KEIJI HAINO & NATSUKI TAMURA

WHAT HAPPENED THERE?

Libra Records

Natsuki Tamura, trumpet/voice/toys: Keiji Haino, guitar/voice.

This is an album by two of improvised music’s great talents, trumpeter Natsuki Tamura and guitarist, Keiji Haino.  They were recorded ‘live’ (one year ago) at a daylong festival curated by Tamura and his wife, pianist and composer, Satoko Fujii.

“Satoko and I were thinking about interesting musicians to play with during the marathon live at Shinjuku Pit Inn, and Haino came to mind. I had never played with him before. … I thought it would be an interesting challenge.  We didn’t talk about what we would do. All we said was – nice to meet you – right before we played,” Natsuki shares in his press package.

Each of these avant-garde musicians have played in a variety of genres, including avant-rock, free jazz and free improvisation. This first meeting brings combustion and excitement to the stage.  Both musicians add their own deep cultural roots and love of folk music to their musical executions.  The duo collaboration is sometimes a dialog of contrasts, and at other moments, bright with high improvised energy.  The arrangements are free and ‘on-the-spot.’ As I listen, I realize there is no predicting where these two musical minds will go.

Tamura augments his musical considerations with what he calls his ‘toys.’  These include percussive utensils like woks, eggbeaters and squeaky toys.

“I use things like banging on a wok or a toy, but I use them because I want that sound in that moment,” Tamura explains.

Guitarist, Haino, was born in Chiba, a city in East-central Honshu, Japan, on May 3, 1952. He has studied and expanded on very early forms of the blues, especially the talents of Blind Lemon Jefferson. Somehow, he mixes this with his fascination of European medieval music, free jazz and noise rock. On Track #3, his solo guitar work embraces these forms and more.  From the noise and tension, a melody peeks through the mayhem. Just when Haino seems to be spinning out of control, he offers several bars of quiet guitar conversation. Then, he suddenly lets loose with a howl of wildness.  Haino has also worked as a DJ under the name “Experimental Mixture.”

Unexpectedly, it’s the voices that I find unpalatable.  For me, the wild screams and guttural vocals shock some of the beauty from this project.  When this duo hands me only their music, trumpet, guitar and improvised percussion, I find their music more comforting and appetizing.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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