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1987-Hajime
SoSaLa
Label: DooBeeDoo Records
Released: 2026
Duration: 00:36:52
Views: 1,426
Tracks
Sincro, Ningen, Tsubana, Pachinko Breeze, Sarariman Shine, Touche Pas A Mon Pote, Leila, Nanji Desu Ka, Bachan No Tea Time, When I’M Crazy I’M Normal.
Personnel
Additional Personnel / Information
Romi (voice) Toshiko (synthecizer)
Album Description
“Hajime” LP Re-released on CD!!! A Refreshing Old Tokyo Story.
“I like his punishing saxophone solos, his creative use of props, and his obtuse criticisms of modern life delivered in various languages.” – Bryan Harrell (BOP SHOTS/JAPAN TIMES), August 29, 1989
SoSaLa has released another retrospective CD. This time, re-releasing the 1987 LP ALEF “Hajime”, originally released on SoSaLa’s Japanese independent label, Kampai Records. (As a kind reminder, before moving to New York in 2008, SoSaLa lived in Japan for 35 years and started his music career in Osaka in 1979.)
“Alef” is the first letter of the Iranian alphabet, marking the beginning of SoSaLa’s music career with that LP release, which is still available on SoSaLa’s website (https://sohrab.info/releases-labels-store/)—sold at a premium price.
This retrospective album is another must for fans interested in SoSaLa’s accomplished music career. The music on this album comes from the Japanese free jazz-punk-noise scene of the 80s. No band in Japan sounded like ALEF, a short-lived but pioneering multimedia performance group active in the mid-1980s.
The music was a Dadaistic blend of jazz-core, progressive rock, and avant-garde, often described as “rock-jazz-industrial” with heavy improvisation.
The contributions of all musicians on this album add unique dimensions and startling voices, enhancing an already compelling and potent mix.
The music sits well with rock and jazz, yet transcends both genres.
ALEF (1985-1987) (Hi)Story
In 1984, when SoSaLa lived in Osaka and was known as Sadato, he decided to disband his Osaka band, SADATO GROUP, even though it had established itself as a powerful group. He felt musically stuck in Osaka and needed another “kick” to grow in the Japanese music scene and in his career. He moved to Tokyo, Japan’s entertainment and music center. With its many record companies and publishers, Tokyo was the best place for a professional musician and band leader to grow.
When SADATO GROUP played in Tokyo, Sadato invited local musicians to perform with him, 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 Hoppoh Butoh Ha.
He contacted all of them and invited them to rehearsals to form a new band. He also looked for new members—this time, jazz musicians who could also play rock.
At a Karl Berger Orchestra gig in 1984, he became friendly with the jazz bassist Yo Nakamura. They decided to jam, and Nakamura invited the jazz drummer Tatsuya Ishida to join them. Together, they had such a good time playing that Sadato decided to form a band with them, ALEF. Later joined by Tom Hojnacki (percussion), Douglas Lamont (keys), and Dennis Gunn (guitar), whom he met at an ESL school in Tokyo.
Unfortunately, Nakamura left the band for personal reasons and moved to the countryside to live with his family. Gunn joined the band, bringing in a young jazz-rock musician on acoustic and electric fretless bass, Hideki Kato. This was the birth of ALEF, consisting of a jazz drummer, a kind of Adrian Belew guitarist, and a Jack Bruce bassist.
The lineup and instrumentation were: Sadato (saxophones, synthesizer, flute, and vocals), Dennis Gunn (guitars and vocals), Hideki Kato (electric and acoustic bass and vocals), and Tatsuya Ishida (drums and vocals). With special guests Toshiko on synthesizer and Romi on voice.
The photographer, Ryutaro Hidaka, was a friend of Kato’s who later fell in love with ALEF. He became the band’s regular photographer.
After a couple of well-received gigs, Sadato felt they had enough material to record an album. Gunn found a studio on the outskirts of Tokyo. The studio owner, H. Nagasawa, who attended one of ALEF’s concerts, invited them to record at his White House Studio. He and his assistant, T. Inagaki, were behind the recording board.
Unfortunately, after the LP was released, Ishida and Gunn decided to leave the band. A couple of months later, he formed his next band, SADATO, with Kato.
Complete press release here: https://sohrab.info/sosala-hajime/
Album uploaded by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLa
