Reviews by Dawoud Kringle
Saxophonist/vocalist/bandleader SoSaLa (a.k.a. Sadato) has some history behind him.
Readers of doobeedoobeedoo.info will know that he has re-released some of his earlier music. 1993 is a recording he made in ’93 featuring Mark C (of Live Skull, Fuse, Spoiler and Int’l Shades) on guitar, Toshimaru Nakamura on guitar, David Motamed (formerly with Arthur Lee and Townes Van Zandt) on bass, James Lo (composer and sound designer) on drums, and Peter Gordon (composer, producer) on tenor saxophone and jaw harp. 1994 – Live at CBGB was a landmark recording he’d made of one of the two SADATO performances at the legendary club. He was joined by Masaki Shimizu (fretless bass and backing vocals), Ryo Kato (drums and backing vocals), and Toshimaru Nakamura (electric guitar). Legendary soundman Martin Bisi recorded it.
However, SoSaLa’s roots go much deeper. In 1984, he released a 7-inch flexi single with his Osaka band, SADATO GROUP, titled Kafesho + Gohon Gahon. With Sadato on sax, organ, and vocals, Mutsuhiko Izumi on guitar and recording engineer, Koji Ito on tenor sax, and Hitoshi Usami on drums) through the Osaka indie label Kang Gung Rec.
The music on Kafesho + Gohon Gahon foreshadows what SoSaLA will produce in the years to come. Drawing heavily on the No-Wave genre, SoSaLa’s fearless individuality, defiance against categorization, and skillful musicianship seem to have emerged fully formed. “Kafesho” is relentlessly determined to smash against borders, boundaries, and accepted formality. It is, in fact, among the most creative, original, and startling music in the No-Wave pantheon. Usami’s drums provide an irresistible drive to the delightful chaos that SoSaLa and Izumi produce. The two sometimes go at it like a street fight in an action movie. But it all works. “Gohon Gahon” starts as an abstract sound painting before Izumi’s guitar and SoSaLa’s organ begin another conversation that ends abruptly.
But after this release, SoSaLa was bored with the music scene in Osaka, Japan.
In 1984, SoSaLa moved to Tokyo to seek greener pastures. Teaming up with Tatsuya Ishida on drums & percussion, Hideki Kato on bass, and Dennis Gunn on guitar, he formed ALEF, his band that existed between 1985 and 1987.
Ever the trailblazer, SoSaLa – or Sadato, as he was known in those days – transformed ALEF from a music ensemble to the first real multi-media performance group in Japan. It used butoh and modern dancers, actors, a stripper, and a pantomime artist. In 1987, SoSaLa released ALEF’s only recording, Hajime, on his indie label Kampai Rec. In addition to the musical contributions by Ishida, Kato, and Gunn, SoSaLa played Tenor Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Synthesizer, Flute, and Vocals.
A few interesting sidenotes. ALEF is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet and the first letter in many other Semitic languages, including Farsi (SoSaLa is a native of Iran). Hajime is a Japanese term for “beginning.” Kampai” is a Japanese word that means “cheers!” or “empty cup”. Finally, Dennis Gunn, an American, was the only “gaijin” (non-Japanese) in any of his Japanese bands (apart from himself, of course).
With this background, let’s dive into this recording.
The album opens with “Sincro.” Anyone familiar with SoSaLa’s music will find the introduction entirely unexpected. Hand percussion, flutes, and wordless vocalization evoke an atmosphere one would expect in traditional Japanese art. This becomes a trance rhythm reminiscent of the Master Musicians of Jajouka. It is the kind of music one uses in concert with a strong visual performance.
“Ningen” follows this startling beginning. Ishida’s percussion forms a rhythmic backdrop for the band’s vocals, which sound like a conversation, before the bass, trap drums, guitar, and saxophone come in. The sax and synthesizer weave in and out of themselves. It is somehow in the vein of Henry Threadgill or Sun Ra, but still quite original.
“Tsubana” starts with Gunn making abstract sounds on his guitar before a serene, watery display of percussion and flute fills the music with an uncharacteristic idyllic feel. The guitar interrupts from time to time, seeming to want to bring a contrasting element to what is now a groove. More textures and unexpected sounds are released into the fray.
A jazzy saxophone figure introduces “Pachinko Breeze.” This becomes the first danceable groove on this album. The saxophone is at its most melodic in this piece. The guitar is jagged and edgy, inspiring the saxophone to go “out” a bit. The rhythm section responds to this perfectly.
In “Sarariman Shine,” we are abruptly dragged into an Asian temple or performance theater. The saxophone and synthesizer draw us deeper and deeper into a world from which we become concerned that we may never escape, like a bizarre dream we have trouble waking from.
The rest of the album draws the listener into various musical landscapes. Each track is a unique and individual work of art that explores its own conceptual framework. At one point, the Doors’ epic “Celebration of the Lizard” is quoted. But the music on ALEF takes things into realms the Doors could only dream of (or at least didn’t last long enough to explore).
While many people may listen to SoSaLa’s music and hear anti-traditional iconoclasm, I can’t help but hear an unmistakable undercurrent of Japanese/Asian influence in his music. This is understandable and inevitable due to his many years in Japan. SoSaLa makes the most original use of this influence, adding to that deep and unique tradition rather than slavishly imitating it.
Attempting to categorize ALEF (or any of SoSaLa’s music, for that matter) in terms of style or genre is a wasted effort. It is best to think of this music as performance art, sonic paintings, and psychological theater. In this, SoSaLa has few peers.
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