Improvised Music from Japan / Discography

Amplify 2002: Balance - Box Set

(Erstwhile Records, erstwhile 033-040) (U.S.) (7 CDs and one DVD)

CD 1: Outside-of-Festival Shows

  1. Thomas Lehn and Toshimaru Nakamura (13:12)
  2. Tetuzi Akiyama, Günter Müller, and Toshimaru Nakamura (19:20)
  3. Christof Kurzmann and Toshimaru Nakamura (24:08)
  4. Thomas Lehn, Toshimaru Nakamura, and Taku Sugimoto (13:20)

Thomas Lehn: analog synthesizer
Toshimaru Nakamura: no-input mixing board
Tetuzi Akiyama: amplified acoustic guitar
Günter Müller: i-Pod, minidisc, selected percussion, electronics
Christof Kurzmann: G3
Taku Sugimoto: electric guitar

Recorded in 2002
at Gendai Heights, Ikenoue, Tokyo, on October 16 (1 and 4); at Off Site, Yoyogi, Tokyo, on October 12 (2); and at appel, Kyodo, Tokyo, on October 23 (3)

All recorded by Tetuzi Akiyama
Edited by Toshimaru Nakamura and Jon Abbey; additional editing on 4 by Taku Sugimoto
Mastered by Toshimaru Nakamura

CD 2: Studio Sessions

Günter Müller and Toshimaru Nakamura - tint

  1. .tint (4:51)
  2. ..tint (4:58)
  3. ...tint (15:11)
  4. ....tint (13:25)
  5. .....tint (10:20)

All music by Günter Müller and Toshimaru Nakamura

Günter Müller: i-Pod, minidisc, selected percussion, electronics
Toshimaru Nakamura: no-input mixing board

Recorded by AMEPHONE in Tokyo on October 13, 2002
Mixing by Toshimaru Nakamura (1, 2) and Günter Müller (3, 4, 5)
Mastered by Toshimaru Nakamura

CD 3: Festival 1

  1. Cosmos (Sachiko M and Ami Yoshida) (24:35)
  2. Keith Rowe, Thomas Lehn, and Marcus Schmickler (39:29)

Sachiko M: sine waves, contact microphone
Ami Yoshida: voice
Keith Rowe: guitar, electronics
Thomas Lehn: analog synthesizer
Marcus Schmickler: digital synthesizer, computer

Recorded by Yumi Kobayashi at Star Pine's Cafe, Tokyo, on October 18, 2002
Mixed by Yoshiaki Kondo at GOK Sound, Tokyo, on March 18, 2003
Mastered by Earl Howard

CD 4: Festival 2

  1. Günter Müller and Otomo Yoshihide (36:10)
  2. Thomas Lehn and Marcus Schmickler (39:41)

Günter Müller: i-Pod, minidisc, selected percussion, electronics
Otomo Yoshihide: electric guitar, turntables, electronics
Thomas Lehn: analog synthesizer
Marcus Schmickler: digital synthesizer, computer

Recorded by Yumi Kobayashi at Star Pine's Cafe, Tokyo, on October 19, 2002
Mixed by Yoshiaki Kondo at GOK Sound, Tokyo, on March 17, 2003
Mastered by Earl Howard

CD 5: Festival 3

  1. Taku Sugimoto, Burkhard Stangl, and Christof Kurzmann (24:00)
  2. Keith Rowe and Toshimaru Nakamura (31:49)

Taku Sugimoto: electric guitar
Burkhard Stangl: acoustic and electric guitars, electronic devices
Christof Kurzmann: G3, clarinet
Keith Rowe: guitar, electronics
Toshimaru Nakamura: no-input mixing board

Recorded by Yumi Kobayashi at Star Pine's Cafe, Tokyo, on October 19, 2002
Mixed by Yoshiaki Kondo at GOK Sound, Tokyo, on March 17, 2003
Mastered by Earl Howard

CD 6: Festival 4

  1. Burkhard Stangl and Günter Müller (33:43)
  2. Toshimaru Nakamura and Sachiko M (21:30)

Burkhard Stangl: acoustic and electric guitars, electronic devices
Günter Müller: i-Pod, minidisc, selected percussion, electronics
Toshimaru Nakamura: no-input mixing board
Sachiko M: sine waves

Recorded by Yumi Kobayashi at Star Pine's Cafe, Tokyo, on October 20, 2002
Mixed by Yoshiaki Kondo at GOK Sound, Tokyo, on March 18, 2003
Mastered by Earl Howard

CD 7: Seven Guitars

  1. Seven Guitars: Keith Rowe, Tetuzi Akiyama, Oren Ambarchi, Toshimaru Nakamura, Otomo Yoshihide, Burkhard Stangl, and Taku Sugimoto - Cornelius Cardew: Treatise, pp. 82-84 (38:25)
  2. Seven Guitars - Improvisation (31:03)

Keith Rowe: guitar, electronics
Tetuzi Akiyama: amplified acoustic guitar
Oren Ambarchi: guitar, electronics
Toshimaru Nakamura: electric guitar
Otomo Yoshihide: electric guitar
Burkhard Stangl: acoustic and electric guitars
Taku Sugimoto: electric guitar

Recorded by Taku Sugimoto at Grapefruit Moon, Setagaya, Tokyo, on October 21, 2002
Mastered by Toshimaru Nakamura

DVD - Balance Beams

Created by Jonas Leddington
Produced by Jon Abbey
Amplify festival sound recording by Yumi Kobayashi at GOK Sound
Amplify festival sound mixing by Yoshiaki Kondo at GOK Sound
Sound mixing and mastering by Brooks Williams at Harmonic Ranch
Keith Rowe interviewed by Oren Ambarchi
Schnee video excerpts: Michaela Grill
Additional videography by William Ashline
Logo design by Friederike Paetzold

Photos by Yuko Zama, except stills from the DVD Balance Beams, by Jonas Leddington
Design by Friederike Paetzold

Released in November 2003