Label: Cacophonous Revival, 2020
Personnel - Patrick Shiroishi: alto and baritone saxophones; Dylan Fujioka: drums, percussion.
Although they’ve been playing together since 2013 in different contexts, West-coast saxophonist Patrick Shiroishi and drummer Dylan Fujioka have never released a collaborative duo album until now. Neba Neba is a three-track free jazz suite, in which the duo adopts their habitual take-no-prisoners approach. Shiroishi and Fujioka joined the post-rock band Upsilon Acrux in 2015, and more recently have collaborated with keyboardist Paco Casanova on Kage Cometa (FMR Records, 2018) as well as with multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia and drummer Alex Cline on Borasisi (Astral Spirits, 2019).
“Lucky Boys” starts off with plain sax melodies floating atop limber percussion. While the saxophonist gradually extends his color range by incorporating glissandos, eccentric trills, and elliptical movements, the drummer injects zealous bass drum kicks in his lively activity. The improvisational interplay may vary from cogitative suspensions to fiercely intense rides, and every idea favors exploration and communication. Even in the sections where they operate in solo configuration, the clear language overrides demonstrative aesthetics. Prior to the conclusion, a predominant cymbal legato with variable flashes of intensity joins the droning quality of the alto sax before it glides into spiraling mode.
Whereas the previously described piece lasts for nearly 26 minutes, “Chorizo” clocks in at 29, validating improvisation as the driving force behind the duo’s actions. Launched with dry snare drum and eloquent, breathy alto sax phrases, this piece gains some nice, loose throb along the way. At a given moment, Shiroishi switches to baritone, extracting interesting deep sounds with occasional multiphonics while engaging in a strange dance with his mate. He returns to the alto for a powerful ending.
Although initially marked by the serene cascading effect of a rattling percussion and restrained saxophone playing, “Stray Dog” reaches its boiling point right before fainting permanently into quietude.
This is a bold sax-drums duet.
Grade B+
Favorite Tracks:
01 - Lucky Boys ► 03 - Chorizo