The Art Of The Improvisers: the fourth episode about saxophonist Kazutoki Umezu (1949)
Umezu is an eclectic, energetic, lively musician; as we will hear in this series. His examples are Eric Dolphy and Rashaan Roland Kirk.
After fanatical music lessons in Japan, he lived in New York City in 1974-1975. There, he performed with Sunny Murray, Lester Bowie and Oliver Lake, among others. He often returned to New York over the years and performed with many musicians from the downtown scene around the Knitting Factory such as Marc Ribot, Tom Cora, Curtis Fowlkes and Wayne Horvitz.
In addition, he performed with various musicians and ensembles such as B.B. King, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Ian Dury and El Negro Horacio Hernandez.
Tonight, music from the CD Dynamite with the Japanese band Dr. Umezu and from First Deserter, the New York Ensemble from Kazutoki Umezu.
Dr. Umezu Band – Dynamite by Dr. Umezu Band (Barca 1983)
Kazutoki Umezu – First Deserter (Off Note 1995)
