Two new releases featuring saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi…

The sax and drums duo is one of the most exacting and potentially most exciting line-ups to be found in jazz, although not for the faint of heart – there is little place to hide. Saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi and percussionist Dylan Fujioka have worked together various times over the past few years, in a number of units – they clearly know and trust each other and that comes across on this album. Shiroishi, on alto and baritone horns here, and Fujioka all over his kit. I like it – Shiroishi can play melodically and can skronk with the best of them, and all points in between. Fujioka more than matchs him in invention and energy – they are a natural pairing. Three pieces, two lengthy tunes bookending a shorter one; free jazz of the highest order – energy playing, melody and intricacy.

Lucky Boys
Stray Dog
Chorizo

(58:09)
Cacophonous Revival & Orb Tapes

Patrick Shiroishi – alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Dylan Fujioka – drums, percussion

Neba Neba is available on CD and download from Cacophonous Revival and cassette from Orb Tapes from 8 June 2020.

If the sax/drum duo leaves players very little place to hide, solo saxophone outings leave them fully exposed. As if that wasn’t difficult enough, on this album, Patrick Shiroishi plays a sopranino horn, a temperamental and unforgiving little beast. This is a 35 minute recording of a live performance from 2019 – fragmented snatches of melody move through screes of sound, a sort of filigree structure set against drones and screams and high octane improvisation. Shiroishi is one if those players who seems never to sleep – he has played in many and varied line-ups, and on a multitude of recordings and his level of invention never dips. He consistently comes up with the goods, and on this album he does so again.

眼には眼を
(34:56)
Armageddon Nova

Patrick Shiroishi – sopranino saxophone

An Eye For An Eye is available on CD and download from Patrick Shiroishi’s Bandcamp page

Tell us what you think...