SoSaLa - 1983 - Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Rathausplatz Bern (CD)

In their scorching sets at the 1983 Montreux Jazz Festival and the Rathausplatz Bern, SADATO GROUP pushes the sound of music into new dimensions. Exploratory in nature, these jams move with conviction, while embracing the edgier palette of the downtown experimental scene. But they make too big a racket to be confined to smaller venues, these tracks resonate for m(M)iles. - Mark C (LIVE SKULL), May 16, 2025

SoSaLa has released another retrospective recording from 1983, when music was made at a special time and with exceptional musicians.

This retrospective album is a must for fans interested in SoSaLa's interesting and accomplished music career. The music on this album comes from the Japanese free jazz-punk noise scene. No band in Japan sounded like SADATO GROUP.

On this album, SoSaLa seamlessly blends Harmolodic Free-Jazz and No-Wave rock to enhance every element the music draws on. The succinct song structures provide a perfect foil for his low-fi improvisations on the soprano and tenor saxophone (not to mention his work on the Rhodes piano and harmonica). The contributions by the other musicians on the sessions bring unique dimensions and startling voices to enhance an already compelling and potent mix. The music sits well with rock and jazz, yet transcends both genres at the same time.

The SADATO GROUP (1981-1984) (Hi)Story

In 1981, when SoSaLa lived in Osaka and was known as Sadato, he formed his first official indie "free" noise rock band, SADATO GROUP, with members Mutsuhiko Izumi on electric guitar and electric bass and drummer-pianist Hitoshi Usami.

He met them for the first time in 1981 at their "free jazz noisy duo gig" at his favorite jazz coffeeshop, Cole in Osaka-Ibaragi City. He liked what he heard and invited them to a rehearsal. After rehearsing several times, they formed a band with Sadato as the leader and composer, and named it after him, the SADATO GROUP. They played mainly in Osaka, but later, to reach a bigger audience, they decided to play in Tokyo every three months, the major music city of Japan.

The Sadato Group became known for blending elements of alternative rock, free jazz, noise, and occasionally experimental sounds into their music. Their style combines energetic riffs, introspective lyrics, and unique arrangements, setting them apart in the Japanese indie rock and jazz music scenes.

They recorded the album In The Woods of Japan in 1983, which hasn't been released yet but will be soon. In 1984, they released the 7-inch plexi single "SADATO GROUP Kafesho + Gohon Gahon" on the Osaka indie label Kangan Rec.

In 1983, they toured Switzerland and France, performed at the Rathausplatz Bern on July 14, and in Montreux at the Montreux Jazz Festival (the founder and music director of the most prestigious and long-standing jazz festivals in the world, Claude Nobs, personally invited SG to perform) on July 18. They also performed on the radio in Paris on Radio Nova 101.5 FM on July 29.

Sadato's Swiss friend and photographer, Urs Lauterburg, organized the Swiss tour.
And the RADIO NOVA by Sadato's Parisien friend Hubert Bernady, where they played two 45-minute sets. The session was recorded and might be released soon. Their music was super well-received by the listeners.

Playing at all three venues, especially the Montreux Jazz Festival, were notable moments in Sadato's career, showcasing his unique blend of stage performance, indie "free" rock, Middle Eastern, and free jazz influences to an international audience.

The original members of the SADATO GROUP are Sadato, a musician (tenor and soprano sax, guitar, keyboard, harmonica, vocals) and performer; Mutsuhiko Izumi, who plays guitar and electric bass; and Hitoshi Usami, who plays drums, percussion, and piano. They were later joined by Koji Ito, tenor sax; Kazuki Takami, keyboard and piano; German Uwe Walter, shakuhachi cello, vocal and pantomime; and the Kyogen actor Akira Sugiyama.

When SADATO GROUP played in Tokyo, Sadato invited local musicians to join, such as Tom Hojnacki from the US on drums and percussion, Douglas Lamont from Canada on keys and vocals, a striptease dancer, and Butoh dancers from the Butoh dance group Hoppo Butoh Ha.

In 1984, the SADATO GROUP disbanded because Sadato had moved to Tokyo to pursue his music career in Japan's music city. Until 2008, he put together a couple of bands in the following order: ALEF, DAITAI 99, HoSaLa (a music project with Tom Hojnacki and Douglas Lamont), the Osaka duo KUSHAMI, SADATO, THE TEHRAN BROTHERS, and THE TEHRAN-DAKAR BROTHERS with Senegalese sabar drummer Wagane N'Diaye Rose.