Ralph Samuelson
Yamaguchi Gorō
Yokoyama Katsuya

Orginal compostions. Shakuhachi honkyoku played on the saxophone.

A downtown mainstay for twenty years, composer/multi-woodwind performer Ned Rothenberg makes his Tzadik debut with a stunning CD of chamber music. Acclaimed for work in a wide variety of contexts from the multi-metric funk of his Double Band to the large chamber jazz of Power Lines, Rothenberg here shows both range and focus in works for unprecedented instrumentations that have epic scope. Asian and western instruments combine in scores mixing improvised solo features with through-composed ensembles. Ghost Stories is one of Rothenberg most accomplished works.

Ned Rothenberg inaugurates his new label, Animul, with Intervals, a 2 cd set that is his first solo release in almost 10 years. Rothenberg’s solo work on alto saxophone, clarinet, bass clarinet and shakuhachi has been internationally acclaimed with over a thousand performances on 4 continents since 1980. His musical voice is built on a timbral palette which integrates ‘extended’ and standard instrumental technique into a seamless whole.

Ned Rothenberg-alto sax, sampling, shakuhachi; Paul Dresher-guitar, sampling, processing; Samm Bennett-drums; Anthony Jackson-bass

This CD presents his original music for this unique Japanese end blown flute in beautiful recordings that capture all the subtle nuances of this ancient and profoundly moving instrument. Performed by Ned and some of the foremost players outside Japan, Ryu Nashi is evocative and cutting edge music for shakuhachi.