There’s a feeling of unbounded youthful abandon balanced with technical precision on this recording, characteristics that were consistent parts of the fuse band and their live shows. Like atomic particles swirling, repelling, and attracting around a shared core and bound together in a tight form, the quartet’s energy was contained by Inoue’s modern compositions and leadership.

There are eight songs included on fuse, all original compositions by Inoue. The band is ablaze right out of the gate with the album opener “The last is the first”, with a group sound that recalls the loose tightness of some 1980s post bop jazz, like Wynton Marsalis’ Black Codes (From the Underground), with its forward-leaning sound. Track #2 “Breathe in-out” is a highlight of sustained moodiness, with a slow opening up during Inoue’s saxophone solo to a Kenny Kirkland-style bursting from Nobumasa Takana on piano.

Track #3 “Kuresaka” is a well-balanced construction in an odd-meter (partially in nine-beat time), where Inoue’s soprano sax shines in an exploratory mood rising from the wide foundation of a spiritual nature. #4 is “Nano Machine”, a very fast swinger over a modified minor blues pattern, where precisely meshed gears are driven towards their limits by the indefatigable propellants of Tsunoken’s drums and Sakai’s bass.

#5 “Apoptosis” is the album’s first of two shorter tunes (this and the last song are under four minutes long, while all other average seven to ten minutes apiece), and it is free jazz ambiance of a sparsely leapfrogging melody, tense folds of piano and bass, and roiling drums. Track #6 “I kin ye” is a jazz waltz played in as a straightforward jazz tune with a style somewhere between the neighborhoods of Bill Evans and Wayne Shorter.

Track #7, “Gratitude”, is one of Inoue’s most famous and adored compositions. The delicate beauty of the song’s melody captivated listeners and became a favorite at live shows. Played as a gentle ballad, Inoue’s tender sound foreshadows a “soft wind” tone that he developed more in later years, as on his solo sax album Vayu and with his Zephyr trio, a band that is itself named for a gentle breeze, poetically.

The last track is #8 “Flood”, another aggressively uptempo swinger like #4 “Nano Machine”. The intro and outro melody are spiral steps leading down to a subterranean maze of free chaos and hellfire where all four members of the quartet unleash their free jazz demons for one final rally before finding the way back out, unified on the melodic theme, and close the session.

Inoue and fuse followed up this album with their next album Grasshopper in 2002 and Live fuse in 2005. Besides fuse, Inoue explored other sides to his writing and playing styles with his other groups and collaborations, including with Clepsydra, Zephyr, a duo with the pianist Hitomi Nishiyama, and many others. He was a quiet but powerful giant in the Japanese jazz scene, and after Inoue’s passing in 2015, there are still “Toshihiko Inoue Songbook”-style tribute performances and occasional fuse live reunions with the remaining members.

Audio and Video

• Toshihiko Inoue Fuse playing “Breathe in-out” and “Zutto”:

• Toshihiko Inoue and Hitomi Nishiyama playing “Witchi-Tai-To”:

• Toshihiko Inoue playing “Giant Steps” at a 1984 jam session:

• Toshihiko Inoue plays ballads:

• Excerpt from track #1: “The last is the first”

The group is made up of four members drawn from other projects: Toshihiko Inoue on saxes, Yoshiaki Sato on accordion, Masaki Hayashi on piano, and Saori Sendo on percussion. Apart from their musical and performance credentials, Clepsydra’s appeal includes inventing their simply perfect melodies to capture moods and attentions.

Clepsydra also creates songs that feature melodies repeated, cycle-like, between the different instruments and through dynamic or harmonic changes. Textural sound changes are played out by the exchanges between lead instruments—alto and soprano saxes (Inoue’s sounds could be blisteringly modern or softly tender), accordion and clavietta, and piano—and finely enhanced by the variety of Sendo’s drum set and percussion with cajón, chimes, bells, glockenspiel, whistles, wood shakers, and other pinpoint-perfect sounds.

Though the band has an understated and modest presentation, the moods on Un Jour are quite evocative. With jazz as an underpinning, the jazz spirit of improvisation and fun odd-time manipulations does come through in the playing, but the spotlight is filled by Clepsydra’s focus on mood-building through their music.

These moods and sounds are subtly evocative of different worlds, like fantasy universes, folk villages, medieval events, or unfamiliar places full of communal power. Often, a gentle sense of love and support comes through their music. This uplifting effect is further heightened in a few anthem-like parts when the musicians add their voices as an inviting chorus section to the jams, as parts of #5 “un jour” and #10 “un chien”.

These songs spur excitement and reflection through their various landscapes. Uptempo gallops, hummable melodies, and irresistible loops, chords, and rhythms are offered up. Elements of nature and surprise are reinforced through the immediately sensed wood instruments and assorted percussion, and a breath of life expands through the uniquely different wind-based organic sounds of the accordions and saxophones.

The pages of the Clepsydra storybook flit creatively through adventurous, wistful, and reassuringly comfortable scenes. Two of the longer tracks, #5 “un jour” (12:13) and #10 “un chien” (10:42) are themselves multi-chapter songs that build and transform between abstract delicacy, folk cycles, soft rock, and hard fusion jazz. Some tracks are shorter three-minute compositions, such as #3 “Little Tree”, #6 “Barrel Organ”, and #9 “célestine”, and are sketches exploring simple ideas beautifully for memorable and sweet musical treats.

Clepsydra’s Un Jour /includes eight songs by Toshihiko Inoue, two by Masaki Hayashi, and one by Yoshiaki Sato. Other than this album, their recorded legacy consists of a live concert DVD with five songs from /Un Jour which can viewed through a video link below.

Obi Notes

The first album from Toshihiko Inoue’s “Clepsydra”.

clepsydra

~ ancient water clock ~

lively, charming,

humorous, sad,

cherished

human tears moving a clock

(…Sadly, saxophonist Toshihiko Inoue passed away far too soon in 2015. I was lucky enough to be able to hear him live numerous times. In fact, Inoue played at some of the first live jazz concerts I ever attended in Japan and imprinted on me an indelible impression of his music and of jazz in Japan. I am deeply grateful to have been not only his fan but also his friend.)

Audio and Video

• Live performance of #3 “Little Tree”:

• Live performance of #4 “冒険 (Bouken)”:

• Live performance of #8 “Spirit of the Forest”:

• Live performance of #11 “ずっと。。。 (Zutto…)”:

• Live performances of “Little Tree” (18:59), “un chien” (23:09), “丘 (Oka)” (58:12), “un jour” (1:07:02), and “ずっと。。。 (Zutto…)” (1:32:27) from Live Lab Clepsydra DVD:

• Excerpt from track #1: “息吹 (Breath)”

Musicians Inoue and Hayashi (also bandmates in the jazz group Clepsydra) play expertly together on /Mistral/’s hour-plus live set, which comes as no surprise considering their respective acclaim and experience. The intimate duo of sax and piano brings a relaxed feel with plenty of space to explore the music, and most songs last ten minutes or more as the musicians craft their improvisations. The format works well to engage the audience members, which in response inspires the musicians to strive for new ideas and discoveries. The duo takes up that task confidently here, roaming from sentimental ballads to acrobatic feats with skill.

The album opens up with Inoue striking out alone on solo saxophone on the beautiful, well-known jazz ballad “Lush Life”, unloosing husky melodies for nearly twelve minutes. Hayashi joins on piano for the second track, his delicate and gentle “Göteborg” describing minor shades of budding life. Following these opening ballads, track three energizes the atmosphere with Inoue’s “Ibuki”, rockish jazz with fiery dimensions, fun and invigorating. Next, the duo develops an extended medley of the timeless “Witchi-Tai-To” and Inoue’s “North Rider”, a flashy, dark-tinged adventure that Inoue often performed with his fusion group Fuse. The album closes with Wayne Shorter’s unforgettable “Ana Maria”, a stellar inspiration where Inoue lets loose his light-as-air soprano sax sound.

Audio and Video

• Toshihiko Inoue and Masaki Hayashi playing “Zutto” with Clepsydra in 2011:

• Excerpt from track #2: “Goteborg”

This two-disc album was recorded live in 2005 and captures provocative dynamic changes and soul-touching music swinging from tender pianissimo to fortissimo over vigorous drum beats and rhythm section riffs.

The ornamental twists and organic jams aim to thrill the audience and avoid falling into ruts. While Inoue provides all the compositions, the members reinterpret and occupy the music live, mixing together and shaping the music in performance in a fusion of influence, a tightrope walk of unpredictability.

As the ‘Fuse’ from fusion may imply, jazz and rock energy permeates this fiery music, yet is well-balanced with serene moments of graceful and meditative themes, as well with some unconstrained portions of free jazz.

Each disc contains four tracks with lengthy running times, a true live performance with musicians seizing and extending moments to stretch out creatively. The first set opens with a strong hook and dramatic burners on high with a multi-part suite ”Birth of Life/I Kin Ye”, followed by the refined, introspective ”Watasuge”, groove-riffs and churning bass on ”North Rider”, and the unifying rallying cry of “Witchi-Tai-To”, a tribute to one of Inoue’s influences, the great soprano saxophonist Jan Garbarek.

Disc two features four more extended tracks: the straight-forward and playfully multi-faceted “Grasshopper”, the evocative poem-like scenery of “Yoshi-Ga-Daira”, the funky exuberance of “Fireworks”, and the minimal framework of “Flood” sustaining the onrush of free group expression.

This album is the third and final Fuse release with the original members. Sadly, Toshihiko Inoue passed away in 2015, yet the remaining members continue to perform live reunions and tributes to the great saxophonist.

Audio and Video

• Video of Toshihiko Inoue performing with Fumio Karashima’s group:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Grasshopper”

Links

• Fuse jazz

With two exceptions, the songs are all originals including four from Shimizu. The pianist’s concepts mostly explore modern jazz territory taken at a medium pace with a light rock/country feel and fleeting moments of abstract color, as if influenced by a certain period of Keith Jarrett’s music. The title track “Sora” (sky) rolls along comfortably and brings to mind calm nature scenes while opening with rain and wind effects for atmosphere. The music continues smoothly into the bluesy noirish “Out of the Blue”, again invoking images of nature as if materialized out of the blue sky. Shimizu’s “Cat Trucks” is playfully Monkish, and “Terra” heightens the mood even more with simmering modal jazz and by adding Toshihiko Inoue’s Jan Garbarek-style soprano sax embellishments.

Along with original compositions, Duke Ellington’s “Rockin’ In Rhythm” jaunts along at a swinging uptempo pace, and the album closes tenderly with a emotional rendition of the Japanese traditional folk song “Furusato”.

Audio and Video

• Promotional video for this album:

• Eriko Shimizu performing live in 2013:

• Excerpt from track #1: “SORA”

Peaceful, comforting, and deep, the ten tracks feature mostly original music supplied by the members, summoning tranquil and emotional moods. The music is lyrical and poetic, with suggestions of Jan Garbarek, Al Di Meola, Bill Evans and Stan Getz, and even Sting and the Beatles felt among the album’s tracks.

Aside from original compositions, the album also features the jazz standard “Sophisticated Lady”, the anthemic “Witchi Tai To” (a regular feature of saxophonist Inoue), and a beautiful classically-tinged rendition of Sting’s “The Secret Marriage” which, like other parts of the album, evokes a hopelessly romantic scene, music floating on a soft, gentle wind.

Audio and Video

• Promotional video for this album:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Fairly Woods”

Originally planned as an indoor solo performance, the fine spring weather lured Toshihiko Inoue outside to perform in a garden terrace. Surrounded by nature, Inoue’s music conveys gentleness and introspection, even inspiring birds to sing along with his mellow sounds. Quiet outdoor noises, the creaking of wood, and other ambient sounds create a peaceful mood as a recording which facilitates an absorbing experience.

As Inoue plays through the five songs on this album, the listener is transported to that spring day to commune with nature and Inoue’s spirit. A legendary player for over 40 years, Toshihiko Inoue’s influence on jazz lives on, with his songs and groups continuing to be appreciated.

Liner Notes

(Translated from the original Japanese liner notes written by F.S.L.)

※ Vayu = God of the Wind in Indian mythology. Incorporated into Buddhism, it becomes “Futen” (風天, Wind God).

This recording is from a concert held on April 1, 2006, which was held in a rented open garden from a landscaping company in Chofu City.

Initially, it was planned to be held indoors, but Mr. Inoue said himself “The weather is nice, the wind feels good, why don’t we do it outside?” Preparations were made hurriedly to move the stage outdoors.

From time to time a strong wind blew, but it was a mild spring day. The chirping of birds, the taking off and landing of airplanes, the creaking of the wood deck, the opening and shutting of doors, and Mr. Inoue’s saxophone which wound around like the wind, all seeming to be heard as one piece of music in complete harmony.

This was unearthed from a simple audio recording and certainly not high-quality sound, yet I hope you can feel the warm atmosphere.

We would like to thank everyone who helped us in releasing this.

Audio and Video

• Toshihiko Inoue playing solo saxophone live in 2012:

• Audio samples

• Excerpt from track #1: “Fireworks”