Jean-Luc Guionnet, Seijiro Murayama

Seijiro Murayama (percussion), who is currently based in Japan, lived in France for a number of years and since that time has performed frequently with the French alto sax player Jean-Luc Guionnet. Mishima, Day & Night is their third duo album after Le Bruit du Toit (Xing-Wu Records, 2007) and Window Dressing (Potlatch, 2011). These four tracks document their improvised music performances in Mishima City at Hongaku Temple (day) and Teke Bar (night) on the same day in July 2013. Murayama uses just one or two elements of the drum set (a cymbal and a snare drum on the first track, and only a snare drum on other tracks), Guionnet plays alto sax, and together they freely create a unique and inimitable sound. The three superb tracks from the performance at Hongaku Temple vividly demonstrate the special qualities of two artists at the forefront of the international improvised music scene and retain a consistent tension from start to finish. Track 4, a live concert held in the more relaxed atmosphere of Teke Bar, is a performance that develops through the perfect pairing of the two musicians, while fully displaying their respective characters.