a-centric,Ethno-phobe!

La Vina-De S.Balchander- ESP 165510-LP 1978

RAGA MAYAMALAVGAULA

A-ALAPANA ET THANAM
B-kRITI MERUSAMANA ADITALA


S.Balachander-Vina
Krishnamurthy-Mridangam
Joanne-tanpura

This is long out of print as are most items on the late lamented Other Esp label, a few have been reissued elsewhere.

Heres a link to a great 4 part documentary about Balachander on you-tube

A real pity that this music is often caricatured as the provenance of Hippies , or new age aural wallpaper.

MASAHIKO TOGASHI QUARTET "SPEED & SPACE" UNION/TEICHIKU (1969)

Here is one of the first Free Jazz recordings from Japan. This album is one of three recordings Masahiko Togashi made in 1969 - the first in May '69 was "We Now Create" and in November he recorded "Speed and Space" - about one month later in December the duo"Isolation" with Mototeru Takagi. All three LPs are seminal works in japanese (Free) Jazz.
In 1970 he had a car accident and had to quit music. But already in January 1971 he renewed his drumming with a special drum-set. It was costume-made to meet his paraplegia.
In his music he used complicated structures and ostinatos as well. But his main feature is his extraordinary sense for "space" - will say intervals charged with tension.




Mototeru Takagi, tenor saxophone & bass clarinet, cornpipe
Masahiko Sato, piano, gong
Yoshio Ikeda, bass, electric bass
Masahiko Togashi, drums, vibes, bells, gong, percussion

1. Presage 02:25
2. Panorama 14:38
3. Expectation 02:13
4. Speed & Space #1 11:51
5. Speed & Space #2 07:57

Teichiku Kaikan Studio, Tokyo, November 22, 1969

UNION/TEICHIKU UPS-2014-J

(this rip from UNION JAZZ TECP-18771 - CD)

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