SoSaLa - 1993 (CD)

“Hearing the eight tracks for the first time since ‘93 knocked me out! I was struck by how much the core sound is indebted to the abstract and chaotic aggression of No-Wave, albeit re-interpreted fifteen or so years after the birth of the original movement.” - Mark C (Live Skull)

SoSaLa has released a retrospective recording that looks back to 1993, when music was created at a special time and with exceptional musicians.
For fans interested in SoSaLa’s impressive and accomplished music career, this retrospective album is a must. The music on this album originates from the No Wave and post-No Wave scenes in New York, as well as the free jazz scene. There is a very distinct connection here between harmolodics and bands such as Live Skull, John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards, and James Chance and the Contortions.
On this album, SoSaLa seamlessly blends Harmolodic Free Jazz and No Wave rock in a way that enhances every element the music draws upon. The succinct song structures provide a perfect foil for his masterful improvisations on the soprano saxophone and flute (not to mention his work on the organ). 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.

About the Contributing Musicians

Mark C (guitar) is a founding member of post-punk bands Live Skull, Fuse, Spoiler and Int’l shades. For three decades, Mark C has played an integral role in the hard and uncompromising downtown New York music scene. Mark C also works as a visual artist in Photography and Video, and owns and operates Deepsea Studios in Hoboken New Jersey.
David Motamed (bass) played for a number of NY bands, including the Misguided, Das Damen, Cell, Two Dollar Guitar, and was in backing bands for Arthur Lee and Townes Van Zandt. He’s currently with The Royal Arctic Institute.

James Lo (drums) has played with Live Skull and Chavez, and has released numerous records in the ‘80s and ‘90s on Homestead and Matador. A retired software engineer, he now works as a sound designer for contemporary dance and has created scores for Neil Greenberg, Jodi Melnick, Vicky Schick, Molly Lieber/Eleanor Smith, Donna Uchizono, Sarah Michelson, and John Jasperse among others. He is the recipient of two New York Dance and Performance (BESSIE) awards.

Peter Gordon (tenor saxophone and jaw harp) was born in New York and grew up in Virginia and Germany. After attending college in California he moved to New York in 1975, where his Love of Life Orchestra (LOLO) first gained attention at downtown venues such as the Kitchen, CBGB, Mudd Club. An early proponent of the recording studio as a compositional tool, Gordon produced recordings for LOLO, as well as Arthur Russell, Rhys Chatham, Jill Kroesen, and others. He was music producer for Robert Ashley’s Video opera Perfect Lives. Gordon has composed four operas and his work has earned the Obie and Bessie Awards, and has extensive film/tv credits. He released sixteen recordings, and is a Professor of Music at Bloomfield College.

Toshimaru Nakamura (guitar) hails from Tokyo (Japan). He started his music career playing the electric guitar in various bands before joining SADATO (1991-1995), and recorded two CDs with them. In 1992 Nakamura formed his own A Paragon of Beauty and released a CD in 1995. In 1997 he decided to give up playing his guitar for personal and musical reasons. He started to produce electronic music and became well known internationally in the ONKYO scene with making electronic sounds with a No-Input Mixing Board. In addition to releasing solo projects and collaborations, he performs live concerts in Tokyo, Europe, North America, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, Korea, China, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia.