Band,
Jazz and Electronic
A.k.a. Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Ensemble Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Orchestra
Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet (ONJQ) is one of Otomo's main projects, presenting an essential aspect of his work in the field of jazz music. In 1999 to record Plays The Music Of Takeo Yamashita album, he formed a group with four leading figures in the Japanese jazz world: Naruyoshi Kikuchi (saxophone), Tsugami Kenta (saxophone), Hiroaki Mizutani (double bass) and Yasuhiro Yoshigaki (drums). Himself, Otomo played electric and acoustic guitar in Quintet, without much use of electronic devices, turntables, etc. In 2001, after recording several tracks on Film Music From Shabondama Elegy soundtrack, ONJQ released their first album Flutter on Tzadik. Since then, Quintet put out five full-length albums, mostly documenting live performances. ONJQ Live (2002) and ONJQ + OE (collaboration with DJ Tatsuya Oe in 2003) with their ‘trademark’ mixture of jazz and electroacoustic improv are recognized as one of genre-defining records for onkyo scene. Kikuchi left the group in the beginning of 2004, replaced with new members: Alfred Harth (reed instruments), Kumiko Takara (vibraphone), and Sachiko M (sine wave). ONJQ line-up was often extended by Ko Ishikawa (sho), Taisei Aoki (trombone), Masahiko Okura (prepared saxophone & bass clarinet), Taku Unami (laptop, guitar), Mats Gustafsson (saxophone), Axel Dörner (trumpet), Cor Fuhler (piano, synthesizers) and guest vocalists Mariko Hamada, Phew, Jun Togawa. ONJQ performed regularly every year since 1999, playing mostly in Japan, also in Europe and China. Since 2004 they started performing with various line-ups, appearing on stage as Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Ensemble, New Jazz Big Band or Quartet. In mid-2005 Quintet was permanently transformed into ~10-piece Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Orchestra, active ever since.
Sachiko M sampler *1970 JP | |
Otomo Yoshihide ttbl, g *1959 JP | |
Kumiko Takara vib, perc JP | |
Alfred Harth *1949 DE | |
Yasuhiro Yoshigaki dr, perc *1959 | |
Naruyoshi Kikuchi sax JP | |
Tsugami Kenta as, ss | |
Hiroaki Mizutani b JP |
Track list and 30sec audio provided by
Title | Artist | Year | Type |
---|---|---|---|
ONJQ - Live In Lisbon | Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet | 2006 | Album |
Short Density | Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet + Tatsuya Oe | 2003 | Album |
ONJQ + OE | Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet & Tatsuya Oe | 2003 | Album |
Tails Out | Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet | 2003 | Album |
ONJQ Live | Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet | 2002 | Album |
Pulser | Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet | 2002 | Album |
Flutter | Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet | 2001 | Album |