YAMASH'TA, THE HORIZON — Sunrise From West Sea LP

Stomu Yamash'ta's ultra-rare cult 1971 LP is reissued for the first time, it is a deep, cosmic, at time ambient performance recorded live andfeaturing two other Japanese legends: Takehisa Kosugi from the TajMahal Travellers and jazz pianist Masahiko SatohRemastered from the master tapes with original gatefold artwork, obi and newintroduction by Paul Bowler. Recorded live at Yamaha Hall in Tokyo on April 18, 1971, the all- night concert was recorded in front of an invite- only audience consisting of friends and musicians. Yamash'ta had Satoh on keyboards along with Fluxus master and leader of the Taj Mahal Travellers Takehisa Kosugi on violin and Hideakira Sakurai on electric shamisen.Edited down to fit two sides of an album that will become 'Sunrise From WestSea', the performance is both hypnotic and ethereal. It starts with Kosugi'sdistinctive electric violin and develops into a deep, spiritual free formconversation between the four musicians, giving them all the space, they need tofreely improvise and interact with each other, mixing electronics, percussion,electric organ and shamizen without ever clashing. The interaction alternatesbetween quiet, tranquil Eastern meditations and more paced parts, fuelled byYamash'ta's extraordinary percussion playing.Yamash'ta never reached the creativity heard in 'Sunrise From West Sea' again.The album was recorded during one of the most fertile periods in Japan wheresuch groups as Les Rallizes Denudes and Taj Mahal Travellers and jazzmusicians like Masahiko Satoh and Yamash'ta were revolutionising the Japanesemusic scene.