snobb On the new "Proton Pump", two Japanese living legends - reedist Akira Sakata and pianist Masahiko Satoh, perform with the younger generation American rhythm duo of Chikamorachi (bassist Darin Gray and drummer Chris Corsano) - live in Tokyo.

Satoh was a key figure in Japanese free jazz in the late 60s-early 70s, who later flirted with fusion and still releases albums time to time. Akira Sakata was another Japanese celebrity, playing with Yosuke Yamashita trio for years, later he started a solo career and is surprisingly active till now - he's possibly the best avant-garde jazz sax player in modern Japan.

Americans Chicamorachi were founded in 2005 and are very prolific, playing with the world's leading free improv artists, such as Jim O'Rourke, Merzbow, Keiji Haino among others.

"Proton Pump", recorded more than two years ago, is a classic avant-garde album of the old school. Starting from the cover art radiating the spirit of the early 70s, and finishing with a clear perfectly mixed worm sound. Sakata is the dominating figure here, with his mad genius screaming sax solos and shamanic vocalizations, but the whole quartet is simply of the highest class. Satoh plays high energy piano out of his trade-mark "science as significant part of the music" which sounded revolutionary in 1969, but too often destroys many of his later albums. Chicamorachi sound muscular, young and hungry - they add strong modernity scent to the surprisingly unsentimental music of two Japanese veterans.

Just four songs (vinyl album's size - as if CD format still doesn't exist!), perfectly played, well executed, all the time variable, but under full control of the band. A lot of tunes have almost lyrical sax timbres at moments - and not even the smallest trace of nostalgia.

This album is a really rare example of when generally over-explored and too often repetitive music sounds fresh, as if half of this century hasn't already passed.

snobb Japanese reeds player Akira Sakata (born in Hiroshima in 1945) for last decade is on the top of most requested internationally country's jazz artist,playing and recording in States,Europe and Japan. He started his career in early 70s as highly respected Yosuke Yamashita Trio's member,but switched to solo career in early 80s. In mid-80s he played with short-lived but significant Peter Brotzmann's Last Exit (noisy supergroup with Sonny Sharrock,Ronald Shannon Jackson and Bill Laswell on board), and he met new Millenium playing with most radical experimenters around.

Still in early 80s Akira was more anchored to composed music, his short-lived but great Sakata Orchestra are a great example. "4 O'Clock" is the only band's studio album, released in 1981.

Massive reeds section (incl. future star Kazutoki Umezu),two drummers,two bassists,percussionist and two piano/keyboards players (plus uncredited operatic vocals on side B) build true orchestral feel on four pre-composed musical pieces. Differently from Sakata's current dominance of very free forms and often chaotic soloing, Sakata Orchestra were perfectly organised progressive big band with well-framed rhythm structures and arrangements. Main attraction were constantly changing soloists demonstrating truly free improvisational abilities.

Trying to use all most advanced trends of the time (incl. some cosmic electronic sounds and operatic vocals),Akira doesn't lose jazz orchestra's ground even for a second. It makes all music sound accessible,but very fresh and modern.

Well recorded (I missed more lows in mix though), this album sounds really attractive even today - great place to start one's journey researching rich legacy of living Japanese adventurous jazz legend.

snobb Japanese sax player Akira Sakata born near Hiroshima in 1945.After university studies in marine biology, he switched towards jazz artist's career becoming a part of Japanese explosive free-jazz scene in late 60s.Akira still evidenced best time of this genre in Japan,but in fact since free jazz popularity declined drastically during seventies, he was late just a moment to become a star.From 1972 to 1979 he was a member of well-known Yosuke Yamashita Trio,in 80s he played with Last Exit; Bill Laswell became his albums producer (incl. "Fisherman's.com" with former Miles Davis guitarist Pete Cosey). Still last decades of XX century weren't all that productive and successful for Sakata.

During first decade Sakata became much more popular again, partially on wave of reborn interest to free improvisation in Europe. Here on "Iruman"(Japanese word of Portuguese origin,which came to Japan with Jesuits in 16 century and in original (“irmão”) meaning “brother”) Akira plays duo with twice younger Italian pianist Giovanni Di Domenico,his first duo with pianist ever. Giovanni Di Domenico grew up in Cameroon and plays free improvisations(more often) and classic compositions, sometimes African music-influenced.

Recorded in Tokyo,this album contains mostly free-improvised music,but of quite unusual kind.Sakata,who in his younger years has been known by quite explosive screaming sax attacks,is much subtle here. His playing is often meditative, philosophical and combines Japanese and European classic tradition (in moments he sounds similar to Jimmy Guiffre).Akira sings on few songs (instead of playing sax) as well, surprisingly his Japanese tradition-influenced vocalize fits well and adds lot of additional charm to whole music. Di Domenico plays very free form piano miniatures,but well-structured,tuneful and lyrical - listen to separate fragments often reminds European chamber piano recital,in moments warn,sometimes almost polished.

Probably looking as bag full of unrelated components on paper,all these elements mixed both together work surprisingly well. Album sounds quite easy-listenable,non-boring and attractive. Not all music is of the same level, there are some moments where happens almost nothing,but in whole "Iruman" is the album, interesting not only for fan of Akira Sakata or free improvisations.