Featuring: Itaru Oki
Itaru Oki - trumpet, flute
Yoshiaki Fujikawa - alto saxophone, flute
Keiki Midorikawa - bass
Hozumi Tanaka - drums
| 1. Combo Session 1 |
14:00 |
| 2. Combo Session 2 |
17:05 |
| 3. Combo Session 3 |
5:49 |
| 4. Combo Session 4 |
17:10 |
| 5. Combo Session 5 |
15:15 |
Ken Waxman - The Whole Note
Although arriving from a dissimilar tradition, free-form experiments were common in 1960s Japan with several avant-garde ensembles throughout the country. One player who tried for more international renown was trumpeter Itaru Oki (1941-2020). He relocated to France in 1974 and was soon playing with locals. Occasionally he returned to gig in Japan, and Live at Jazz Spot Combo 1975 (NoBusiness NBCD 143 nobusinessrecords.com) reproduces one of those visits. Playing with drummer Hozumi Tanaka who was part of his Japanese trio, bassist Keiki Midorikawa and, crucially, alto saxophonist/flutist Yoshiaki Fujikawa, Oki’s quartet roams through five themes and improvisations. The trumpeter’s truculent flutters set the pace with speedy arabesques in counterpoint to slithery flute flutters. While keeping the exposition horizontal, the trumpeter prolongs intensity with triplets and half-valve effects. Backed by sul tasto bass string rubs and percussion slaps, Fujikawa is even more assertive beginning with Combo Session 2, where initial saxophone concordance with trumpet puffs soon dissolves into strangled reed cries and irregular vibrations. Dragging an emotional response from Oki, both horns are soon exfoliating the narrative, seconded by cymbal shivers. But the four stay rooted enough in jazz to recap the head after cycling through theme variations. These opposing strategies are refined throughout the rest of this live set. But no matter how often the saxophonist expresses extended techniques such as doits and spetrofluctuation, linear expression prevents aural discomfort. In fact, the concluding Combo Session 5 could be termed a free jazz ballad. While Oki’s tonal delineation includes higher pitches and more note expansion than a standard exposition, at points he appears to be channelling You Don’t Know What Love Is. That is, until Midorikawa’s power pumps, Tanaka’s clapping ruffs and the saxophonist’s stentorian whistles and snarls turn brass output to plunger emphasis leading to a stimulating rhythmic interlude. With trumpet flutters descending and reed trills ascending a unison climax is reached.
Fabricio Vieira - FreeForm/FreeJazz
Morto um ano atrás, o trompetista Itaru Oki (1941-2020) foi um dos pioneiros do free jazz no Japão, tendo participado de dezenas de álbuns, em aproximadas cinco décadas de carreira. Ainda em meados dos anos 70, se mudou para a França, mas nunca se afastou da cena japonesa, tendo sempre mantido parcerias com nomes locais e deixado registros com figuras centrais de seu país, como Masahiko Sato, Sabu Toyozumi e Otomo Yoshihide. Esta gravação agora resgatada vem de seus tempos iniciais, tendo sido feita em dezembro de 1975 no clube Jazz Spot, em Fukuoka. Em quarteto, Oki é acompanhado pelos seus principais parceiros de então, Keiki Modorikawa (baixo) e Hozumi Tanaka (bateria), aos quais se soma o sax alto de Yoshiaki Fujikawa. Oki, conhecido em sua trajetória por gostar de projetar/tocar trompetes de diferentes formatos, aqui aparece no seu instrumento regular, além de tocar flauta em alguns momentos do concerto. A saborosa apresentação que agora podemos ouvir em competente remasterização mostra um pouco do quanto a música de Oki era vibrante, com seu sopro quente e profundo, que podia tanto soar lírico (como em "Combo Session 3") como trazer seus parceiros para um campo mais energy (ouçam "Combo Session 5", especialmente a partir dos cinco minutos). São cerca de 70 minutos de música, vivo free jazz dividido em cinco faixas que nos deixam nostálgicos para rememorar outras trabalhos do trompetista.
