The Squid's Ear Magazine


Yanagawa, Homei: Homura (Armageddon Nova)

Two extended pieces of solo free improvisation from Japanese alto saxophonist Homei Yanagawa, aka Yoshinori Yanagawa, who regularly performs solo, releasing this album 30 years after his first solo album in 1991, Ground and Figure, here recording in the studio for confidently active and diverse approaches to solo expression; engaging and absorbing work.
 

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Homei Yanagawa-alto saxophone


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Label: Armageddon Nova
Catalog ID: AN-R 9
Squidco Product Code: 31115

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2021
Country: Japan
Packaging: Jewel Case
Recorded at AQW studio, on May 2nd, 2021.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

Two extended pieces of solo free improvisation from Japanese alto saxophonist Homei Yanagawa, aka Yoshinori Yanagawa, who regularly performs solo, releasing this album 30 years after his first solo album in 1991, Ground and Figure, here recording in the studio for confidently active and diverse approaches to solo expression; engaging and absorbing work.


Artist Biographies

Homei Yanagawa (Yoshinori Yanagawa, 柳川芳命) (b 1956)

"In 1977, Yanagawa started playing the alto saxophone toward free improvisation in his own way.

In 1980, he held several independent saxophone solo concerts at a gallery in Gifu.

In 1981, he participated in "Improvisation Workshop with Derek Bailey(g)" in Nagoya and met some improvisers in and around Nagoya.

In the 80's he had the opportunity to play with Mototeru Takagi(ts ss), Danny Davis(as), John Zorn(as) and Tom Kora(cello) in Nagoya.

In 1990, Yanagawa joined the noise improvisation band "DISLOCATION", which originally consisted of Toyohiro Okazaki(electronics), Fujio Kimura(g,syn), and Keishi Kiyokawa(visual art, body action). Kimura was later replaced with Guy(g). Kiyokawa left the band in 2005. And Kimiho Mori (ds) joined us in 2010. DISLOCATION performed with Issei Furuta (visual art) and Yoshiyuki Hirao(bs) in Seoul in 2005.

From 1991 to 1992, his solo concerts titled "Texture and Figure" were held organized by Akira Oshima, editor of Random Sketch at the theater JEAN JEAN in Tokyo. Yoshihide Otomo(g,turn-table), Motoharu Yoshizawa(contrabass), Keiki idorikawa(cello), Masami Akita(Merzbow) were invited as guest players.

The first solo CD "Texture and Figure '91" was released in 1991. In the 90's he also played with Takehisa Kosugi (vl,vo,electronics), Keiji Haino(g,vo), Sabu Toyozumi(ds), Shoji Ukaji(bs), Shoji Hano(ds), Keizo Inoue(as,cl), Kan Tae Hwan(as),and Itaru Oki(tp).

In 1993, Yanagawa joined "Samadhi" (with Shigeru Suzuki(b) and Kazuhiko Matsuda(g),) and released the CD "1995 Summer".

In 1994, Koji Wakamatsu Production produced the movie "Endless Waltz" depicting the life of Kaoru Abe(as) and Izumi Suzuki(novelist). Yanagawa was in charge of partly dubbing the saxophone scenes of Machida Machizo (currently Ko Machida), who acted as Kaoru Abe.

In 1996, he met a calligrapher Wataru Hayakawa, and released the CD "JASHIN-FUSHI" using his works in the jacket. In 2001, he started the alto saxophone duo with Mo-qu and released the CD "Grind the Air" (2004). (Both Mo-qu and Hayamawa passed away in 2005. )

In February 2009, monthly improvisation concert "Texture and Figure" started at the bar Calvados in Nagoya. Each time he invited different improvisers to play together. 100 concerts were held at Calvados until September 2016."

-Homei Yanagawa Website (https://homeiyanagawadotblog.wordpress.com/%e3%83%97%e3%83%ad%e3%83%95%e3%82%a3%e3%83%bc%e3%83%ab/)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. Kuromu 19:56

2. Homura 20:33

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Free Improvisation
Asian Improvisation & Jazz
Solo Artist Recordings
Recordings by or featuring Reed & Wind Players

Search for other titles on the label:
Armageddon Nova.


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