[Moshe]

Is this the right section?

From the DMG newsletter:


JIM O'ROURKE & AKIRA SAKATA With DARIN GRAY/CHRIS CORSANO/MANABU
SAKATA - Explosion (Polystar Jazz; Japan)We haven't heard much from
Japanese sax wildman Akira Sakata since he released the now-
unavailable DMG fave " Fishermans.com" CD a few years back. Well,
folks, he's back with a fantastic live session which puts Sakata
(alto sax, clarinet, percussion, voice) in the ring with Jim O'Rourke
(guitar), Darin Gray (bass), Chris Corsano (drums), and Manabu Sakata
(drums). Recorded at Pit Inn Tokyo April 22 2005, the disc kicks off
with "Eddy Bear," a dark avant-blues dirge with some Sharrock-styled
guitar by O'Rourke and the two drummers slowly percolating behind
him, filling the space with cymbal swells and rolling hits; Sakata
comes in after 5 minutes, upping the energy and the tension with some
inspired wailing that kicks the rhythm section into overdrive as
O'Rourke responds in kind with some high-end feedback scrawls. From
there, things move on to "Bachelor of Divinity," which begins as a
piece of fast-paced, noirish crime jazz until O'Rourke steps in at
about 8 minutes for a blistering solo again much in the Sonny
Sharrock vein. Sakata comes back in and joins in the fracas with some
high-pitched screeching that seems to push O'Rourke further into
noisy territories. The disc concludes with the 27-minute
"Tombouctou," with Sakata playing some Dolphy-esque clarinet for a
few minutes as both bass & guitar drone in slowly behind him. Double-
drum action slowly rolls into the mix, with everyone using subtlety
& restraint for about 9 minutes until the drummers let loose and the
tumble begins. O'rourke takes a solo until the 15-minute mark, when
everyone drops out except the drums, which kick up a slightly off-
kilter groove which Sakata begins to wail over. O'Rourke joins in and
the piece builds to a scorching climax with everyone flailing,
wailing, and hailing, until suddenly we're done - no applause, no
breather, just silence. A fitting end to a killer disc. - Mikey IQ
Jones.CD $34

JIM O'ROURKE & AKIRA SAKATA With DARIN GRAY/CHRIS CORSANO/MANABU
SAKATA - Oyobare/Tetrodotoxin (Polystar Jazz; Japan) Recorded live at
the Pit Inn in Tokyo, April 2005.
Here we have another killer live set recorded the same night as the
O'Rourke/Sakata "Explosion" set, with the same lineup - O'Rourke
(guitar), Sakata (alto sax), Darin Gray (bass), Chris Corsano
(drums), Manabu Sakata (drums, electronics), but with the addition of
Masaki Yoshimi on tablas. This set takes an entirely different
approach, with "Luciferin" opening with mellow feedback drones, soft
electronic pulses, and Sakata blowing in a mellower mood as the drums
throb softly behind him. The next cut, "Deficiency," features Sakata
blowing soulful lines while the tablas and electronics pulsate
kinetically behind him, with the double drummers quickly following
the pace and setting up a groove as O'Rourke plays some lines through
a delay pedal. The piece slowly breaks down into some abstract drones
and electronics more reminiscent of the AMM/MEV school than the
average free jazz record, though that doesn't stick around for long,
as Sakata picks up his clarinet and we're back in familiar
territory. "Crotlotoxin" picks up the pace as sax & drums play cat &
mouse until the rhythm stops, and someone begins scatting
uncontrollably while Sakata blows on clarinet. From there, the rhythm
section picks up pace and O'Rourke joins in with some feedback and
wah action. Things quiet down again on "Syuzen" with the slow, deep
rumble of toms, feedback, and electronic drone, as Sakata begins
chanting in a dark incantation which builds into what sounds like
Satan himself playing a devilish variation on "Salt Peanuts" of all
things, until everyone drops out except Sakata and Gray for some nice
noirish blowing which sounds like it leads us into the "Explosion"
set. An odd but thoroughly entertaining disc by a player who has
always confused as much as he excites - Sakata once again delivers. -
Mikey IQ Jones.
CD $34

OSOREZAN [JIM O'ROURKE / DARIN GRAY / CHRIS CORSANO] - Mimidokodesuka
(Polystar Jazz; Japan) Featuring Jim O'Rourke on guitar & harmonica,
Darin Gray on acoustic bass and Chris Corsano on drums. This was
recorded live at the Pit Inn in Japan. Since leaving Sonic Youth and
moving to Japan to study film directing, Jim O'Rourke hasn't done
much recording that anyone seems to know about. So, I was mightily
surprised when Mikey IQ Jones found out these three discs that Jim
recorded last year. This features three pieces of strong
improvisations. Form of the Collapse If a Collapse Should Occur opens
with eerie percussion and electronics. Jim plays odd, cool electric
guitar as Chris plays nifty drums, all relatively restrained until
the 6-minute mark when the trio explodes into some heavy free-form
madness, eventually leveling off before the end. All We Know So Far
begins solemn and sparsely, building as the trio ascends and takes
off. Corsano sounds great as he whips up a rhythm storm, with Daren's
bass also churning powerfully. O'Rourke sounds as if he is drawing
from the Sonic Youth guitar storm sound, the strings buzzing and
burning, with some feedback wailing kicking in as well. The trio
screams into high gear and explodes in a hail storm of cosmic noise.
This disc concludes with In Addition, which again begins quietly with
rubbed percussion and soft electric guitar harmonics. The sound is
subdued and builds nicely as Jim layers distorted guitar parts into a
hypnotic dreamworld with Chris' quick spinning drums and Darin's
intense bowed bass. It is great to hear Jim O'Rourke playing some
focused and intense noise guitar in his own unique way. Strong
medicine from a fine trio. - BLG
CD $34

[jon boy]

excellent.

[atsonicpark]

wow.

[scott v]

thats cool especially since i'm a huge corsano fan...looks enticing except for the price, damn japan imports...

[Toxa]

"Expolision" is fantastic. Recommended! Haven't heard other releases yet.

Also, "Electric Dress" was released this year. It's collaboration of O'Rourke/Giffoni/Merzbow.

P.S. but $34 for 1 CD is a real suicide....

[atsonicpark]

can anyone reccomend me some more o'rourke? i jsut have eureka and .. is it called "i'm happy and i'm singing"? and i heard another one that was all glitchy and beautiful that i loved but i dunno what happened to it. i am more interested in his more experimental stuff, so shoot.

[Toxa]

you should def check them out:

Scend (1992)
Tamper (1999)
Jim Computer Hotel (2000)
Old News vol. 1 & 2 (2002)
Mizu No Nai Umi (2005)

not experimental:

Bad Timing (1997)
Halfway To A Threeway EP (1999)
Insignificance (2001)

[scott v]

Tamper is actually from around 1990 (the rerelease was in '99)
there is a ton of o'rourke out there...

try the Masayuki Takayanagi tribute cd w/ Fred Longberg-Holm & Weasel Walter... its total destruction.

[Moshe]

Scend and Eureak must be my favourites.

[Everyneurotic]

happy days