SABU TOYOZUMI/MOTOTERU TAKAGI – If Ocean Is Broken (Rec.1971/2LP-2009)

Label: Qbico – Qbico 95

Format: 2 × Vinyl, LP, Limited Edition / Country: Italy / Released: 2009

Style: Free Jazz, Free Improvisation

Recorded live in April 1971 at Yasuda Seimei Hall, Tokyo, Japan.

Cover Design – Qbico

Mastered By – Harumi Hayashi

Recorded By – Tanso Watazumi

Matrix / Runout (Runouts A): blue QBICO 95 A

Matrix / Runout (Runouts B): blue QBICO 95 B

Matrix / Runout (Runouts C): red 2 QBICO 95 C

Matrix / Runout (Runouts D): red 2 QBICO 95 D

A - Song For Yoo-Ki Lee ................................................................................. 20:05

B - If Ocean Is Broken .................................................................................... 25:27

C - The Alilan Pass ......................................................................................... 24:10

D - Nostalgia For Che-ju Island ...................................................................... 24:30

Sabu Toyozumi – drums, percussion

Mototeru Takagi – tenor sax, soprano sax, bass clarinet

Limited edition of 200 copies, somewhat modified design, pressed on blue and red vinyl (very rare). Recorded live in April 1971 at Yasuda Seimei Hall, Tokyo, Japan.

In the front cover is photo of Kubira (Shōtora) a Kamakura period sculpture, on the back cover is an image polychromed wood statue of En no Gyoja, also from the Kamakura Period (1185-1333).

Unreleased free jazz from Japan in its prime, recorded live in Tokyo in 1971. Mototeru Takagi already released two beautiful duo LPs back then with master Japanese drummers like Masahiko Togashi (Isolation) and Toshi Tsuchitori (Origination), so this last DLP is complete in a sense the set of duo recorded with the best, 1st generation, free music drummers from Japan. On the other side it's complete also, the duo recorded by Sabu with the greatest reeds player from Japan (still of the 1st generation); being, his various duos with legendary Kaoru Abe, already documented on Qbico (Senzei) and elsewhere. About the music: raw and passionate = primitive beauty; both musicians are in top form and surely in their most creative period. Mr. Takagi plays tenor, soprano sax and bass clarinet, while Sabu is on drums and percussion. Original recordings were very well preserved (fortunately) and the pressing came out wonderful! Cover by qbico which Sabu can really dig, saying that En no Gyoja is deeply respected by him, he opened the way... AND that was his master's guru... (strange coincidences ?!...)

_ Qbico

Shockingly well performed gig. Enjoy!

If you find it, buy this album!