Jazz |

Once again, an exceptional album emerges—one that is far from immediately accessible yet likely sets the tone for a significant portion of the creative landscape of 2025. This particular work reveals a luminous interplay between classical music and jazz, with an average track length of nine minutes, unmistakably situating itself in the domain of improvisational music. Yet, a keen aesthetic sense pervades the work. Strings, once more, play a vital role, serving as the bridge between these two realms of inspiration. Undoubtedly, this is an urban, perhaps intellectual, form of jazz. Yet it hardly matters; one is irresistibly drawn into the intricate structures of these soundscapes. The presence of Tamura Natsuki transforms this auditory experience into an explosion of diverse and varied sounds. Occasionally, voices—sung in Japanese—pierce the texture, causing the music to ricochet like a ping-pong ball against imaginary walls.
Ricochet, yes, or perhaps dialogue: a unique exchange between the guitarist and the trumpeter, initiating a discourse that unfolds with greater deliberation than one might initially perceive. The subsequent tracks, intriguingly titled “What Happened There – Part One,” “Part Two,” “Part Three,” and finally “Part Four,” chart a stylistic journey that is sure to leave many behind, both musically and intellectually. With its eclectic modes of expression serving the form, the album is an exhausting, even fatiguing experience—but for all the right reasons. This journey, in turn, expands one’s mind, as such endeavors so often do.
Understandable, perhaps, given the longstanding explorations of these two musicians, whose artistic compatibility culminates in this album. Tamura himself reflects: “I had never played with him before, and I thought, what would we do? All we said was ‘nice to meet you’ right before we played. There is a moment when I respond to Haino’s agitated guitar skronk by squeezing a rubber ducky. It is an exquisitely absurd gesture, but somehow musically appropriate too. I use things like banging on a wok or a toy, but I use them because I want that sound in that moment. It is not silly; it is very serious. The music would be boring if it wasn’t serious.”
These words encapsulate the spirit and meaning of this work, which ultimately poses a question: Could this also be a theatrical or poetic piece? Lacking any knowledge of Japanese, I can only speak of my impressions. The poetry lends the album its charm, honoring us with its presence when it fills the space, confronts the sound, or becomes sound itself. Notes brush against this poetic essence, and the listener’s mind is inevitably flooded with questions. But is it necessary to expect answers?
Having listened to this album repeatedly, it is evident that this sonic experience leaves a lasting impression. One emerges subtly transformed, perhaps even more inclined to embrace artistic eccentricities of this nature. For, as Tamura reminds us: “It is not silly; it is very serious. The music would be boring if it wasn’t serious.” These words resonate with profound truth. While few may succeed in entering fully into the world of this album, it matters little. This work unquestionably belongs in the pantheon of our “Essential Albums.”
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, January 13th 2025
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Line-up/Musicians:
Keiji Haino – guitar, voice
Natsuki Tamura – trumpet, voice, toys