Japanese Free Jazz has a history that goes back to the ’60s, and Otomo Yoshihide’s latest project brings together some of the best Free Jazz players in Japan with noise musicians Sachiko M and the legendary Akita Masami of Merzbow. Beautiful arrangements, exciting solos and a kickass rhythm section make Flutter one of Otomo’s most powerful and unusual musical statements. Features three bizarre covers of tunes by Eric Dolphy and Gerry Mulligan and four dynamic originals. Sine waves, drones, jazz and noise from one of Japan’s most ubiquitous experimental musicians. (Tzadik about Flutter, 2001)

Otomo Yoshihide’s New Jazz Quintet (ONJQ) is a Japanese free jazz/experimental ensemble led by a composer, sound producer, turntablist and guitarist Otomo Yoshihide. What John Zorn means to the New York scene, Otomo Yoshihide means to the Japanese. Like an iconoclast, Otomo tackled the jazz repertoire, always with untold respect, virtuosity and skill.

After more than 100 releases, including eight with his Jazz Quintet, Otomo continues to search for a captivating balance between melodic structures and intense moments of improvisation.

In this, Eric Dolphy is one of his great heroes. The Quintet dedicated a record to Out to Lunch, Dolphy’s iconic album.

ONJQ toured across Europe, with stops in Italy, Netherlands, and Switzerland, and participated in Music Unlimited Festival in Wels, Austria, in November ’99. Now we are planning a unique and one-time-only comeback of the quintet to Europe in 2024. These days Otomo rarely if ever tours, so seeing him live with his quintet again in Europe is an absolutely unique experience. (Pressetext)