Shoji Hano

Drummer Shoji Hano began his performing career in the '80s, playing with artists like Toshinori Kondo (trumpet) and Kaoru Abe (alto sax, etc.). Since his first European tour in 1990, he has played in many countries and collaborated with a wide range of musicians. Some of Hano's performances with sax players Peter Brotzmann of Germany and the late Werner Ludi of Switzerland, American bassist William Parker, English guitarist Derek Bailey, etc., have been recorded on CD. As evidenced by his great collaboration with power sax player Brotzmann, Hano's drumming, with its amazing strength and speed, is situated firmly in the realm of free improvisation and free jazz; but it also has roots in the rhythmic style of the Kokura taiko drumming he grew up hearing at local festivals in his native Kokura, Kyushu. Hano has established an incomparable and absolutely inimitable style, and the clearest expression of his unique approach is undoubtedly in the drum solo. This performance was recorded live in March of this year at Bin Spark in Tokyo. It is Hano's first all-drum-solo album, and a superior document of the full range of his talent.