''Live in Japan '96'' is a live album by the Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra. One track was recorded in July 1996 at Nakano Public Hall in Tokyo, while the remaining tracks were recorded in August 1996 at Shin-Kobe Oriental Theatre in Kobe. The album was released in 1997 by DIW. The music was conducted by

Alexander von Schlippenbach Alexander von Schlippenbach (born 7 April 1938) is a German jazz pianist and composer. He came to prominence in the 1960s playing free jazz in a trio with saxophonist Evan Parker and drummer Paul Lovens, and as a member of the Globe Unity Orch ...

and

Aki Takase (born January 26, 1948) is a Japanese jazz pianist and composer. Biography Takase was born in Osaka and started to play piano at age 3. Raised in Tokyo, she studied classical piano at Toho Gakuen School of Music.Ankeny, Jaso"Artist Biography". ...

Reception

In a review for

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

, Joslyn Lane wrote: "''Live in Japan '96'' is an excellent show from a premiere cast of musicians." Bill Shoemaker, writing for ''

Jazz Times ''JazzTimes'' was an American print magazine devoted to jazz. Published 10 times a year, it was founded in Washington, D.C., in 1970 by Ira Sabin as the newsletter ''Radio Free Jazz'' to complement his record store. Coverage After a decade ...

'', commented: "free improvisations are well-integrated into the structure of the works... Schlippenbach and Takase are a formidable composer/arranger/pianist/conductor tag-team; the Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra is an excellent vehicle for their uncompromising work."

Track listing

# "Eric Dolphy Medley: The Prophet / Serene / Hat and Beard" (

Eric Dolphy Eric Allan Dolphy Jr. (June 20, 1928 – June 29, 1964) was an American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, and bandleader. Primarily an alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist, and flautist, Dolphy was one of several multi-instrumentalists to gain ...

; arranged by Aki Takase) – 17:04 # "The Morlocks" (Alexander von Schlippenbach) – 15:46 # "Shijo No Ai" (traditional; arranged by Aki Takase) – 6:21 # "Way Down South Where the Blues Began" (

W. C. Handy William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the Father of the Blues. He was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musician ...

; arranged by Alexander von Schlippenbach) – 12:18 # "Jackhammer" (Alexander von Schlippenbach) – 10:29 # " Goodbye" (

Gordon Jenkins Gordon Hill Jenkins (May 12, 1910 – May 1, 1984) was an American arranger, composer, and pianist who was influential in popular music in the 1940s and 1950s. Jenkins worked with The Andrews Sisters, Johnny Cash, The Weavers, Frank Sinatra, Lo ...

; arranged by Willem Breuker) – 4:17 Track 2 recorded on July 31, 1996, at Nakano Public Hall, Tokyo. Remaining tracks recorded on August 6, 1996, at Shin-Kobe Oriental Theatre, Kobe.

Personnel

– piano, conductor *

– piano, conductor * Eiichi Hayashi – alto saxophone * Walter Gauchel – tenor saxophone * Hiroaki Katayama – tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone *

Evan Parker Evan Shaw Parker (born 5 April 1944) is a British tenor and soprano saxophone player who plays free improvisation. Recording and performing prolifically with many collaborators, Parker was a pivotal figure in the development of European free ja ...

– tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone *

Gerd Dudek Gerhard Rochus "Gerd" Dudek (28 September 1938 – 3 November 2022) was a German jazz Tenor saxophone, tenor and Soprano saxophone, soprano saxophonist, clarinetist and flautist. Dudek studied clarinet privately and attended music school in the ...

– tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet *

Rudi Mahall Rudi Mahall (born December 23, 1966) is a contemporary jazz bass clarinetist. While studying classical clarinet, Mahall shifted towards contemporary music, improvisation and jazz. He is, or was a member of following bands: Avantgardeband ''D ...

– bass clarinet *

Axel Dörner Axel Dörner (born 26 April 1964 in Cologne, Germany) is a German trumpeter, pianist, and composer. Biography Dörner studied piano in the Dutch town Arnhem (1988–89) and at the Cologne University of Music, Music Academy in Cologne (1989– ...

– trumpet * Henry Lowther – trumpet * Issei Igarashi – trumpet * Thomas Heberer – trumpet * Haruki Sato – trombone * Marc Boukouya – trombone * Paul Rutherford – trombone *

Wolter Wierbos Wolter Wierbos (born 1 September 1957, in Holten, Overijssel) is a Dutch trombonist. Wierbos has played throughout Europe, Canada, USA and Asia. Wierbos has many awards to his name, including the Podiumprijs for Jazz and Improvised music and the ...

– trombone * Nobuyoshi Ino – bass * Paul Lovens – drums

References

{{Reflist Berlin Contemporary Jazz Orchestra albums 1997 live albums Live big band albums Live jazz albums DIW Records live albums