1983 Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Rathausplatz Bern
DooBeeDoo, 2026
9/10
Listen to 1983 Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Rathausplatz Bern
The Sadato Group sure did entertain a Switzerland crowd for this set in 1983, where front man SoSaLa is joined by Mutsuhiko Izumi and Hitoshi Usami for 8 Japanese free jazz-punk noise selections.
“Confusing World” opens with 10+ minutes of ambience and noise, where Izumi’s manipulated guitar lends itself to psychedelic bouts, and “MJF’s When I’m Crazy, I’m Normal” follows and balances No Wave and indie-rock nods thanks to Usami’s thumping drums and SoSaLa’s firm vocals.
Deeper into the Montreux side, “MJF’s Ningen in Africa, Ningen in Nippon” offers a protest song with Afro-beat moments where SoSaLa contributes sax and rhodes to unique rhythms, while “MJF’s Sa Si Su Se So” exits this venue with no lack of grooves and prog-rock sensibilities that acts as an outtro.
The last 3 selections are from the Rathausplatz Bern, where the fusion filled “Paul Klee Musical Colors” showcases Izum’s acrobatic bass, Usami’s hard hitting drums and SoSaLa’s animated sax prowess.
Another iconoclastic outing for SoSaLa and company, the jazz-punk and atypical song structures prove they were ahead of their time, and that formula fits in well with today’s avant-garde scene, too.
Travels well with: SoSaLa- 1987- Hajime; SoSaLa- 1994 Live At CBGB