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1983 – Live At The Montreux Jazz Festival & Rathausplatz Bern

Sohrab Saadat

Label: DooBeeDoo Records
Released: 2025
Duration: 1:01:04
Views: 15,372

Tracks

Confusing World; MJF's When I’m Crazy, I'm Normal; Let's Have a Good Time; MJF’s Ningen in Africa, Ningen in Nippon ; MJF's SA SI SU SE SO; 1-2-3-4; Paul Klee Musical Colors; Zehn Vor Vier in Bern.

Personnel

Album Description

"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),

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.

About the Musicians

SoSaLa (who called himself Sadato in Japan) – whom the legendary jazzman Ornette Coleman, one of SoSaLa's mentors, described as "the freest rock saxophonist" is a saxophonist/band leader/composer/improviser and who has lived and performed in Switzerland (1953), Germany (1953- 1974), Japan (1974-2008), and the US (2008-). He has performed and/or recorded as a leader with his bands (SADATO GROUP, ALEF, SADATO, The Tehran-Dakar Brothers, etc.) and with Salif Keita, Ornette Coleman and the MASTER MUSICIANS OF JAJOUKA, Burnt Sugar & The Arkestra Chamber, Butch Morris, Karl Berger, and many others. He produced several independent releases, published the online magazine DooBeeDooBeeDoo NY, and founded and leads the musicians' rights activist foundation Musicians For Musicians (MFM).

Sadato was notorious in Japan for his saxophone and stage performance work. He became a notable figure in the Japanese free jazz and indie rock scenes due to his multimedia (music, video, and stage performance) and multilingual (English, German, Japanese, and Farsi) performances. SADATO GROUP was the only band blending elements of (free) jazz, rock, and Middle Eastern 6/8 and modes into its performances.

As an instrumentalist and composer, he was musically influenced by Japanese free jazz musicians, such as Yamashita Yosuke, and improvisers, namely Toshinori Kondo. As a singer, he draws inspiration from vocalists such as Jim Morrison, Captain Beefheart, Johnny Rotten, flamenco, and Persian classical singers. And as a stage performer, he incorporated Butoh dance, mime, and martial arts movements.

Sadato's unique background—Iranian, living in Japan, and practicing martial arts—allowed him to bring a distinct cultural and musical fusion to his work, which resonated across different genres and audiences.

His tenor and soprano saxophone playing was unique and original. He didn't care for technique so much as the sound of the sax. He was self-taught and never studied music. He left the "talking" primarily to his sax and the other instruments he played: guitar, drums, harmonica, flute, synthesizer, and the flute. His work often involves an expressive, fluid style that enhances the overall atmosphere of the music he's involved in, whether in live performances or recordings. His music may appeal to listeners who enjoy experimental jazz or cross-cultural collaborations. Through performance and music, Sadato was a great communicator with the audience. Sometimes, he would invite an audience member to join the band.

Mutsuhiko Izumi is a Japanese musician, songwriter, and key figure in the SADATO GROUP. He is known for his distinctive musical style, which often incorporates diverse genres and influences into the band's indie rock sound. In addition to Sadato's sax and vocals, Izumi's guitar and bass playing were the creative force behind the band. He plays an essential role in shaping their distinctive sound, often blending emotional depth with experimental elements.

As a bassist, his bass lines are essential in defining the band's sound, offering a solid foundation that complements the band's dynamic rhythms and melodies. As with many indie rock bands, the bass often provides both the groove and the emotional backbone of the music, and Izumi's style likely adds depth and texture to the band's compositions. He often combines melodic playing with rhythmic support, creating a unique balance between structure and expression in the music. His contributions are crucial to the band's overall sound, providing a counterpoint to the other instruments and often adding a more intricate layer to the music.

He was also involved in other musical projects or collaborations outside the Sadato Group, namely AFTER DINNER, DADA, and Kennedy.

As a composer and producer noted for a lengthy career in the video game industry, particularly with Konami, for whom he was employed for over 30 years, he has contributed music to several rhythm games since the early 2000s. He retired from Konami in late 2019, just after his 65th birthday, though he remains semi-active composing music.

Hitoshi Usami is the drummer, percussionist, and keyboard player for the SADATO GROUP. His rhythmic prowess contributes significantly to the band's sound. His style often combines precise technical skills with a unique, expressive approach to percussion, which helps drive the band's energetic and sometimes experimental indie rock sound.

As a drummer, Usami is recognized for blending traditional rock drumming with more intricate rhythms, thereby adding depth to the group's music. Like many musicians in the indie scene, his work is integral to the overall texture of the band's compositions, where his playing might range from subtle and atmospheric to powerful and intense.

About the Tracks

All tracks are composed by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka Sadato.

Both concerts were outdoors and in the afternoon. In Montreux, the stage was above the venue's pool, and in Bern, it was at the city hall square, a central gathering place for events and activities in front of the city hall.

Regarding Sadato's performance and music: when you hear long guitar or bass intros followed up by drums later, Sadato would perform off stage, interacting with the audience, and going on until he reached the stage and started playing his sax or talking to the audience through the microphone.

In all concerts, he dressed up in a Kendo - a Japanese swordsmanship - uniform called "kendo-gi," specifically consisting of a keikogi (the top) and a hakama (the skirt-like pants), which gave him a samurai look. His short haircut made the audience believe that he was Japanese. He used unusual and eccentric things in his performances, such as a toy gun, water bowls, a Japanese fan, a bamboo sword, a Noh mask, etc. His main goal as a performer was to put on some bizarre makeup, speak and sing in meaningless word combinations of different languages, and interact with the audience by talking to them directly, provoking or surprising them.

Album uploaded by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa