snobb Japanese trumpet player Itaru Oki represents one of the very first country's jazz musicians generation. During late 50s-early 60s he played in local big bands and with bop artists, in late 60s he switched to just born Japanese free jazz. Since that he played with many leading jazz musicians with big variety of genres. From mid 70s he resided in Paris for decade,traveling Europe and Japan and organizing Japanese jazz artists concerts in Europe. He is still active till now (I saw him playing live with Japanese band Hikashu just few months ago in my hometown).

Itaru Oki Unit is musician's first all-Japanese band for few decades,formed in 2000. Band's debut, "Vol.1" has been recorded in Japan and contains collaboration with two well known jazz artists of mid-generation - pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura (among others). Itaru himself besides of his regular trumpet plays fluegelhorn and bamboo flute here.

Album's music represents modern Japanese avant-garde jazz, eclectic and saturated with ethnic elements,quirky,free form but containing lot of melodic snippets.

Six-piece band often sounds as real small orchestra with lot of brass,muscular rhythm section and very high energy music in general. All material is a band members originals,dominating sound is two trumpets soloing against each other with heavy support from rhythm section (bassist Hiroshi Funato is known by his work in Japanese jazz-rock bands Sights, Bidziliba, O.A.D. and Wilkinson Brothers). In contrast,there are pieces with flute and free piano soloing, characteristic Japanese theatrical vocalize,etc. Unfortunately, sound mix quality is only average and far from legendary Three Blind Mice or just average Japanese jazz recordings from early 70s standard.

Since big part of Itaru Oki Unit (including himself) spend big part of their time and are heavily influenced by European and US jazz,it's difficult to speak about "Vol.1" as about a characteristic example of Japanese jazz coming from the edge of the centuries. At the same time,that cosmopolitanism,eclectic mix of different traditions,aesthetics and techniques besides of necessarily presented folklore elements represents modern Japanese jazz in a best way. In all cases, musically rich and multilayered music,requiring repetitive listening and truly entertaining.

snobb Differently from many late 60s Japanese free jazz scene leaders,who came as yesterday's students (usually after musical studies in US) and had no deeper jazz roots, trumpeter Itaru Oki started playing jazz as teenager in dixieland and later in bop bands.So even if his big scene's debut occurred on the wave of Japanese free jazz revolution in late 60s,his music remained influenced by trad jazz for decades.

Being a member of two leading Japanese avant-garde musicians pianist Masahiko Satoh and drummer Masahiko Togashi bands (among others),Oki played around Japan and on few European tours.More important,in 1974 he relocated to Paris where he stayed for decades being one of the most "European" of Japanese jazz musicians (probably,beside of pianist Aki Takase).In late 70s he became a member of Alan Silva's Celestion Communications Orchestra,participated on recordings of "The Shout - Portrait For A Small Woman"(1979,Sun Records)and "Desert Mirage"(1982,IACP). His other regular musical partner became German clarinetist Michel Pilz.

In the beginning of new millennium,after series albums as a leader(recorded in Europe and Japan both,but released as rule on Japanese labels),Oki returns to free jazz quartet with Michel Pilz and free jazz dream rhythm session - Alan Silva on acoustic bass and former Albert Ayler trio drummer (played on "Spiritual Unity",one of the best free jazz album ever)Sunny Murray. Nothing's strange that quartet's music recall Ayler's songs - Oki's dixieland roots,marching orchestra's rhythms and general small town fest's atmosphere are all what Ayler bring to free jazz. Still there are some important differences - Oki's trumpet differently from Ayler's sax sounds softer,warmer and more lyrical and whole band's music is better framed being very free inside.

Recorded in Paris' club,not all album is that "Aylerish". It contains some characteristic more modern Japanese jazz meditative songs with ethnic elements (sounding surprisingly alive because of muscular rhythm section),quite complex dramatic and groovy compositions, influenced by European chamber music(with great Pilz's bass clarinet) and closes with "Météore" - almost "Pete And The Wolf"-like narrative instruments' dialogue,still surprisingly tuneful.

Released in Japan only on tiny Ohrai label, this album passed almost unnoticed and it's a shame - great artists plays modern music rooted in tradition here, it must to be heard.