Israeli-Japanese free jazz for all

Over the past couple of decades Nakatani, who hails from Osaka, Japan, has become one of the leading lights on the avant garde side of the jazz tracks.

Japanese percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani (photo credit: Courtesy)
Japanese percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani
(photo credit: Courtesy)
Fans of envelope-pushing jazzy endeavor will no doubt be thrilled to see saxophonist and bass clarinet player Assif Tsahar once again join forces with Japanese percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani. The two will perform twice over the next few days – at Hamazkeka in Jerusalem on Saturday (9 p.m.), with a gig at Tsahar’s Levontin 7 club in Tel Aviv on the morrow (8 p.m.).
Tsahar and Nakatani are far from strangers, and first began to exploring open sonic territory together 13 years ago, when they were both residents of New York. Their weekly sessions in Lower Manhattan’s Cooper Square soon spawned more serious intent and, just a year on, they put out their first album, Come Sunday. That was followed by Solitude, which also featured a string quartet, and their last duo recording to date goes by the name of I Got It Bad. Tsahar and Nakatani last performed in this country six years ago.
Over the past couple of decades Nakatani, who hails from Osaka, Japan, has become one of the leading lights on the avant garde side of the jazz tracks. He has performed with numerous like-minded artists all over the world, including German double bass player and tubist Peter Kowald, American guitarist and banjo player Eugene Chadbourne and Boston-born guitarist Mary Halvorson. Nakatani has released in excess of 50 CDs and employs a wide range of percussion instruments, including some individually tailored items.
For tickets and more information: Hamazkeka – (02) 582-2090 and www.mazkeka.com; Levontin 7 – (03) 560-5084 and www.levontin7.com.