Music from Japan / All styles

ONJT+ (Otomo Yoshihide’s New Jazz Trio +) plays Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman” and Albert Ayler’s “Bells.” ONJT means Otomo Yoshide’s New Jazz Trio; Otomo Yoshihide (guitar), Mizutani Hiroaki (bass, misc.), Yoshigaki Yasuhiro (drums, percussion), and “+” means guests for those 2 CDs: Sachiko M (sinewaves) and Jim O’Rourke (EMS synthesizer). Otomo continues his “New Jazz” project from ONJQ (Quintet) via ONJE (Ensemble) to ONJO (Orchestra), and now he organizes ONJT + (Trio +) as his core …

ONJT+ (Otomo Yoshihide’s New Jazz Trio +) plays Ornette Coleman’s “Lonely Woman” and Albert Ayler’s “Bells.” ONJT means Otomo Yoshide’s New Jazz Trio; Otomo Yoshihide (guitar), Mizutani Hiroaki (bass, misc.), Yoshigaki Yasuhiro (drums, percussion), and “+” means guests for those 2 CDs: Sachiko M (sinewaves) and Jim O’Rourke (EMS synthesizer). Otomo continues his “New Jazz” project from ONJQ (Quintet) via ONJE (Ensemble) to ONJO (Orchestra), and now he organizes ONJT + (Trio +) as his core …

Beautiful and elaborate edition, a quarterly magazine for graphic work (GQ) issued in the 1970s. The magazine was re-produced in 2008, and the newest issue devoted to kinetic sculptor Jean Tinguely was completed in 2009. Unfortunately most of texts are in Japanese, but many pictures are so great! artwork by Ushio Shinohara (Neo DADA) dedicated to Tinguely (coloured version for this edition), his partner Niki De Saint Phalle's paintings, original photographs of his first one man show at Minami Ga…

Improvised Music from Japan 2009 takes a look at improvised/experimental music festivals and concert series in Japan. Covered in the book are 33 of the many festival/series events taking place around the country. The articles (some written by the organizers themselves, others based on interviews of the organizers conducted in person or by e-mail) reveal the ideas, aims and feelings of the people on the small improvised/experimental music scene who work tirelessly to hold these events on an ongoi…

Namba Jazz is the improvisation duet by Yoshigaki Yasuhiro (drums, percussion) and Yamamoto Seiichi (guitar, misc.). "Namba" of Namba Jazz means not an area in Osaka but means Namba walking. And "Jazz" of Namba Jazz is not jazz but is actually Jazu.Namba Jazz has performed gigs 4 times in Japan. This CD is consisted great 10 tunes what selected in 3 gigs. The guitar playing by Yamamoto has a wide variety of the sound. He keeps a spark of genius and has never sounds the cliche of improvisation. H…

CD audio + DVD video (NTSC / Region All).'This trio was formed by Imai Kazuo (guitar), Suzuki Manabu (handmade electronics), and Ito Atsuhiro (optron) in July, 2005. I'm using a controllable instrument along with uncontrollable electronic sound devices that may make the music somewhat difficult to remain stable, yet its context of where I am now is the one that is similar to jazz'. Imai Kazuo, from linernotes. Imai Kazuo is the one and only graduate of Takayanagi Masayuki's private guitar scho…

Yoshida Ryuichi (baritone sax), Goto Atsushi (trombone) and Suga Dairo (piano). 'Blacksheep is a trio group, consisting of Yoshida Ryuichi (baritone sax player in Shibusashirazu Orchestra, Fujii Satoko Orchestra, etc.), Goto Atsushi (trombone player in 'Tokyo Out', 'Denki Slime', etc.) and Suga Dairo (pianist in Shibusashirazu Orchestra, 'Real Blue', etc.). Sometime very beautiful, sometime intense improvisation and sometime humoresque and very serious, this, their first work is made up of prote…

One of their miraculous duo result is their first CD "Territory" (dmf-112, 2006). This work, "DOTS" is even more overpowering, speed, ramified rhythm, edits, and so on. First, they recorded their improvised music in studio, then they overdubbed various sounds, edited the materials and mixed different effects into the tunes. This is the music for the prog rock, math rock, post rock fans. Dense and Fiery !

LAST COPIES remastered from the original dat master-tapes by tommi keränen under the supervision of t.mikawa. 40 page colour booklet with extensive liner-notes by fumio kosakai, t.mikawa, otomo yoshihide and jim sauter. each disc packaged in an individual wallet cover with original cassette artwork. booklet and discs housed in a solid box. limited editon of 500 copies"i love incapacitants more than anything. my love for them is reaffirmed as i listen again to their many cassette releases. they’r…

Sachiko M and Otomo Yoshihide. Five concerts (Kyoto, Helsinki, Barcelona, Brussels, Tokyo) recorded 2000-2004.

One CD with Astro Twin : Ami Yoshida (voice) and Utah Kawasaki (analog synthesizer). One CD with Cosmos : Sachiko M (sinewaves and contact-mics) and Ami Yoshida (voice).

Magazine (English and JAPANese) with interviewes FROM Kazue Sawai, Yukiko Tanaka, Samm Bennett, Tetuzi Akiyama, Uchihashi Kazuhisa, Masahiko Okura, Sachiko M, Taku Sugimoto, Kazuo Imai, Aki Onda, texts by Tetsu Saitoh, Michel Doneda, Otomo Yoshhide… [•] Double CD with ae, Masahiko Okura, Shuichi Chino, Samm Bennett, Tetuzi Akiyama & Martin NG, Yumiko Tanaka, Han Bennink & Kazuo Imai, Une chance pour l’ombre, Optrum, Naoaki Miyamoto, Sachiko M, Mi Yeon, Park Je Chun, Kang Tae Hwan.

Em Records presents a slice of lost history unearthed for your enjoyment and delight. A first-ever reissue, on limited edition 7" vinyl of Choju Gigaku (Play On Animals), an ultra-rare 33rpm 7" flexi-disc by esteemed sound designer Matsuo Ohno, the legend behind the soundtracks for anime classics Astro Boy (1963-1966), Submarine Cassiopeia (1964) and Space Battleship Yamato (1974-1975). The original flexi-disc was released as a souvenir during the famed World Expo '70 in Osaka (think Stockhaus…

Debut release on our new Blackest Bootleg labels releasing live recordings. The bootleg was recorded back in August 2008 at The Shakespeare in Sheffield, a great venue that played host to Acid Mothers first show in Sheffield, and it was so packed, the floor was literally moving underneath the crowd, the room was like a sauna, every single person dripping with sweat, it was one of the busiest shows I'd been too in Sheffield in a long time. I remember there being some total hippies down the front …

This is a two-fer reissue of early '70s Japanese underground rock albums Love Suki Daikirai and Kirikyogen, featuring Kuni Kawachi & Flower Travelling Band. Recorded in 1970, the tone of Kirikyogen is cast in a shadow, and it seeps through the pores of each track, with titles such as "Graveyard Of Love" and "Works Composed Mainly By Humans." However, this ain't some pointless posturing... this is an LP that carries that weight, while remembering to bring a pocket full of cool-ass riffs, super-he…

Classic Hijokaidan with the line-up of Junko, Jojo, Mikawa. Recorded at Gorilla, February 1989, Remastered by T.Kotani (Omega Sound). One 74 minute long piec

Reissue of an LP originally released in 1980 for the mythical Japanese Alm label and mixed by GAP (Taj Mahal Travellers) , this is a duo comprising of a couple, Reiko Omura and Tori Kudo, a noise-drone-improv duo active in the late seventies and early eighties. The group began under the name Worst Noise and with an ever-rotating line-up. This album is a masterpiece, a doomy organ-driven with fragile and melancholic voice by Reiko, don't miss it!

'Egg Farm' is a private concert space in an egg farm (really!) in north of Tokyo. Originally, the space was established in early 80's and named 'Space Who'. Owner of the egg farm organized many live show of free improvisation at the space (Takayanagi, Evan Parker, Richard Titelbaum, Arthur Doyle and more. especially she loves Kosugi and Steve Lacy).

The new psychedelic rock band lead by OVERHANG PARTY’s RINJI FUKUOKA. Live recordings that range from deep song to vivid rock instrumentals to heavy feedback drones.

Two of the most relentless and uncompromising artists from the 70s free jazz scene in Japan in a full-on assault. Totally essential

AMAZING RELEASE!! Between 1977-1978 Japanese improvising guitarist Masayuki Takayanagi performed with his "New Direction Unit" in a series of concerts of different formats (trio, quartet, quintet, sextet, &c). This "Archive" box set included the recordings of 5 concerts in Japan: the "another situtation" concert at Purcinera and "Regular Concerts" from Jean Jean in Shibuya. Comprised of live improvisations, this beautifully packaged box also has a booklet with details on the concerts, though mos…

Enka is a style of Japanese popular song roughly corresponding to American blues and country music, French chanson and Italian canzone. The sound of enka is deeply rooted in the souls of Japanese people, and famous enka songs continue to be sung and hummed wherever this music exists.In this album, Umezu's exceptional sensitivity and taste combine with the "world of enka," swirl and eddy, and explode before our eyes. This music has excellent circulation; it leaps with energy. Here, Japan has crea…

latest album by Nobuo Yamada, two tracks come with deserted metal junks by dragging lots of empty cans. track-1 is organic and isolated time passing at underground mining ruin. its metal junks are mixed with environmental ambience at the place purely by chance. track-2 is catching a raw and cold field recorded at a tunnel, unexpected joints of car and road, winds or so on. comes with handmade sleeve, a crushed can is pasted on front cover.                                                         …

1998 release ; duo set by incapacitants’ fumio kosakai & ikuro takahashi “based on stan brakhage movie "dog star man"” ...a single, monolithic piece of itinerant synthesis, never quite getting into harsh noise realms, instead a continuous ghostly blur of steely electronics ... something of a neglected classic by now ...   

This album finds Merzbow in full-on, harsh-noise mode, at least at first listen.  The more one becomes acclimated to the sound, the more layers of activity emerge:  electric groans and roars, bird-call-like feedback, moog sirens, percussive analog static, thousands of pots and pans falling down a hill, even the occasional vocal.  It's this artful layering of sound (among other things) that separates Merzbow from some jag-off that just turns on a noise generator and walks away. 1 copy available

It is a rare feeling when music can give you the sensation like a bullet through the head, and you call it a pleasure. But, well, that is what happened when we first listened to these four tracks from 'The Begininng of the End' the new studio album from Japanese garage-psych heroes Up-Tight. We played the disc once and we were speechless. Why? The reason was easy: We got a picture of a band at its creative zenith. The Lp opens with 'Our Own Portrait', guided by mantric drum beating, rigid bass p…

Taj Mahal Travellers formed by many sorce of member that group act was always and truthfully improvised. Staged many concerts and festivals in european countries from 1971, after this tour, some of main member went a big travel to taj mahal with a station wagon. This DVD is focused on their nearly a year travel with many valuable images. taj mahal Travellers : Michihiro Kimura, Ryo Koike, Takehisa Kosugi, Yukio Tsuchiya, Seiji Nagai, Tokio Hasegawa. This film is legendary documentary of the road…

Compositions by Masafumi Ezaki. Masafumi Ezaki (trumpet), Shinichi Isohata (guitar),Mitsuteru Takeuchi (flute), Taku Sugimoto (guitar on 1-3). Recorded by Taku Sugimoto at Kobe Art Village Center (Studio 3), March 8, 2008. Edited and mastered by Taku Unami.

1998. First collaboration of this duo with sachiko M on sine waves and Toshimaru nakamura on no-input mixing board.

2nd CD reissue from Showboat of this classic Japanese underground folk-rock album, originally released by RCA Japan in 1971. Great mini-LP gatefold packaging, but very few made and not long for this world. The Tropics was Minami Masato's first record on which he got assisted by Mizutani Takeshi of the Rallizes Denudes, his only appearance on record ever. Minami Masato was one of Japan's first beatnik hippie scum singers, who before venturing into the music world, spent some time in Mexico where …

Performed by: Takefumi Naoshima (mixing board), Hirozumi Takeda (guitar), Utah Kawasaki (guitar), Mitsuteru Takeuchi (flute), Toshihiro Koike (trombone), Takahiro Kawaguchi (remodeled counters), Yasuo Totsuka (compressor). "Group improvisation mixing acoustic and electric/electronic instruments. Although there are seven players, the music consists entirely of faint sounds and silences from beginning to end. This ambitious recording communicates the strong determination with which the artists con…

Core Anode  is the roaring-sound project of the versatile and multifaceted Otomo Yoshihide, who works in genres ranging from free improvisation to jazz to rock to movie and TV music. The CD contains 3 pieces recorded live at concerts in Tokyo (2002), Copenhagen (2006), and London (2006). The players/numbers of players differed at each performance. In all cases, the musicians were outside the audience area, surrounding the listeners, and in all cases they put out nothing but roaring sound. In Tok…

An awesome double CDS Part 1_ Unknown Live1976, Part2_1976 Summer, 30, July. UNIVIVE is a new, Mitzutani approved, Rallizes-only label. ACTUAL CDs - not CDrs.

Expanded edition of one of the few official albums released by Rallizes during their existence. The original was made up of select 1973-75 material, but this includes all of the material from the original session tapes, plus a Dec 13, 1980 soundboard recording, and on the 3rd disc, some demos from 1976. Actual CDs (NOT CDRs). 1 copy available

limited to 250 copies, compiled by Mizutani in the early 90s (tracks seem to span quite a few years) as a soundtrack to Ethan Mousikes Rallizes film. Players include Mizutani Takashi, Nakamura Takeshi, Nagata Mikio, Shoda Shunichiro, Hiroshi, Mimaki Toshirou Takada Kiyohiro, Noma Yukimichi, and Takahashi Youkai. Actual CDs (NOT CDRs). 1 copy available

UNIVIVE is a new, Mitzutani approved, Rallizes-only label. Live recordings from 1974-1976. Limited to 200 copies, 1 copy available only 

Five tracks from Japan's underground psych legends. ACTUAL CD - not a CDR. Semi-official release limited to 200 copies. Long out of print, only 1 copy available.

A series of Rallizes CDs on the shadowy Ignuitas label, from somewhere on planet Earth (we think). These are all regular pressed CD releases (not CD-Rs). Were not sure why, how or whatever. This CD contain  Live 1973 and live at New Rock Festival 1974. Long out of print, only 1 copy available.

Hose was formed at the end of last century as an idea of Taku Unami with Toshihiro Koike, Masafumi Ezaki, who had also been working in the field of improvised music, and their friends Reiji Hattori and Tomoya Izumi who had never played music before. In the beginning, the group was influenced by Genesis, Roswell Rudd Trio, Brujeria, Art Bears, Karate Bakabon, Hoburakin, Aburadako etc. though these influences were soon to be forgotten. Hose disbanded in 2003 when their music had developed into 'ea…

Top quality eye-popping reissue housed in hard cover mini-LP style gatefold sleeve complete with obi and liners of this rare 3rd album by psychedelic maverick Hiro Yanagida. Another totally vanished and ear bleedingly rare gem out of Japan's psychedelic history, this was Hiro Yanagida's (ex Apryl Fool, Food Brain, Sato Masahiko & Soundbreakers, Floral, etc) second solo album released in 1973. Original copies hardly ever surface anymore so this reissue is more than a welcome feast. The music is a…