About Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet
**Otomo Yoshihide's New Jazz Quintet** (**ONJQ**) is a Japanese free jazz/experimental ensemble led by a composer, sound producer, turntablist and guitarist [[artist:Otomo Yoshihide]]. Primarily active between 1999 and 2005, ONJQ subsequently evolved into other band formations under Yoshihide's direction, including [ONJE](https://discogs.com/artist/145225) septet, [ONJT](https://discogs.com/artist/5844303) trio, and [New Jazz Orchestra](https://discogs.com/artist/376530) with 10+ members. The New Jazz Quintet produced eight full-length albums, most recently — *[r=15773475]* CD, recorded in November 2018 and released in June 2020 by Kyoto-based label [[label:25213]].
The ensemble came together in 1999 when Otomo Yoshihide invited two prominent jazz saxophonists, [[artist:Naruyoshi Kikuchi]] and [[artist:Tsugami Kenta]], backed by [[artist:Hiroaki Mizutani]]/[[artist:Yasuhiro Yoshigaki]]'s rhythm section, to record three compositions for his *[Music of Takeo Yamashita](https://discogs.com/release/175466)* album. In July of the same year, the New Jazz Quintet debuted on-stage at Shinjuku's [[label:Pit Inn]] and recorded four bonus tracks for [[artist:Aryan Kaganof]]'s *[Shabondama Elegy](https://discogs.com/release/1779662)* soundtrack at [[label:289931]] in Tokyo. ONJQ toured across Europe, with stops in Italy, Netherlands, and Switzerland, and participated in [[label:343129]] in Wels, Austria, in November '99 (performance documented on *[Mottomo Otomo](https://discogs.com/release/353890)* CD compilation).
In 2001, Quintet released its debut album, *[r=221780]*, featuring special guests [[artist:Sachiko M]] (sinewaves) and Japanoise veteran [[artist:Masami Akita]] (EMS synth) at [[artist:John Zorn]]'s New York-based [[label:Tzadik]] label. The following two domestic Japanese CD releases, *[Live](https://discogs.com/release/417990)* on [[label:DIW]] and *[r=537024]* studio collaboration with [[artist:Tatsuya Oe]] on [[label:P-Vine Records]], solidified Otomo's reputation as a band leader, prompting some critics to invent the new term "onkyō-jazz" for his Quintet. ONJQ continued touring Japan, Belgium, and Austria and traveled to the USA in October 2002, performing with Sachiko M at the [[label:179760]].
In February 2004, Kikuchi left the ensemble, with [[artist:Alfred Harth]] (reeds) standing in for him at subsequent shows in Japan, Poland and France. In August, the Quintet gave the final performance in a "classic" line-up (with [[artist:Mats Gustafsson]] on sax) at the [[label:426573]] festival, published two years later as *[m=884645]* CD by Portuguese label [[label:Clean Feed]]. For the next few years, Otomo primarily focused on the expanded **[New Jazz Ensemble](https://discogs.com/artist/145225)** and only played with the Quintet's "core" twice at Shinjuku's Pit Inn in Tokyo: as *New Jazz Quartet* in December 2006 and with [[artist:Axel Dörner]] (trumpet) in August 2007. Three years later, while recording with his newly-formed **[New Jazz Trio](https://discogs.com/artist/5844303)**, Otomo brought together a one-off Quintet configuration with [[artist:Sachiko M]] (sinewaves) and [[artist:Jim O'Rourke]] on EMS synth; these sessions appeared on [[label:Doubtmusic]]'s 'twin' [dmf-138](https://discogs.com/release/2685881)/[dmf-139](https://discogs.com/release/3625996) CD albums.
**Original ONJQ line-up** (1999–2004)
[[artist:Otomo Yoshihide]] — electric & acoustic guitars
[[artist:Hiroaki Mizutani]] — bass
[[artist:Yasuhiro Yoshigaki]] — drums, trumpet
[[artist:Tsugami Kenta]] — saxophone
[[artist:Naruyoshi Kikuchi]] — saxophone
**Most recent formation** (2018)
Otomo Yoshihide — guitars
Hiroaki Mizutani — bass
Yasuhiro Yoshigaki — drums
[[artist:Osamu Imagome]] — trombone
[[artist:Shinpei Ruike]] — trumpet
**Intermittent members & guests**
[[artist:Yoshinori Okuno]] — alto saxophone
[[artist:Tatsuki Masuko]] — electronics
[[artist:Kumiko Takara]] — vibraphone
[[artist:Ko Ishikawa]] — sho
[[artist:Taisei Aoki]] — trombone
[[artist:Masahiko Okura]] — prepared sax, bass clarinet
[[artist:Taku Unami]] — laptop, guitar
[[artist:Axel Dörner]] — trumpet
[[artist:Cor Fuhler]] — piano, synthesizers
[[artist:Kahimi Karie]], [[artist:Phew]], [[artist:Jun Togawa]], [[artist:Mariko Hamada]] — vocals
