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SHIBUSASHIRAZU/Shibusashirazu Orchestra

Shibusashirazu Orchestra, which is at the forefront of contemporary jazz,was formed by bassist Daisuke Fuwa in 1989 as a free jazz orchestra.
The orchestra is, so to speak, a multimedia jazz performance group consisting of over twenty musicians, including many well known Japanese performers such as Hiroaki Katayama (ts) and Takeshi Shibuya (p), as well as Butoh dancers,modern dancers, theater actors, and artists.
All of the works played by Shibusashirazu Orchestra are Japanese jazz works composed or arranged by Daisuke Fuwa. The orchestra gives exciting stage performances, with its dynamic sound and lively dancing and acting.
Large moving objects made by stage artists make the audiences even more enthusiastic.
It can be said that Shibusashirazu Orchestra is not only a jazz orchestra but alsoa group that brings together various aspects of contemporary Japanese culture.
Some of its performances show the course of Japanese music from the Middle Ages to the present, as the group includes musicians playing traditional Japanese instruments such as shamisen, shakuhachi, and ryuteki (a bamboo flute).

SOH BAND

SOH BAND started in 1988. The history of SOH BAND of becoming of Shuji Soh (ds) and the Natsuki Kido (g) in the latter half of 80's and keyboard player Chernobyl Watanabe's (Cher Watanabe) and a sax player join to them then start the band. they are called by them-self for it is not acid jazz they called "Alkali jazz" it there styles.

drummer, leaders and composer of the band Shuji Soh he dies suddenly in September 1, 2001. but they are still arriving. Junichi Sato replaced on drummer Soh he came from the Heavy metal band named Galnerius.

Nao Takeuchi (sax,b-cl,flute) attend 1st.and second albums, now Kunihiro Tanaka (t sax) take place to the SOH BAND. he played on 3rd.albums. with Ryuichi Masuda played on guitar (ex.Ruins), Rei Shimizu played on bass, Cher Watanabe on keybords.
They still played very hard core styles and your brain will crushed by their aggressive and progressive,　 provocative pop sound.

HIROAKI KATAYAMA

THE STRONGEST VOICE OF JAZZ IN JAPAN.
An excellent thick-toned tenor, Katayama Hiroaki sounded quite at home in free jazz, hard bop and funk jazz settings.
Born in Chiba, 1951. His parents gave him an alto saxophone when he was high-school student and 3 years later Katayama switched to tenor.
　
He rose prominece playing with Oki Itaru Groupe in his collage days. And performed with Midorikawa Keiki and Fujikawa Yoshiaki as Now Music Ensemble.
　
In the end-'70s, he started recording as an important member of Seikatsu-Koujou-Iinkai Orchestra with Umezu Kazutoki, Harada Yoriyuki, Hayakawa Takeharu and others.

After Seikatsu-Koujou-Iinkai Orchestra, in early-'80s, he formed Doctor Umezu Band (DUB) with Umezu, Hayakawa and Takashi Kikuchi. DUB had recorded seven
albums and toured in Europe three times.

Under his own name, he released "The Equator" in 1983, "Drei Sherry" (same as Studio Wee CD "99" reissued in 1999) in 1987, "So-Ka-Na" in 1992, "Instant Groove"
in 1998, "fiktion" (by session groupe with Ishiwatari Akihiro, Fuwa Daisuke and Toyozumi Yoshisaburo) in 1999.His chief association is groupe CO2 with Hayashi Eiichi, Kato Takayuki, Hayakawa Takeharu and Yoshigaki Yasuhiro. CO2's album was released in1998 and 2000.
　
With another groupe De-Ga-Show, Katayama released three albums in 1994, 1996 and 1998.
Katayama toured around Europe in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002 as the first tenorist of Shibusashirazu Orchestra.

by Wakiya Hiroaki, 2002

FEDAYIEN

Naohiro Kawashita (ss, ts, vln), Daisuke Fuwa (b), and Shiro Onuma (ds) formed a trio in 1986. The next year they released an LP, “MILE AND HALD” from TARUHO FARM label. In 1988 they began to call themselves FEDAYIEN. During the 90’s they released three CDs from NUTMEG label, among which “FIRST”, the first album as FEDAYIEN, was awarded as the New Music Magazine’s Best Jazz Album of 1991 out of the magazine’s Top 5 Jazz Albums of the Year. FEDAYIEN heralded the active Japanese Jazz scene of the 90’s and continued to be the leading band during the era.

Before their split-up at the end of 2000 FEDAYIEN released six albums including the titles from CHITEI RECORDS. In Europe they created a sensation in 1998 with their performances at the Archangelsk International Jazz Festival in Russia and the Moers Jazz Festival in Germany. This successful tour by FEDAYIEN actually paved the way to the European tours of SHIBUSASHIRAZU ORCHESTRA in later years.

NAOHIRO KAWASHITA

Perceived by some as one of the world-class　saxophone players, Naohiro Kawashita is based in Fukuoka--a city 900km west of Tokyo. During the 90’s he lead the legendary band FEDAYIEN that shook the Japanese jazz scene. After FEDAYIEN’s split-up in 2000 Kawashita continued his musical career and activities as an energetic solo performer. Kawashita now performs in a band again, leading a new “Naohiro Kawashita Trio” to play with Daisuke Fuwa (b) and Futoshi Okamura (ds).

DAISUKE FUWA

Sapporo birth. The transferred from the junior high school to Kanagawa
Prefecture. The sticking to Music activity is started in the high school student age in around the latter half of year of the '70 the play and the jazz of the underground. There is an active musician in the member and the visual rockers band of the "kome kome club" in the synchronization of the high school, too. It participates in the antecedent band 'Gagarin' of "bachicaburi" of Tomorowo Taguchi.

It participates in "Goku Nonaka & living national treasure", "Naoji Kondo Trio", and "Fedain" as a bassist, the record is left from the latter half of the '80 age to the '90 age, and the album of the CD 4 work is left by two works. Both big topics were collected in the forward jazz scene and popular was obtained.

"Shibusashirazu" is formed with an attached thing of work "Rhythm" of theatrical company "Creative operations" in 1989. Most important work, 'Shibhoshi', and 'Shibhata' are announced from "Chitei Records". Two piece announcement of 'best' and latest work 'shibu-kiyo' from "avex io". 10 albums will be announced by present.

There is starting with having performed to Germany "Moers Jazz Festival" in 1997 all almost of Russia and Europe countries. It is the main and appears on a stage for the first time as a Japanese artist in England "Glastonbury Festival " in 2001. It participated in various festivals regardless of jazz or lock and popular was obtained.

It performs to "FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL" in Japan every year. It performs after an interval of three years even in 2007. It ..appearance.. really came also to RISING SUN ROCK FESTIVAL etc. of Hokkaido.The tune that Fuwa wrote was used for CM of Japan and His tune is used as for the movie in Germany.

in 2007,The Japanese culture hall performance of Paris was contained, and it
participated in jazz Fez in several countries.The composition of the movie produced by the movie academy in the country of Russia was demanded, and "ShIBUSASHIRAZU" recorded on a disc in Russia.

NAO TAKEUCHI

Takeuchi visited the United States in 1978 and in 1988 to study under Byard Lancaster (as) and Steve Grossman (ts). In 1991 He traveled to Brazil where he performed and mixed with the local musicians. Takeuchi began his unaccompanied tenor saxophone solo performances (also on bass clarinet and flute later) around 1994. In 2002, he joined Yosuke Yamashita Unit for their European tour. He has been performing at live music clubs with his own groups such as a quartet with Rod Williams (p), Jaribu Shahid (b), and Eli Fountain (ds) (1988), and a trio with Yuta Kaneko (org), Yoshito Eto (ds) (2001-2003). Recently he also plays with SAXOPHONIA, and with Yosuke Yamashita (p). “SOLO” by CHITEI RECORDS lets the listeners experience his attractive solo performance,　while “NO PROBLEM AT ALL” (B6F) and ”SHINEBA BAKA MO NAORU” (B12F) by SOH BAND includes his performances with the group.

SHUN SAKAI

Her debut as a jazz vocalist at the legendary Jazz club “Misty” in 1976 caused a sensational commotion. She also released her debut record next year. She moved to the United States three years after that, and she eventually decided to take a break from her musical career.

She made a comeback in the beginning of the 90’s when her child rearing was almost over. She then began to sing Jazz with lyrics in her own Japanese translation. Although it has become a common practice these days, she had to encounter and overcome various difficulties that are unimaginable now. Still, she tried to be true to her heart and continued to sing the standard Jazz numbers as well as whatever music she felt like singing regardless of the genre. In 1998, she made a fateful encounter with the song,
“MANGETU NO YUBE”, and in 2003 her version of “MANGETU NO YUBE” was awarded the Japan Record Awards’ Planning Award.

NEW UZU

Takayuki Kato (g) formed UZU in 1991, and in 1994 the unit got off to a new start as NEW UZU with Shoomy Taku (key, vo), Hiroshi Yamazaki (ds), Hideto Kanai (b), Nobuyoshi Ino (b), and others. Kato had begun his experimental free solo performances using effects units around 1980, and his unconventional music was sometimes criticized as being “psychic” or “perverted”, although it would not be perceived as strange or outrageous now. Kato, being inspired by his favorite “Daphnis and Chloe” by Ravel, formed his free jazz units UZU and NEW UZU as part of his challenge as a free performer trying to expand his musical horizon.

COIL

COIL is in pursuit of the ultimate guitar instrumental. A trio by Natsuki Kido (g, vo, syn), Takehiro Hayakawa (b, vo), and Yasuhiro Yoshigaki (ds, vo) had released two albums before Eiji Tanaka (ds) joined to replace Yoshigaki. They went on to record their third album after that. Their music is in straight and hard jazz-rock band style, reminding you of Grand Funk Railroad, Cream, or Robin Trower. Their amazing techniques constantly kept the audience in awe. Unfortunately, they split up in March 2006 without any notice.
Since then their first and third albums were re-released from MABOROSHI NO SEKAI, a label by Kido and Yuji Katsui, and their second album “BIG GAMES” was also re-released from CHITEI RECORDS (B19F).

RAdIO

Formed in 1994 and active for five years until 1999, RadIO comprises four super players--Naohiro Kawashita (ts, vln), Daisuke Fuwa (b), Yasuhiro Yoshigaki (ds), Tsuyoshi Shibuya (key). They constantly played with many guest players such as Yuji Kawai (vln). Their excellent improvisation has its own spine and hard quality. The self-titled album “RAdIO” (B28F) includes their representative piece “RAdIO”, featuring “Comme a La Radio” by Brigitte Fontaine & Art Ensemble of Chicago along with the pieces by Kawashita.

MOTOTERU TAKAGI

(28 December 1941 - December 2002) was a Japanese tenor saxophone player, known for playing in a distinctive and powerful free jazz style. He played with many of the most important Japanese free groups and musicians during the seventies, such as ESSG and those of Masahiko Togashi, Motoharu Yoshizawa and Masayuki Takayanagi.

Takagi was born in Osaka in 1941, but grew up in Yokohama. During his younger years, he spent time in the bands of players like Charlie Ishiguro and Hisashi Sakurai, but only really began developing his distinctive free style when he joined the Motoharu Yoshizawa Trio in 1968. The following year he joined Togashi's Quartet and ESSG. After Togashi's accident, Takagi played briefly with Masayuki Takayangi's New Direction Unit and in a duo with percussionist Sabu Toyozumi. From November 1973 he spent one year playing in France, returning to Japan in November 1974.
Takagi recorded very few albums as a leader over the course of his career, but he was highly valued as a collaborator by many Japanese jazz, rock and avant-garde musicians.

AYAKO SASAKI

Ayako Sasaki -- "Sora"

The two opening tunes on "Sora" are the most beautiful melodies on record this year. The six originals by pianist and vocalist Ayako Sasaki feel at once heart-rendingly wistful and resiliently strong, a natural union of Japanese aesthetics and jazz conceptions. Few other Japanese vocalists sing or write lyrics in Japanese, much less ones as poetic as Sasaki's. As a member of Shibusa Shirazu, a large, fluctuating collective of musicians who create an organic, groove-based style of music all their own, Sasaki invites several members of the band on board, and they enter fully into the spirit of her poignant lyrics with a strong and unassuming sense of cool.

The Japan Times
"Big steps for Tokyo's little jazz labels"
By MICHAEL PRONKO

AKI TAKASE

Born in Japan,Lessons of piano since 3 years old,later on studies of music at Tohogakuen Music University. Sterted professional careea as piano player and comcerts & recordings with Dave Libman,Lester Bowie,Joe Henderson,Cecil McBee,Jhon Zorn. 1981 first concert in Germany at Jazzfestival Berlin/Phihamonie. Since 1987 live in Berlin. Intensive work with Alex von Schlippenbach(Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra) and other musicians of the European New Jazz. (Evan Parker,Paul Lovens,Han Bennink,Tony Oxley…) In Duo with Maria Joao(1987-1994),with David Murray. in Torio with Rashed Ali and Reggie Workman. in Stringquartet (tour with Tristan Honsinger a.o.) Since 1996 play in Duo with Rudi Mahall. "Berliner Zeitug Award"1999 1997-2000 guest professor at Musikhochschule in Berllin. The"SWR-Jazz Award" 2002 The German Record Critics Award of 2004:"aki takase plays fats waller"

SHOOMY BAND

Shoomy’s songs are incomparably unique. Without being into any heavy emotional move or over-sentiment, she sings songs lightly with a rather dry voice but still makes the songs feel soulful and bluesy. Her style is not just a singing-along with the accompaniment,and has a strong stand point which is equal to any other member of the band and is always trying to express her own identity. From Kazuo Nakamura

WALTER LANG TRIO + AYA MURODATE

Walter Lang was born May 13th, 1961 in Schwa¨bisch Gmu¨nd, a small city some 50 kilometers from Stuttgart, Germany. He grew up with the sound of accordion and piano being played around the house by both his father and grandfather.
He studied piano and composition at the
Berklee School of Music in Boston finished his studies at the Amsterdam School of Arts.

In 1988 Walter had the fortune of becoming a founding member of the Rick Hollander Quartet, a group which has enjoyed countless tours of Europe, Japan and America. The group’s 5 CD’s all feature Walter’s trademark piano playing. The Quartet won the 1st prize at the "Europ' Jazz Contest" in Hoeilaart, Belgium in 1990.

Since 1999 he is leading his own Walter Lang Trio with Nic Thys on bass and Rick Hollander on drums. They released very succesful Cd's such as,Walter Lang Trio plays Charles Chaplin"(1999),"Across The Universe" (2002), "Softly as in a morning Sunrise" (2005) "The Sound Of A Rainbow"(2005), that received the "Best Sounding CD Award" �By the japanese �"Swing Journal", as well as the recent CD "Romantische Strasse"(2007) that got the Gold Disc Award �by "Swing Journal".

Along with drummer Gerwin Eisenhauer and bassist Sven Faller he founded TRIO ELF in 2005. Their first CD "ELF" for ENJA RECORDS was a big success and the second CD will come out in the autumn of 2008.
His recent groups are, besides Trio ELF and the Walter Lang Trio, his quintet Walter Lang's Romance, Daktarimba as well as his duo with master saxofonist Lee Konitz.

Walter Lang has also played with James Moody, Chico Freeman, Don Menza, Roy Hargrove, Jenny Evans, Dusko Goykovich, Lisa Wahlandt and many others.

5000mPOOL

A free rock band of five “swinging swimmers” comprises Futoshi Okamura (ds), Aya Murodate (vib, vo), Mari Sekine (per), Akira Ono (b), and Shinichi Abe (g, vo). The unit by four regular members of SHIBUSASHIRAZU ORCHESTRA plus one got off in the summer of 2001. Why “swinging swimmers”? Well, they all come on stage with swimming goggles on for live performances. The album includes “KUKU” (the multiplication table)--a must song for every elementary school kid in Japan as a foolproof learning method worth applying for a patent.

SHIRO ONUMA

1973: Began his carrier in music.
1984：Formed his own group "Onuma Jazz Unit" which played mainly modern jazz.
1986：Formed "Fedayien" with Daisuke Fuwa (bass)Naohiro Kawashita(ts,vln).
1989：Joined "Shibusa-shirazu".
1996：Toured Germany with "Fedayien" and played at the Moels Jazz Festival.
1997：Toured Russia and Lithuania with "Fedayien".
1998,2000：Toured Europe with "Shibusa-shirazu" and played at the Moers Jazz Festival.
2001：Formed "Shiro Onuma Trio" including Tetsu Watanabe (sax) and Hiroyuki Eizuka (bass).
2003：Formed "M.A.S.H." with Junji Mori (sax) and Dairo Suga (piano).
2005：Will tour Russia with Katsuyuki Itakura (piano).

TEION KANKYO

TEION KANKYO （bass environment） is a unit by bassist Daisuke Fuwa, also known as Dandorist
of SHIBUSASHIRAZU ORCHESTRA, and Daisuke Takaoka, one of the most outstanding tuba players in Japan who is also a member of SHIBUSASHIRAZU ORCHESTRA. Takaoka constantly travels all over Japan to play with various bands including Black Bottom Brass Band. Although being a rare combination of two bass instruments, their performances, with occasional human voice and physical action, never has a single dull moment. Takaoka’s singing tuba with its rich tone and Fuwa’s bass closely walking along with Takaoka let the duo manage to create such beautiful and delightful music.

Nobuyasu Furuya

born in Kanagawa - Japan. Since childhood started work
as musician and joined to japanese free jazz big band
Shibusa-Shirazu as multi reedman. After studying in
Istanbul - Turkey, moved to Berlin and Lisbon. On
2009 released first leader album "Bendowa" from
Clean Feed records Portugal (CF159), which is nominated
Best debut album of 2009 by All About Jazz New York
magazine. Now based in Japan and working
between Europe and Japan.