Genji Sawai • Sowaka

I think this was one of those Japan only releases, Material (Laswell and Beinhorn) were hot property after writing and producing Herbie Hancock's Future Shock album which begat the mega hit Rockit. This album is in the same vain but more avant-garde.

1. 1969 (the real) (Sawai, Laswell, Beinhorn)
2. Za (Sawai, Laswell, Beinhorn)
3. Hikobae (Sawai,Laswell)
4. Cha-brown (Sawai, Laswell, Beinhorn)
5. Sowaka (Sawai, Laswell, Semba)
6. Don (Sawai, Laswell)

Genji Sawai • alto sax, soprano sax, tenor sax, sopranino, yamaha DX-7, voice
Bill Laswell • bass, turntables, yamaha DX-7
Michael Beinhorn • DMX, prophet5, yamaha DX-7
Kiyohiko Semba • Japanese percussion
Yutaka Uehara • drums
Kazuhiko Tsumura • guitar
Kazuhiko Shibayama • guitar
Midori Takada • percussion
Shuichi Murakami • percussion
Sang Won Park • kayaguem
Atsuko Yuma • voice
Rob Stevens • Yamaha DX-7, processing.

Recorded at Starship Studio, Tokyo, Japan
Engineer : Yasuhiro Abe
Assistant Engineers : Yasuyuki Moriyama, Kunihiko Imai and Hideaki Ikeda
Mixed at Evergreen Studio, New York by Rob Stevens and Lothar Segeler
Arranged by Genji Sawai and Bill Laswell

 
Produced by Material and Genji Sawai

U.M.A. • JA-CK

In the wake of a tremendously great Japanese-only CD featuring Bill Laswell's extreme bass talents in their best light (Akira Sakata's "Fusherman's.com" with Pete Cosey and Hamid Drake) comes another great "blow"! This time another quartet - Laz with 3 great Japanese players: drummer Hideo Yamaki of Toshinori Kondo/IMA fame (whose  impossible-to-get 1992 CD "Shadow Run" ranks as one of the great recordings featuring the "Laz" as both player and producer outside of his own work); multi-saxman Genji Sawai (remember the 1984 "Sowaka" LP where he's backed by Material?) and madman sampler/synth/keys player Hoppy Kamiyama!. Together they come up with something that straddles various areas of great improv, a unique jazzy take on "jam" bands. A great Rave-Up!

DMG

1. Nagare
(U.M.A.)

2. Wa
(Sawai)

3. Mizu
(U.M.A., Konda)

4. Yen
(Sawai)

5. Minamoto
(U.M.A., Konda)

6. Nagare (Remix Version)
(U.M.A.)

7. Ki
(U.M.A.)


Genji Sawai • alto saxophone, soprano saxophone
Hoppy Kamiyama • digital president, slide geisha, ass hole box,
scum tape from garbage, klavier, gram pot
Bill Laswell • bass
Hideo Yamaki • drums
Kiyoto Konda • guitar (3, 5, 6)

Recorded at Sound Dali Studio, Tokyo, Japan
Produced by Genji Sawai
Co-Produced by Hoppy Kamiyama

Buy Here 

Label: Tokuma Japan Communications – TKCB-72370
Format: 320
Country: Japan
Released: 2002
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Avantgarde, Experimental