Presenting a different line-up from the 2001 debut of Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii's Quartet, remaining is trumpeter Natsuka Tamura, with Keisuke Ohta on violin and Takashi Itani on drums, performing evolving and rich collective improvisation with a strange edge, captured live at the Jazz Room Cortez in Mito, Japan in 2016 for two extended and bewitching sets.

At the same event in Scotland that John Butcher recorded his excellent "Resonant Spaces" album, he also joined forces with sound artist Akio Suzuki on a variety of objects and sound devices to record the first 5 tracks of this unusual album of very free improv, the last track by the duo recording at the 2015 Ftarri Festival at SuperDeluxe in Tokyo.

On their 5th album together, pianist Satoko Fujii and trumpeter Natsuki Tamura push the limits on approach and technique with their instruments, creating otherworldly and captivating improvisations, both players deciding against using "normal instrumental sounds", instead using preparations and textural approaches to create truly unique music.

Trumpeter Natsuki Tamura's Gato Libre in its 5th album brings a beautiful light-through-the-leaves melodic melancholy to their unhurried pace, now the trio of Tamura, Satoko Fujii on accordion, and Yasuko Kaneko on trombone, as the cats on the cover stop to find allure in the late day while bringing profound and introspective music to our ears.

A duo improvisation recorded at Shichoshitsu Jinbo-cho, in Tokyo, Japan between no-input mixing electracoustic improviser Toshimaru Nakamura and Doubtmusic label leader and member of mn and MNK, Jun Numata on guitar, oscilator, radio, in a varied and turbulent affair of extreme electronics, sound and noise that takes the listener on a wild ride.

The Korekyojin trio of Tatsuya Yoshida on percussion, Kido Natsuki on guitar and Mitsuru Nasuno on fretless bass, plus violinist Miyamoto Rei on several tracks, take their intricate and exuberant rock into acoustic territory with this impressive album, which includes acoustic takes on "Arabesque", "Careless Heart", "Four Holes in the Sky", &c.

Japanese Steelpan player Yoshio Machida's 11th solo album, performed on the metal slit drum, made from a small gas tank tuned to the C scale over 2 octaves, which he takes into warm territories of rich overtones and melodic invention influenced by Kora, Gamelan, Kulintang and Myanmar musics.

After bringing her band Kaze to the Cortez club in Mito, Japan, the owner asked pianist Satoko Fujii back to perform a solo show, captured here across two CDs showing her extensive technical skills and passionate approach to playing, in a mix of new work and new takes on previously recorded compositions.

Three free improvisations at the burning heart of the Japanese Free Improv scene from the trio of Junji Hirose on sax, Yoshinori Mochizuki on bass, and Ironfist Tatsushima on drums, balancing two tracks of frenetic playing with a lowercase extended instrumental piece.

Japanese guitarist and daxophone player Kazuhisa Uchihashi joins forces with Berlin-based composer and free improvising analogue modular synthesizer player Richard Scott for an album of unique orchestration, the daxophone "humanizing" the playing with unusual voicing.

Pianist Satoko Fujii's Orchestra Tokyo + the band Kaze, bringing guests trumpeter Cristian Pruvost and drummer Peter Orins alongside trumpeter Natsuki Tamura into a spectacular big band of great power but also subtle meditation, in four works that include a tribute to the late guitarist and Fujii collaborator Kelly Churko.

The Japanese trio of Hirose Junji on tenor saxophone, Innocence label founder Uchihashi Kazuhisa on guitar, and Yoshida Tatsuya on drums, initiating Magaibutsu's "Improv Session Series" with this on-fire album of controlled chaos, recorded live at Foxhole in Kichijoji.

Following their 2015 album "Songs for children who don't want to sleep", the quartet of Yan Pittard on guitar & oud, Mitsuru Nasuno on bass, Maki Nakano on vocals, and Tatsuya Yoshida on drums present this soundtrack album, which translates to "the creative urge".

The Japanese improvising rock trio of Kazuto Shimizu on keyboards, Nasyuno Mitsuru on bass, and Yoshida Tatsuya on drums performing live at Club Goodman in Akihabara, Japan, 2016 for technically superb, fast paced, turn-on-a-dime, joyful prog-oriented playing.

Live recordings of the trio of Yoshio Machida on steelpans and gamelan, Hiroki Chiba on double bass and electronics, and Jorge Queijo on drums & percussion, performing live at Foxhole and Apollo in Tokyo, 2015, free improvisation with Eastern attitudes and European propulsion.

Amorfon continues their exploration of the "voice" of babies, started with "Kindermusik: Improvised Music by Babies" and expanded here as 14 babies are recorded in a single take, expressing themselves before the learning of language, volume, timbre and speech intervals.

The alternative dub steelpan trio of Yoshio Machida (steeldrums, voice, percussion, electronics), Tatus (bass, voice & electronics) and Norihide Saji (drums, laptop & electronics) for 10 tracks of embraceable tunes including a cover of Miles Davis "All Blues".

Using bass, drums, steelpan, electronics and programming, the trio of Tatsu, Norihide Saji and Amorfon label leader Yoshio Machida create a "pulse dub" album of polyrhythms and phase, producing warm, complex and embraceable music that includes a cover of Bjork's "Hyperballad".

Recording in Brooklyn in 2014, this collaboration between Olive and Ben Owen presents four tracks of electronic improvisation using shortwave radio, oscillators, paper, contact microphones and magnetic pickups, creating a mysterious and well-paced album of sound experimentation.

The magnetic heads on Takuji Naka's cassette decks and Tim Olive's magnetic pickups explain The New "Attractive" aspect of the title, as this duo use pliable metals, analog electronics and a battered spring reverb unit to create a unique journey in sound.

Saxophonist Junji Hirose met Kazuhisa Uchihashi at Foxhole in Kichijoji in 2014 and 2015, Uchihashi performing only on Hans Reichel's daxophone--wood shapes played in a variety of ways to create unusual sound--as heard on these 10 surprising and wonderfully idiosyncratic recordings.

P (Yann Pittard on oud and guitar & vocals), Y (Tatsuya Yoshida on drums & vocals) and N (Mitsuru Nasuno on bass & vocals) performing Arabian Progressive Pop Improvisation, an unusual melding and orchestration of arabic progressions and melodic prog rock.

The 5th studio album from the trio of Tatsuya Yoshida (Ruins alone / Koenji Hyakkei), Kido Natsuki (Bondage Fruit / Salle Gavoux), Nasunomitsuru (Altered states / Umbeltipo), avant-progressive instrumental rock, melodic and complex rock performed at breakneck speed.

The third album from Japanese percussionist Seijiro Murayama and French saxophonist Jean-Luc Guionnet, each presenting unique languages and approaches to their instruments, here in four recordings made in two locations, once during the day in Mishima City at Hongaku Temple and the other at Teke Bar in the same city and on the same evening.

Pianist Satoko Fujii's Tobira ("door") expands the original trio configuration of Todd Nicholson on bass and Takashi Itani on drums, with trumpeter/husband Natsuki Tamura, playing inventive free improvisation with sophistication in melodic heads and superb soloing.

Natsuki Tamura & Christian Pruvost on trumpets, Satoko Fuji on piano and Peter Orins on drums for a quartet where all members are active compositional contributors, creating a powerful ensemble sound with strong soloing using modern creative techniques; excellent!

A subtly complex and sophisticated album of electroacoustic improvisation from the trio of Japanese sound artists Tetuzi Akiyama (guitar) and Toshimaru Nakamura (no-input mixing board) and Switzerland-based American drummer Jason Kahn performing live at Ftarri in Suidobashi, Tokyo, during Kahn's stay in Japan, a rich and detailed exploration.

The duo of Berlin clarinetists Kai Fagaschinski and Michael Thieke (The Magic I.D.) create rich, evolving soundscapes using tones and odd interjections in unison and in dissonance, dark works of subtle beauty in unique sound oriented compositions.

Chris Watson recorded John Butcher on acoustic & amplified sax and Rhodri Davies on acoustic & electric harp in Routing Lynn in Northumberland, then joined them live at a festival in Gateshead where the duo played alongside Watson's reworked recordings.

Using guidelines related to form, time, sound source and density, the trio of Tim Olive on magnetic pickups, Takahiro Kawaguchi and Makoto Oshiro on self-made instruments, recorded these compositions live, named for the atmosphere of the recording environment.

Acid Mother Temple SWR merge's AMT's Kawabata Kakoto (guitar, voice,) and Tsuyama Atsushi (bass, vocals, sax) with Yoshida Tatsuya (Ruins, Koenji Hyakkei, &c), here in their 6th release, crazy prog-oriented rock of indescribable insanity and skill!

Anne-F Jacques performs on rotating devices, small electric motors which are modified, manipulated and amplified, and Tim Olive plays magnetic pickups, here recording 3 studio works of unusual and inspired improvisations.

The first Gato Libre release since the passing of bassist Norikatsu Koreyasu, adding trombonist Yasuko Kaneko alongside leader Natsuki Tamura on trumpet, Satoko Fujii on accordion, and Kazuhiko Tsumura on guitar, for eight beautiful, melodic "free cat" recordings.

Satoko Fujii's amazing Orchestra New York returns with a composition that she describes as "a picture that extends beyond the canvas", performed with Oscar Noriega, Briggan Krauss, Ellery Eskelin, Tony Malaby, Andy Laster, Herb Robertson, Steven Bernstein, &c &c.

A 2014 reissue of this 2006 release, adding a complete 10.5 minute version of "Kaleidoscope", and an amazing "Yes Medley", from the trio of drummer Yoshida Tatsuya, bassist Nasuno Mitsuru, and guitarist Kido Natsuki.

The first meetings of Jason Kahn (analog electronic) and Tim Olive (one-string magnetic pickup device) recording in a studio session in Kyoto, 2012 for four eventful and intricately structured works with a distinct developmental momentum.

The second Sax Ruins album with Tatsuya Yoshida (drums) and Ono Ryoko (alto sax) with guest Ryuichi Yoshida on baritone sax, performing new arrangements of Ruins works including "Vrresto", "Refusal Fossil", &c.

The World Heritage in their 5th release recorded live at Tokyo's Akihabara Goodman in 2012, amazing improvised instrumental rock from Tatsuya Yoshida (drums), Seiichi Yamamoto (guitar), Natsuki Kido (guitar), Yuji Katsui (violin) and Mitsuru Nasuno (bass).

Using Gato Libre's music as the direction for his first solo album since 2004, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura releases an album of powerful and personal playing with a surreal flow of ideas, impish humor, and restrained joy.

A hauntingly beautiful set of solo piano works from Japanese pianist Satoko Fujii, subtle work that belies her incredible techincal skill through beautifully paced and meditative music.

With two trumpets, drums and piano, Kaze's 2nd release with Satoko Fujii, Natsuki Tamura, and Muzzix members Christian Pruvost and Peter Orins, hits like the album title, but surprises with contrasts from torrential power to beautiful melodic interplay.

A set of new trio compositions from pianist Satoko Fujii with bassist Todd Nicholson and drummer/percussionist Takashi Itani, a magnificent set of compositions for the transformative season.

The first release from the duo of Katsura Mouri and Tim Olive was recorded near Kyoto on a sweltering summer day in 2010, heard in these gritty and rich ea-improv pieces from Tim Olive on pickups and metals, and Mouri on turntables.

The 4th improvisation release of drummer Yoshida Tatsuya (Ruins, Koenji, &c) and guitarist Uchihasi Kazuhisa (Altered States) is a DVD audio release presenting 36 remarkable live tracks from 6 concerts recorded 2004-2012.

Captured during a Japan tour by the duo of Tim Olive (one-string electric guitar) and Alfredo Costa Monteiro (electro-acoustic devices), this live studio recording showcases the duo's attunement and dramatic sense of structure.

The dynamic duo of drummer Yoshida Tatsuya (Ruins, Korekyojin, Koenji Hyakkei) and guitarist Uchihashi Kazuhisa (Altered States, Ground Zero) meet in the studio with pianist Mishiba Satoshi for ten multi-tracked rock improvisations of great diversity, power and beauty.

Trumpeter Tamura and pianist Fujii return to the duo they've been recording for more than 15 years to explore a more quiet and lyrical side of their collaboration by reimagining compositions originally written for Tamura's Gato Libre quartet.

The 5th release from the Japanese quartet of trumpeter Natsuki Tamura, Satoko Fujii, here on accordian, the late bassist Norikatsu Koreyasu, and guitarist Kazuhiko Tsumura, beautiful free form improvisation performed live in concert in 2011.

Nasuno Mitsuru (Altered States, Seijaku, Korkyojin, &c) in a new band with two synthesizers, bass, and drums, rock in a Heldon/Tangerine Dream mode using modern electroacoustic principles for richly hypnotic electronic music.

Live recordings of drummer Yoshida Tatsuya's World Heritage band from Koenji HIGH in 2009, condensing and editing the show into one incredible hour of sophisticated rock improvisation.