Improvised Music from Japan / IMJ

Otomo Yoshihide / Park Je Chun / Mi Yeon

Loose Community

Improvised Music from Japan, IMJ-511
Released in December 2003
Purchase price in Japan: 2,000 yen (tax not included)
(For purchase outside of Japan, prices vary.)

Recorded by Kim Sukju at Yeheum Studio in Seoul, May 5, 2002
Additional recordings by Yoshiaki Kondo and Otomo Yoshihide at GOK Sound and M101 Studio in Tokyo, October 2002 and March 2003
Mixed by Yoshiaki Kondo at GOK Sound in Tokyo, March 2003
Mastered by Toshimaru Nakamura, July 2003
Cover art and design by Chikara Iwai (WORD PUBLIC)
Includes liner notes by Otomo Yoshihide in Japanese, English, and Korean

Loose Community 1 (15:49)
Loose Community 2 (9:18)
Loose Community 3 (7:41)
Loose Community 4 (6:24)
Loose Community 5 (16:32)

mp3 excerpt: track 2

Otomo Yoshihide: turntables, guitar
Park Je Chun: percussion
Mi Yeon: piano

Guests
Günter Müller: electronics, selected drums (track 1)
Yumiko Tanaka: futozao shamisen (track 2)
Sachiko M: sinewaves (tracks 1, 2 and 4)

Otomo Yoshihide (turntables, guitar) is active on a worldwide scale in such fields as free improvisation, composition, and film music. On a trip to Seoul in May of 2002, Otomo made a studio recording with Seoul musicians Park Je Chun (percussion) and Mi Yeon (piano). Known as a brilliant student of Kang Tae Hwan, the pioneer of the Korean improvised music scene, Park was formerly a member of Kang's band. Mi Yeon, an artist firmly grounded in contemporary classical music, has collaborated with Park for a number of years.

Some of the five works on this CD are partially overdubbed with separately recorded improvisations by Günter Müller (electronics, selected drums), Sachiko M (sine waves), and Yumiko Tanaka (futozao shamisen). This is Otomo's first trio project with percussion and piano, as well as one of his rare collaborations with Korean musicians. The tension-filled performances are superb. This uniquely fascinating recording should not be missed.

Last updated: December 7, 2003

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