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previous record label: important		there are 23 titles on improvised music from japan in stock. they are listed below.		next record label: impulsy stetoskopu

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 701 cd

tetsuya umeda “ocktet” compact disc

shapes (6:28)
nekiri (3:59)
rotation (7:06)
8 frogs (4:46)
across a bridge (1:25)
ki (6:30)
electricphant (4:59)
ar cut (7:35)
on off (3:48)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
tetsuya umeda
ocket

improvised music from japan, imj-701
released on may 14, 2006

corded by tetsuya umeda at thz307 and bridge, osaka, 2003-2004
takeshi azuma, february 15, 2006
artwork and design by tetsuya umeda
inludes liner notes by tetsuya umeda in japanese and english (translation by nathan thompson)
packaged in a cardboard jacket

all tracks by tetsuya umeda + his selfmade sound tools and custom made speakers

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
march 12th, 2007

threads:
free-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 528 cd

katsura yamauchi / michel doneda “la drache” compact disc

pe (17:08)
l (9:58)
ge (12:53)
ve (12:38)
m (6:36)

sax duets performed/recorded in 2004 by katsura yamauchi and michel doneda.

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
katsura yamauchi/michel doneda
la drache

improvised music from japan, imj-528
released on february 26, 2006

all compositions by michel doneda and katsura yamauchi
recorded by pierre-olivier boulant in castelmaurou, france, may 9, 2004
edited by pierre-olivier boulant and michel doneda
design and drawings by elico suzuki (suzueri)
packaged in a cardboard jacket
katsura yamauchi: alto saxophone
michel doneda: soprano saxophone, sopranino saxophone on track 3

alto sax player katsura yamauchi was born in oita, kyushu, in 1954. in 2002 he quit his company job to become a full-time musician, and each year since '03 has traveled to europe and strengthened his ties with musicians in france, germany, the netherlands, switzerland, and so on.

in the process he met and found a kindred spirit in one of france's leading improvisers, soprano/sopranino saxophonist michel doneda (who happens to be the same age as yamauchi). they've played together many times since. both musicians have performance styles characterized by a total absence of melodious phrases and a constant exploration of the nature of sound. continuing in this direction, la drache is permeated throughout with fresh yet tension-filled sound structures.

all five tracks were recorded in france in 2004.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
january 3rd, 2007

threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation
digital-musics

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 527 cd

diane labrosse / martin tétreault / haco “lunch in nishinomiya” compact disc

what is today's recipe? (5:33)
kitchen neon (5:07)
cutting vegetables (3:18)
the steamer (4:59)
boiling (7:18)
buon appetito! (3:55)
afternoon walk (7:36)
in the fridge (5:54)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
diane labrosse/martin tétreault/haco
lunch in nishinomiya

improvised music from japan, imj-527
released on september 18, 2005

composed and produced by diane labrosse, martin tétreault, and haco
recorded, mixed, and mastered by haco at mescalina, nishinomiya, japan, 2003-2004
photos by diane labrosse and haco
design by mgx.factory
packaged in a cardboard jacket

in the trio album lunch in nishinomiya, haco (contact microphones, oscillators, effects) joins forces with two leading montreal improvisers known for their innovative playing--diane labrosse (sampler) and martin tétreault (turntable, surfaces, small electronics). when labrosse and tétreault came to japan in 2003, they found a kindred spirit in haco. the three recorded an improvised music session at haco's studio in nishinomiya (near osaka), and later completed the construction and mix through an e-mail exchange between canada and japan. this is not haco the songstress. with exquisite balance, the trio combine a variety of grating, explosive, scraping, vibrating sounds (noises) with precise breathing and dynamism, tension and relaxation. the result is extremely delicate electroacoustic sound. eight tracks in all.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 526 cd

klaus filip / toshimaru nakamura “aluk” compact disc

pace (9:25)
stroll 25:01)
aluk (13:34)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
klaus filip / toshimaru nakamura
aluk

improvised music from japan, imj-526
released on april 30, 2006

recorded by masae ito at tanker, tokyo, may 29, 2005 (1, 3), and by dieter kovacic at sperrmuecc studio, vienna, june 30, 2005 (2)
mixed by toshimaru nakamura in tokyo
mastered by nicholas bussmann in berlin
design by tanabemse
packaged in a cardboard jacket

klaus filip: lloopp
toshimaru nakamura: no-input mixing board

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
january 3rd, 2007

threads:
electro-acoustic-composition
sound-art
digital-musics

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 523 cd

haco “stereo bugscope” compact disc

bugfield 1 "start up"-"track pad" with human operation (powerbook g4) (4:29)
bugfield 2 "no wave"-"sleep"-"wake up" with human operation (powerbook g4) (8:08)
bugfield 3 "cd writing"-"shut down" with human operation (powerbook g4) (5:53)
click from mobile phone with power off (3:49)
motor and lcd sound from digital audio recorder with running tape (2:50)
slow surface tracing around built-in machine fan (imac) (7:18)
pulse from wireless router (airmac extreme) (3:27)
left and right side of machine body (powermac g4) (5:45)
high frequency and motor sound of mini-disc recorder with spinning disc (5:40)
"start up"-"shut down" with human operation (vaio notebook) (10:43)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
haco
stereo bugscope 00

improvised music from japan, imj-523
released on october 31, 2004

recorded by haco at mescalina, nishinomiya, japan, january 4-28, 2004
mastered by haco at mescalina, nishinomiya, japan
photos by hideto uchiike
artwork by haco
design by mgx.factory
packaged in a cardboard jacket
includes liner notes in japanese and english by haco (translation by christopher stephens)

starting with her work in after dinner in the '80s, up to her current activity as a soloist and in projects like the female trio hoahio, and yesterday's heroes, with terre thaemlitz, haco has long been the reigning songstress of avant-garde music. but she isn't only a highly acclaimed vocalist and composer/lyricist; in recent years she's been exploring areas unrelated to vocalizing or pop melodies, with projects that focus on the sounds that surround us in our daily lives. one of these is view masters ("the sound collection and observation organization"), which produces a large-scale annual event; another is stereo bugscope, which is documented on this album.

the name "stereo bugscope" refers to a performance system that detects oscillating sounds emitted by the circuitry of electronic devices. it also signifies the act of listening to the electromagnetic world that emerges from the inside of devices such as computers, cell phones, md players, and wireless routers through the use of two inductive microphones (pickups). the oscillating-circuit sounds come from the ic board and clock, and the electromagnetic noise comes from the electrical current that turns the fan and drives the motor. these signals are ordinarily so faint as to be inaudible. the sound is then electronically amplified, which makes it at first seem very extreme, but at the same time amazingly beautiful.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 522 cd

kato hideki / james fei “sieves” compact disc

(10:47)
(4:52)
(5:21)
(7:09)
(3:00)
(4:51)
(7:54)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
kato hideki / james fei
sieves

improvised music from japan, imj-522
released on september 26, 2004

recorded by kato hideki and james fei at o'farrill kato studio, nyc, june 2003, and organized sound, nyc, august 2003
reverberation at columbia university computer music center, september 2003
mastered at organized sound by kato hideki and james fei
design by tanabemse
packaged in a cardboard jacket
includes liner notes in japanese by kato hideki and in english by james fei

kato hideki: electric bass and bass synthesizer
james fei: oscillators, filters, spring reverb, contact mike, and miscellaneous electronics

based in new york city since 1992, kato hideki--a former member of otomo yoshihide's group ground-zero and tony buck's band peril--has been involved in myriad projects in america and europe, including fred frith and ikue mori's death ambient, and a multimedia collaboration with nicholas collins. taiwan-born james fei studied with alvin lucier and anthony braxton following his move to the u.s. (also in '92). now living in new york, he's active as a composer and improviser, and as an instructor at columbia university's computer music center. fei is also a sax player, although he doesn't use the instrument on this album. in recent years, kato and fei have been performing as a duo at live music venues and galleries in new york. sieves was made through a process of excerpting, editing, mixing, and mastering electronic performance and recording using feedback; live-performance-like analog mixes; and performance-recording of acoustic reverberation. not limited to mere documentation and editing, the recording process was treated as a form of improvisation and composition.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation
plunder-phonic

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 519 cd

tetuzi akiyama / martin ng “oimacta” compact disc

kyua scattered (12:28)
silver-brown (10:29)
lost angels (for henry flynt) (10:58)
dolphin hotel (9:42)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
tetuzi akiyama / martin ng
oimacta

improvised music from japan, imj-519
released on july 25, 2004

recorded by chris townend at bjb studios, sydney on 24th july 2002
mixing and mastering by martin ng at araça azul and bjb, sydney
packaged in a cardboard jacket
design and artwork by keiko matsunaga

tetuzi akiyama: acoustic guitar
martin ng: turntables

tetuzi akiyama has in recent years attracted tremendous interest on the japanese and international improvised music scenes. in addition to performing many times in europe, america, australia, and new zealand, he's been releasing a steady stream of solo and group recordings on these countries' labels. oimacta, a duo album he recorded in a sydney studio with martin ng (turntable feedback), promises to become one of his most widely recognized works. akiyama's instrument here is the acoustic guitar. ng, who lived in sydney at the time of recording and has since moved to the u.s., is known for his duo album with sydney guitarist oren ambarchi, and for his participation, along with martin tétreault and otomo yoshihide, in the "turntable hell" uk tour of may '02. if you didn't know beforehand what instruments the musicians were playing on these four tracks, you'd be hard put to identify the sources of their sound. its rich colors, and the mysterious atmosphere it evokes, are awe-inspiring.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
free-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 518 cd

masahiko okura “time service” compact disc

lavnta (8:41)
sylome (6:37)
my cabin home (4:39)
indice (10:40)
gorillatoast (12:43)
safety (5:42)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
masahiko okura
time service

improvised music from japan, imj-518
released on july 25, 2004

recorded and mixed by masae ito and masahiko okura at tanker, february-april, 2004
mastered by toshimaru nakamura on april 15, 2004
packaged in a cardboard jacket
drawings by masahiko okura
design by nabeta

masahiko okura: tubes (1, 5), alto sax (2-4), bass clarinet (6)

over the past few years, alto sax player masahiko okura has led an astonishingly full and varied musical life. active as a soloist, as leader of the jazz-rock band gnu, and as a member of the improvisational trio bject (with tetuzi akiyama and utah kawasaki), he also collaborates with many other improvisers, including otomo yoshihide, taku sugimoto, ami yoshida, axel dörner, alessandro bosetti, werner dafeldecker, and günter müller. with the recent addition to his repertoire of two more instruments--the bass clarinet and the "tube," a reed instrument of his own invention made from a tube and a mouthpiece--he has further enriched his musical vocabulary. okura has released three cds with gnu and two with bject. time service is his very first solo album. none of its six tracks contain the slightest trace of gnu's pop sensibility. this is a highly abstract work that brings out the subtle tones and resonance of the alto sax, bass clarinet, and tube, and illuminates okura's unique musicianship. a masterpiece.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation
minimalism-drones

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 517 cd

sachiko m “bar sachiko” compact disc

(60:04)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
sachiko m
bar sachiko

improvised music from japan, imj-517
released on march 28, 2004

recorded by sachiko m, january 14 to 15, 2004
mastered by toshimaru nakamura on january 17, 2004
packaged in a cardboard jacket
design by himitsu hakase

sachiko m: two sinewaves on one empty sampler

sachiko m is a musician who uses the sampler as an instrument. rather than apply the device's original function of sampling recorded material, she makes music using nothing but its internal test tone sine waves. her approach to this radically minimalistic sound and meticulously thorough music has created a sensation worldwide. currently one of the most sought-after improvisers on the scene, sachiko m collaborates with influential artists both inside and outside japan. her projects include filament, a duo with otomo yoshide, and cosmos, a duo with ami yoshida. this is sachiko m's third solo album, following sine wave solo (amoebic) and derive (noise asia). while the two earlier recordings are made up entirely of short tracks, bar sachiko is a single 60-minute performance using just two sine waves. a shocking creation!

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation
minimalism-drones

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 515 cd

“meeting at off site vol. 3” compact disc

hakon kornstad (sax)
tetuzi akiyama (electric guitar)
toshimaru nakamura (no-input mixing board) (6:23)
masafumi ezaki (trumpet) tetuzi akiyama (resonator guitar)
toshimaru nakamura (no-input mixing board) (7:23)
o.blaat (power book)
sachiko m (sinewaves)
tetuzi akiyama (resonator guitar) (19:17)
oren ambarchi (electric guitar)
keiichi sugimoto (electric guitar)
tetuzki akiyama (acoustic guitar) (11:14)
paul hood (gp3 / etc.)
tetuzi akiyama (amplified acoustic guitar)
toshimaru nakamura (no-input mixing board) (9:54)
günter müller (electronics / selected drums)
tetuzi akiyama (acoustic guitar)
toshimaru nakamura (no-input mixing board) (13:32)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
meeting at off site vol. 3

improvised music from japan, imj-515
released in december 2003

toshimaru nakamura / tetuzi akiyama, with guests as indicated in the track list below
liner notes in english and japanese by toshimaru nakamura
recorded live by tetuzi akiyama at off site in yoyogi, tokyo, may-october 2002
compiled by toshimaru nakamura and tetuzi akiyama
cd edited and mastered by toshimaru nakamura
packaged in a cardboard jacket
cd and jacket design by tanabems

toshimaru nakamura: no-input mixing board (1, 2, 5, 6)
tetuzi akiyama: electric guitar (1), resonator guitar (2, 3), acoustic guitar (4, 6), amplified acoustic guitar (5)

(6:23) hakon kornstad (sax), tetuzi akiyama (electric guitar), and toshimaru nakamura (no-input mixing board)
recorded on may 11, 2002

(7:23) masafumi ezaki (trumpet), tetuzi akiyama (resonator guitar), and toshimaru nakamura (no-input mixing board)
recorded on june 1, 2002

(19:17) o.blaat (power book), sachiko m (sinewaves), and tetuzi akiyama (resonator guitar)
recorded on july 5, 2002

(11:14) oren ambarchi (electric guitar), keiichi sugimoto (electric guitar), and tetuzki akiyama (acoustic guitar)
recorded on august 10, 2002

(9:54) paul hood (gp3, etc.), tetuzi akiyama (amplified acoustic guitar), and toshimaru nakamura (no-input mixing board)
recorded on september 6, 2002

(13:32) günter müller (electronics, selected drums), tetuzi akiyama (acoustic guitar), and toshimaru nakamura (no-input mixing board)
recorded on october 12, 2002

gallery off site in yoyogi, tokyo, is one of the world's most well known venues for new improvised music. meeting at off site, the monthly improvisational performance series hosted by tetuzi akiyama and toshimaru nakamura, has in recent years been off site's main event. the six tracks on this cd are edited recordings of the meetings of may through october, 2002. this is the final collection of original-format meetings, in which hosts akiyama and nakamura improvised with one or two guest musicians from japan or overseas. (subsequently, the format was changed to a solo session by a guest musician.) in other words, it is the final segment of a trilogy. here is the "off site sound," characterized by extreme quietness and sparsity of sound. as a document of internationally recognized cutting-edge improvised music, meeting at off site vol. 3 should not be missed. guest musicians are hakon kornstad, masafumi ezaki, o.blaat, sachiko m, oren ambarchi, keiichi sugimoto, paul hood, and günter müller.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
free-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 514 cd

han bennink / kazuo imai “across the desert” compact disc

attention (8:40)
eyes right (9:06)
left turn (5:30)
go upwind (6:16)
my eyes wouldn't focus (6:29)
across the desert (2:30)
imagination is obscene (6:54)
what? where? (5:11)
in fifty years i may be gone (2:02)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
han bennink / kazuo imai
across the desert

improvised music from japan, imj-514
released in december 2003

recorded by naoaki kose at earth studio, tokyo, on may 27, 2002
mixed by naoaki kose at earth studio on august 15 and september 17, 2003
mastered by shuichi chino at chino chika on october 4, 2003
produced by kazuo imai
packaged in a cardboard jacket
design by kazuo imai

all music by han bennink and kazuo imai

han bennink: drums
kazuo imai: acoustic guitar, electric guitar

european free jazz/free improvisation pioneer han bennink (drums) made this studio recording with kazuo imai (guitar) in tokyo in may of 2002. imai, who in the '70s studied with masayuki takayanagi and takehisa kosugi, currently performs both on his own and with the annual five-member collective improvisation project marginal consort. across the desert contains nine duo pieces. imai plays both acoustic and electric guitar while bennink delivers strong, constantly changing rhythms. here are two musicians who know their instruments inside out. their unique affinity is powerfully conveyed in these dynamic exchanges.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
free-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 513 cd

toshimaru nakamura “side guitar” compact disc

1st rhythm guitar (14:25)
2nd rhythm guitar (23:38)
3rd rhythm guitar (9:59)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
toshimaru nakamura
side guitar

improvised music from japan, imj-513
released in december 2003

recorded by toshimaru nakamura on june 1 and 3, 2003
treated and mastered by toshimaru nakamura in september 2003
packaged in a cardboard jacket
design by tanabems

all improvised by toshimaru nakamura

toshimaru nakamura: fender telecaster, gibson es-125

toshimaru nakamura's main instrument of late has been what he calls the "no-input mixing board." rather than input external sound sources into the mixer, he treats it as a self-contained instrument by controlling its internal feedback--the result being a truly original performance style. over the past four years, nakamura has released the solo "nimb" cds no-input mixing board (on the zero gravity label), no-input mixing board 2 (a bruit secret), vehicle (cubic music), and no-input mixing board [3] (alcohol). these releases and his many live performances in japan and abroad have been widely acclaimed, particularly in the west. but nakamura started out as a guitarist, and still plays his guitar from time to time. side guitar is the solo guitar album he's been itching to make. the title comes from the term used in the sixties and seventies, in the heyday of japanese "group sounds" bands, for backup--or rhythm--guitar players. this is nakamura's homage to the "side guitar" playing he once aspired to. don't be misled, however, by the album title, or by the track title "rhythm guitar." this is still the nakamura of the no-input mixing board: the sound, consisting mainly of feedback from the guitar, is uniquely abstract. as you listen, you'll catch sight of a musician who remembers his "side guitar"-idolizing self of 30 years ago as he pursues the joy of making sound.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
free-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 512 cd

peter brötzmann / shoji hano “funny rat” compact disc

funny rat 1 (24:42)
snake and sheep (11:16)
we all like mountain rabbit (18:12)
funny rat 3 (5:47)
funny rat 2 (12:21)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
peter brötzmann / shoji hano
funny rat

improvised music from japan, imj-512
released in october 2003

recorded live by tsutomu suto (morgue-sha) at aku aku, tsukuba, on october 10, 1991
mastered by tsutomu suto on june 21, 2003
produced by shoji hano
packaged in a cardboard jacket
design by samm bennett and haruna ito (polarity design)
originally released on cassette tape by egg records (egg 89002) in 1992 (except track 4, released here for the first time)

peter brötzmann: tarogato, bass clarinet, tenor sax
shoji hano: drums, percussion

free jazz drummer shoji hano and german saxophone giant/leading european free improviser peter brötzmann first met in japan in the early eighties. in 1990 hano went to europe for the first time and played with brötzmann; then he invited brötzmann to japan for a duo tour in fall '91. this album is the complete recording of a concert they gave during that tour, at aku aku in tsukuba. in '92 hano released (on his label egg) a cassette tape of that performance, with the same title, omitting one of the pieces played in the concert. the omitted number is restored on this cd release (track four), making for a total of five pieces. since that tour hano and brötzmann have continued to play together frequently. this valuable recording captures the powerful collaboration of that early period.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
field-recordings
playback-music
electro-acoustic-composition

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 510 cd

aki onda “bon voyage!” compact disc

for the birds (8:32)
rain (6:18)
night (4:25)
underground (4:22)
the little girl in tangier (4:43)
i'll be your mirror (6:42)
good-bye (10:16)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
aki onda
bon voyage!

improvised music from japan, imj-510
released in october 2003

all cassette compositions by aki onda
cassette recordings made in new york - rio de janeiro - salvador - tokyo - paris - tangier - valencia - lisbon - london.... between 1988 and 2002
edited at the bregman electro-acoustic music studio, dartmouth college, new hampshire, in 2002
mastered by aki onda and toshimaru nakamura
packaged in a cardboard jacket
artwork by akira sasaki
includes liner notes by aki onda in japanese and english

aki onda's many activities since the nineties have included participating in the group audio sports, with eye yamatsuka and nobukazu takemura, and releasing albums under his own name, as well as producing recordings by numerous musicians in japan and other countries. for three years beginning in 2000, onda was a composer in residence at dartmouth college (in new hampshire). he recently shifted his base of activity to new york, where he is working with cassette recorders and electronics to create highly abstract, original works of music.

to make this album, onda spent two years editing a huge collection of field recordings that he'd amassed over a 14-year period (between 1988 and 2002), randomly taping sounds in locations around the world. to onda, this is both a document and a memory of a personal journey. various sounds--a city's hustle and bustle, the chirping of birds, music being played, children's voices--are layered one atop another. except for the last track, there is little in the way of what would normally be called a "work of music." on the other hand, no work digs so painfully deeply into the interior of the artist onda. seven tracks in all.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
free-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 507 cd

yumiko tanaka “tayutauta” compact disc

furuike ya (5:40)
kaze ga toku de (7:01)
amayadori (13:23)
yuki (8:26)
chirei (3:33)
ruten (8:39)
yamanoha (5:19)
otozure (1:10)
tayuta (10:29)
the gateway (0:46)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
yumiko tanaka
tayutauta

(improvised music from japan, imj-507)
released on march 28, 2004

recorded by yumiko tanaka in her four-and-a-half-tatami-mat room in yashiro, hyogo prefecture, on september 10 (1), june 15 (2), june 16 (3), june 17 (4), september 11 (5), august 21 (6, 7), august 24 (8, 9), august 25 (10), and august 26 (11), 2003
mastered by toshimaru nakamura in tokyo on october 5, 2003
produced by yumiko tanaka
design by samm bennett and haruna ito (polarity design)
includes liner notes by yumiko tanaka in japanese and english

all music by yumiko tanaka

yumiko tanaka: futozao shamisen, vocal

yumiko tanaka made her mark as a traditional shamisen artist specializing in the female-school gidayu style. tanaka was a member of otomo yoshihide's ground-zero in 1996-'97, and she is currently involved in a number of fields, ranging from contemporary classical music to free improvisation to avant-garde theater. among her many international activities, one of the most notable is her participation--as both musician and actress--in german composer heiner goebbels' acclaimed play hashirigaki (now on a world tour). suprisingly, this energetic and multi-faceted musician has to date released no solo or leader recordings--making this collection of 10 totally improvised solo works a debut cd of sorts. on tayutauta, tanaka uses the gidayu shamisen in ways that leave traditional playing methods far behind. here, the instrument's characteristic flavor is nowhere to be found. the performances--which incorporate such techniques as plucking, bowing, and the use of "prepared" objects--are calm and sedate, but suffused with a strong feeling of cohesion backed by tanaka's distinctive musical stance and sensibility. this is improvised music of rare quality.

$16.72

back in stock as of
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first in stock on
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threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 506 cd

“meeting at off-site vol. 2” compact disc

sean meehan (percussion)
tetuzi akiyama & toshimaru nakamura (15:23)
mark wastell (cello)
taku sugimoto (guitar)
tetuzi akiyama & toshimaru nakamura (13:01)
aki onda (cassette recorder)
tetuzi akiyama & toshimaru nakamura (10:50)
aki onda (cassette recorder)
tetuzi akiyama & toshimaru nakamura (7:11)
kaffe matthews (computer)
andrea neumann (inside piano)
tetuzi akiyama & toshimaru nakamura (8:14)
tim barnes (percussion)
tetuzi akiyama & toshimaru nakamura (7:56)
dj peaky (turntables)
tetuzi akiyama & toshimaru nakamura (9:55)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
meeting at off site vol. 2

(improvised music from japan, imj-506)
released in may 2003

toshimaru nakamura and tetuzi akiyama, with guests as indicated in the track list below
liner notes in english and japanese by toshimaru nakamura
recorded live by taku sugimoto and tetuzi akiyama at off site in yoyogi, tokyo, december 2001-may 2002
compiled and produced by toshimaru nakamura and tetuzi akiyama
cd edited and mastered by toshimaru nakamura
packaged in a cardboard jacket
cd and jacket design by tattaka (bit rabbit)

tetuzi akiyama plays amplified acoustic guitar on all tracks except #2 (turntable and air duster), and #7 (electric bass).
toshimaru nakamura plays no-input mixing board on all tracks except #7 (tabletop guitar).

(15:23) sean meehan (percussion), tetuzi akiyama, toshimaru nakamura. december 5, 2001
(13:01) mark wastell (cello), taku sugimoto (guitar), tetuzi akiyama, toshimaru nakamura. january 19, 2002
(10:50) aki onda (cassette recorder), tetuzi akiyama, toshimaru nakamura. february 16, 2002
(7:11) aki onda (cassette recorder), tetuzi akiyama, toshimaru nakamura. february 16, 2002
(8:14) kaffe matthews (computer), andrea neumann (inside piano), tetuzi akiyama, toshimaru nakamura. march 16, 2002
(7:56) tim barnes (percussion), tetuzi akiyama, toshimaru nakamura. april 6, 2002
(9:55) dj peaky (turntables), tetuzi akiyama, toshimaru nakamura. may 3, 2002

gallery off site in yoyogi, tokyo--one of the world's most well known venues for performance of the new improvised music. off site's core event is the monthly improvisation series meeting at off site, established and still hosted by tetuzi akiyama and toshimaru nakamura. following the critical success (both domestic and international) of vol. 1, released 2002, this second cd of live recordings documents the period between december 2001 and may 2002. like the first volume, it consists of excerpts from concerts by the two meeting hosts, plus one or two guest musicians. the difference is that here, the excerpts are fewer and longer, allowing the listener to better appreciate each musician's unique style. this cd documents the musical evolution--which one might even call the off site sound--characterized by extreme quietness and sparsity of sound. this is an indispensable record of the improvised music avant-garde currently gaining worldwide attention.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
free-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 505 cd

shoji hano “48” compact disc

004 (21:52)
008 (34:03)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
shoji hano
48

improvised music from japan, imj-505
released in may 2003

recorded live by tsutomu suto (morgue-sha) at bin spark on march 12, 2003
mixed and mastered by tsutomu suto (morgue-sha) on march 18, 2003
packaged in a cardboard jacket
cd and jacket design by juca izusawa (bit rabbit)
produced by shoji hano and yoshiyuki suzuki
includes liner notes in japanese and english by kazue yokoi

shoji hano: drums

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 brötzmann of germany and the late werner lüdi 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 brötzmann, 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 2003 at bin spark, tokyo. it is hano's first all-drum-solo album, and a superior document of the full range of his talent.

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
free-improvisation
minimalism-drones

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 504 cd

ami yoshida “tiger thrush” compact disc

99 tracks (total time: 67 minutes 58 seconds)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
ami yoshida
tiger thrush

improvised music from japan, imj-504
released in july 2003

recorded by ami yoshida at her house in tokyo, january-march 2003
packaged in a cardboard jacket
produced by ami yoshida

ami yoshida: voice, computer

the long-awaited solo album of amazing "howling voice" performer ami yoshida is finally here. it's hard to believe yoshida's sounds, with their myriad nuances, are those of a human voice--they could easily be mistaken for minute digital noises. over the past several years, this artist's work--including projects with otomo yoshihide (guitar, turntable); and the duos cosmos, with sachiko m (sinewaves), and astro twin, with utah kawasaki (analog synthesizer)--has garnered considerable attention on the improvised music scene both inside and outside japan. her 1997 release spiritual voice was a collaboration with the cd's producer, tamaru (bass guitar, effects), so this is essentially yoshida's first solo album. this past june, the album astro twin/cosmos (released 2002), featuring her duo work with sachiko m and kawasaki, took the top prize in the digital musics division at the annual ars electronica festival in linz, austria. consisting of 99 tracks (total time, 67'58") recorded by ami yoshida between january and march of this year, tiger thrush is a compendium of her extraordinary vocal powers. in her own words, it's "like a pictorial dictionary, arranged by category, of the sounds [she is] currently able to produce."

$16.72

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
august 30th, 2006

threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 501 cd

“meeting at off site vol. 1” compact disc

ami yoshida (voice)
brett larner (amplified ukelin)
nakamura and akiyama (7:40)
thomas ankersmit (sax)
taku sugimoto (guitar)
nakamura and akiyama (6:32)
tetsuro yasunaga (electronics)
nakamura and akiyama (5:07)
toshihiro koike (trombone)
taku sugimoto (guitar)
nakamura and akiyama (7:50)
utah kawasaki (synthesizer)
nakamura and akiyama (8:44)
jason roebke (bass)
taku sugimoto (guitar)
nakamura and akiyama (11:53)
otomo yoshihide (guitar)
gregor hotz (sax)
taku sugimoto (guitar)
akiyama (7:01)
michel henritzi (md players / electronics)
taku sugimoto (guitar)
nakamura and akiyama (4:34)
sachiko m (sampler with sinewave)
bruno meillier (synthesizer / electronics) (5:06)
seymour wright (sax)
nakamura and akiyama (4:33)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan / imj
meeting at off site vol. 1

reset, reset 003 | improvised music from japan, imj-501
released in april 2002

toshimaru nakamura and tetuzi akiyama, with guests as indicated in the track list below
liner notes in english and japanese by toshimaru nakamura
recorded live by tetuzi akiyama and taku sugimoto at off site in yoyogi, tokyo, 2000-2001
compiled, edited and mastered by toshimaru nakamura
produced by toshimaru nakamura and yoshiyuki suzuki
packaged in a cardboard jacket
cd and jacket design by masae tanabe

toshimaru nakamura (no-input mixing board)
tetuzi akiyama (guitar, turntable, contact microphones)

ami yoshida (voice), brett larner (amplified ukelin), nakamura, and akiyama (7:40)
thomas ankersmit (sax), taku sugimoto (guitar), nakamura, and akiyama (6:32)
tetsuro yasunaga (electronics), nakamura, and akiyama (5:07)
toshihiro koike (trombone), taku sugimoto (guitar), nakamura, and akiyama (7:50)
utah kawasaki (synthesizer), nakamura, and akiyama (8:44)
jason roebke (bass), taku sugimoto (guitar), nakamura, and akiyama (11:53)
otomo yoshihide (guitar), gregor hotz (sax), taku sugimoto (guitar), and akiyama (7:01)
michel henritzi (md players, electronics), taku sugimoto (guitar), nakamura, and akiyama (4:34)
sachiko m (sampler with sinewave), and bruno meillier (synthesizer, electronics) (5:06)
seymour wright (sax), nakamura, and akiyama (4:33)

$23.27

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
january 3rd, 2007

threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation
harsh-noise
digital-musics
electro-acoustic-composition
bedroom
beat-research

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 308/9 cd

“improvised music from japan extra 2006 special berlin issue” book and double compact disc set

adeline rosenstein / andrea neumann - pas perdus (2:23)
annette krebs / steffi weismann - le vol (3:46)
kommando raumschiff zitrone - roger (7:14)
michael thieke unununium - schaum (3:38)
lucio capece / axel dörner / robin hayward - inflie (7:37)
tunar - antwort auf den regen (8:23)
alessandro bosetti - african feedback: extracts 1 to 8 (4:13)
tony buck / andrea neumann - without title (8:13)
sink - ausland 1 [excerpt] (7:43)
marzipan marzipan - ennio (1:28)
kalkl & leidenschaft - leningrad sunrise (13:14)
boris hauf - it's a dirty job but somebody's got to do it (5:44)
phillip sollmann - room two (8:44)
thomas ankersmit - negatieve bijdrage (5:00)
ignaz schick / jason forrest - blood orchid (11:22)
burkhard beins - for ian curtis (3:08)
rechenzentrum - a capitalistic landscape (4:20)
blumm & tau - eskimono (4:34)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan
improvised music from japan extra 2006 special berlin issue

improvised music from japan, imj-308/9
out december 24, 2006

in japanese only
80 pages; 21cm (h) x 15cm (w)
2 cds included
cover and cd design by suzueri

in addition to interviews of 12 musicians/1 group residing in berlin (gregor hotz, nicholas bussmann, merle bennett, thomas ankersmit, ignaz schick, hans strobl, pure, annette krebs, andrea neumann, caramel empties, alessandro bosetti, boris baltschun, and kai fagaschinski), this "extra" issue of imj features 2 cds with 18 tracks by a total of over 30 musicians, almost all of whom are berlin residents: adeline rosenstein/andrea neumann, annette krebs/steffi weismann, kommando raumschiff zitrone, michael thieke unununium, lucio capece/axel doerner/robin hayward, tunar, alessandro bosetti, tony buck/andrea neumann, sink, marzipan marzipan, kalkuel & leidenschaft, boris hauf, phillip sollman, thomas ankersmit, ignaz schick/jason forrest, burkhard beins, rechenzentrum, and blumm.

the interviews were conducted by toshimaru nakamura during a visit to berlin in january 2005 (with the exception of the email interview of annette krebs by taku sugimoto, which took place between january and april 2006). in addition to discussing their musical activities, the artists share many of their thoughts about the berlin scene. their candid views reveal the dynamism that has characterized that scene since the late '90s. berlin musician nicholas bussmann was in charge of the selection of artists for the accompanying cds, and the result is an ideal compilation for those who want to know more about today's berlin scene. through the words and music of musicians on the scene, this issue explores the current situation of improvised music (and related genres) in berlin.

$24.72

back in stock as of
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threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation
harsh-noise
digital-musics

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 306/7 cd

“improvised music from japan 2005” book and double compact disc set

ipsysex - #460 (4:41)
jio shimizu - one million dots (6:55)
tetsuya umeda - error piano (10:28)
mills - day (3:10)
sim - unt (6:10)
toshihiro koike - 6pm_33 (6:42)
shuichi ohori - they shoot the blame (6:08)
chihiro wada - hikoboshi (5:31)
toshiya tsunoda - three stationary waves from my living room (6:38)
kiyoshi mizutani - jamokamo festival (8:22)
voima - unsettledfrm (6:57)
bunsho nishikawa/tim olive - ushitsuki (4:31)
m/s (minoru satoh) - linear manifold (multiple version) (5:53)
yasuo totsuka - mame (4:46)
diver - "hypogeous sound 02" concert (short version) (6:42)
mitsuhiro yoshimura - ears ring (5:53)
tomomi adachi - mhoi (8:00)
the cinngirls - "suicide" orca remix (1:43)
aspects - & aspects & 2/3 (extract) (7:33)
yui kimijima - today (7:06)
merzbow - excerpt from death of 250,000 chickens (7:03)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan
improvised music from japan 2005

bilingual english-japanese
128 pages; 21cm (h) x 15cm (w)
2 cds included (all but one track previously unreleased)

the 2005 edition of the annual japanese-english magazine improvised music from japan is devoted entirely to recent albums. over 350 releases (with a cover photo for each) are presented. the albums, mainly from 2004-2005, span a wide range of styles--improv, onkyo, noise, electronics, contemporary classical, free jazz, avant-rock, and more. while contributions from music critics are numerous, this is not just a collection of reviews. musicians write about their own and other artists' works, label owners about their labels . . . the articles' styles and points of view are as diverse as the albums they present. imj 2005 also includes 2 cds with a total of 21 tracks--by psysex, jio shimizu, tetsuya umeda, mills, sim, toshihiro koike, shuichi ohori, chihiro wada, toshiya tsunoda, kiyoshi mizutani, voima, bunsho nishikawa and tim olive, m/s (minoru sato), yasuo totsuka, diver, mitsuhiro yoshimura, tomomi adachi, the cinngirls, aspects, yui kimijima, and merzbow.

$26.91

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
september 13th, 2006

threads:
free-improvisation
electro-acoustic-improvisation
digital-musics
musique-concrète

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 304/5 cd

“improvised music from japan 2004” book and double compact disc set

four color - ae (6:36)
masahiko okura - entasi (5:32)
shuichi chino - envelope (4:34)
samm bennett - bang-up debonair skeleton (3:21)
samm bennett - repairs (2:36)
samm bennett - shimmy-she-bobble (2:40)
tetuzi akiyama / martin ng - soul delay (6:10)
yumiko tanaka - untitled (6:35)
han bennink / kazuo imai - untitled (5:21)
une chance pour l'ombre - untitled (11:18)
optrum - volcanic kant (0:24)
optrum - godzilla vs. ayaya (0:55)
optrum - new motor head banging & dc/dc (1:18)
optrum - 22 century gewalt woman (2:49)
optrum - improvised music from hell (0:23)
naoaki miyamoto - akatsuki ni (4:56)
sachiko m / toshimaru nakamura / otomo yoshihide - untitled (20:04)
mi yeon - untitled (6:14)
park je chun - for togashi masahiko (8:54)
kang tae hwan - untitled (7:42)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan
improvised music from japan 2004

bilingual english-japanese
192 pages; 21cm (h) x 15cm (w)
2 cds included (all but one track previously unreleased)

contentsspring road 2003

spring road 2003--europe and north america (tetsu saito)
pile of ashes / spring road 2003--japan (michel doneda)
exploring infinite possibilities--kazue sawai and the koto (kazue yokoi)
kazuo imai interview (yoshiyuki suzuki)

forget aki onda (ed baxter)

yumiko tanaka interview (toyoki okajima)

resonating out of rhythm and texture--a dialog with samm bennett about his new solo album secrets of teaching yourself music (shigenori noda)

tetuzi akiyama interview (toshimaru nakamura)

studio mescalina diary 2001-2003 (haco)

kazuhisa uchihashi interview (yoshiyuki suzuki)

from ria to ralia (ami yoshida)

masahiko okura interview (taku unami)

sachiko m interview--about the solo concert series bar sachiko (atsuhiro ito)

erstwhile 2004 (yuko zama)

view masters--a report on events in 2003 (h.v.m.)

uncomfortable orchestra--lmc festival, london, september 2003 (otomo yoshihide)

taku sugimoto interview (yoshio otani)

luc ferrari japan tour 2003--a report (haruyuki suzuki)

seoul meeting
introduction (otomo yoshihide)
kang tae hwan interview (otomo yoshihide) (interpreter: moon cheol)
park je chun, mi yeon, otomo yoshihide--a tripartite talk (interpreter: moon cheol)
cd reviews
japanese pages

$19.63

back in stock as of
november 20th, 2007

first in stock on
september 13th, 2006

threads:
electro-acoustic-improvisation
free-improvisation
digital-musics

improvised music from japan (japan) #imj 302/3 cd

“improvised music from japan extra 2003” book and double compact disc set

asuna - vibration of reeds lid_05 (from 12 to 2 reeds) (7:16)
masafumi ezaki - untitled (5:34)
takefumi naoshima - in a car (5:36)
kazushige kinoshita - rudiment (9:37)
ju muraoka - seppi (1:58)
masahide tokunaga - alto saxophone solo (6:18)
dj peaky - three elements solo (3:37)
dill - 9 breads (omb-dill remix) (3:59)
taku unami - pleasant valley (7:15)
taku hannoda - solo guitar (7:37)
nentegaine - seven (4:47)
aen - processed (3:11)
yoichiro shin - mekanik destruktiw batterie (7:07)
kazumi namba - untitled (6:30)
takumi toki - ch.or.tr on sat (5:17)
teruyuki ohshima - c (4:57)
busratch - sound combing (5:05)
katsura yamauchi - salmo (5:25)
shoji hano and masaharu shoji - untitled (10:30)

improvised music from japan press release...

improvised music from japan
improvised music from japan extra 2003

bilingual english-japanese
128 pages; 21cm (h) x 15cm (w)
2 cds included

this is a special issue supplementing the well-received improvised music from japan 2002-2003 (imj-301), the launch issue of an annual magazine (published in december 2002). while the annual magazine provides an overview of the year's trends, each extra will include an expansive special feature on a particular theme. the special feature of imj extra 2003 is "improv's new waves," a close look at japan's young improvisers (with an emphasis on electronics musicians). it contains a comprehensive essay by music critic yoshio otani, and interviews of artists like taku unami, com-yas and tetsuro yasunaga, busratch, takefumi naoshima, kazumi namba, asuna, and nentegaine, as well as articles on labels associated with these artists--hibari music, commune-disc, cubic music, and flyrec. in addition to the special feature, extra includes interviews of ami yoshida, shoji hano, and katsura yamauchi; a conversation between tetuzi akiyama and toshimaru nakamura; and a wealth of cd reviews. the two accompanying cds contain 17 tracks by musicians presented in the special feature (asuna, masafumi ezaki, takefumi naoshima, kazuhiro kinoshita, ju muraoka, masahide tokunaga, dj peaky, dill, taku unami, taku hannoda, nentegaine, aen, yoichiro shin, kazumi namba, takumi toki, teruyuki ohshima, and busratch), plus two bonus tracks--a sax solo by katsura yamauchi, and a duo by shoji hano and masaharu shoji (19 tracks in all).

contents

improv's new waves
improv's new waves (yoshio otani) e-6
taku unami interview (yoshio otani) e-12
hibari music (yoshihiko nonomura) e-14
nentegaine (yoshio otani) e-17
com-yas & tetsuro yasunaga interview (yoshio otani) e-18
commune-disc (masamitsu kawai) e-22
cubic music (masamitsu kawai) e-26
takefumi naoshima interview (yoshio otani) e-28
asuna interview (yoshio otani) e-30
busratch interview (yoshio otani) e-32
flyrec (yoshio otani) e-35
kazumi namba interview (yoshio otani) e-36

ami yoshida interview (minoru hatanaka) e-38

ami yoshida's tiger thrush (toshimaru nakamura) e-41

tiger thrush (part two) (ami yoshida) e-42

tetuzi akiyama & toshimaru nakamura talk about the cd meeting at off site vol. 2 e-44

katsura yamauchi interview (yoshiyuki suzuki) e-48

shoji hano interview (kazue yokoi) e-50

cd reviews e-54-77
japanese pages: j-4 through j-51

previous record label:
important

...and that's everything on improvised music from japan in stock.
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