"Sakuraza" is a collaborative album that brings together five luminaries of the contemporary music scene: Eiko Ishibashi (flute and electronics), Jim O'Rourke (electronics), Kei Matsumaru (alto saxophone), Tatsuhisa Yamamoto (drums), and Giovanni Di Domenico (piano). This live recording, made at the Sakuraza jazz club in Kofu, Yamanashi, Japan, offers a sonic exploration marked by dynamic precision and timbral sophistication.
Pianist Giovanni Di Domenico, who has traveled to Japan for over 15 years, has cultivated a close artistic relationship with Eiko Ishibashi, Jim O’Rourke, and Tatsuhisa Yamamoto. In June 2023, during a visit to Japan, Giovanni proposed organizing a concert with his long-time friends and collaborators. They chose the cozy and acoustically refined Sakuraza club as the venue and extended an invitation to the young and promising saxophonist Kei Matsumaru.
Sakuraza, with its warm wooden interior and intimate atmosphere, provided the perfect setting for this unedited, overdub-free improvisational session, capturing the entirety of the second set played that night. The chemistry among the musicians, strengthened by years of collaboration and friendship, manifests in a performance that defies genre conventions, blending elements of jazz, electronic music, advanced harmonies, and touches of pop.
"Sakuraza" is not just a recording; it is an auditory experience celebrating spontaneity and the profound musical connection among these artists. The fluid interaction and mutual understanding they share, enriched by countless discussions about music and life, resonate in every measure, offering a work that is both intimate and expansive.
