“SoSaLa
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” – Tom Haugen, 9/26/2026
“I found this disc to be rather disturbing, noisy, brutal, intense, and even scary at times. Better than some of the No Wave live sets that I caught in the late 1970s. SoSaLa recently played at the Cutting Room in NYC, more than 40 years after these sessions were recorded. He is still at it and still doing his own musical activism for just causes. He is still true to his original vision of poking fun at the powers that hold us down. He remains a brave soul.” – Bruce Lee Gallanter (DMG Newsletter), 11/7/2025
Read the review here: https://downtownmusicgallery.com/search.php?id=2025_11_06_09_13_47pm
“This album of free jazz/ noise/ NO WAVE rock has a heavy, punky sound that seems to express the energy and anger of especially the young in 1983 and is still felt today. One wonders if such music will ever stop feeling relevant.” Fiona McTaggart (Scottish Jazz Space), 10/23/2025
Read the review here: https://www.scottishjazzspace.co.uk/album-review-sosala-1983-live-at-the-montreux-jazz-festival-and-rathausplatz-bern/
“In addition to the superb music it contains, 1983 – Live at Montreux Jazz Festival and Rathausplatz Bern is an intriguing historical document. It highlights the extemporized experimentations in which artists like the SADATO GROUP were engaged. Hopefully, more will be available from SoSaLa’s “vault” for modern listeners to enjoy.” – By Hrayr Attarian (FREE JAZZ COLLECTIVE, October 14th, 2025).
Read the review here: https://www.freejazzblog.org/2025/10/sosala-1983-live-at-montreux-jazz.html
“Those of you who follow SoSaLa‘s musical career will know that in recent years, he has released, or re-released, retrospective recordings. These were from the 80s and 90s. These were particularly productive years for SoSaLa, who went by the name Sadato.
This collection was recorded live on two dates: July 18, 1983, at the Montreux Jazz Festival, and July 14, 1983, at the Rathausplatz in Bern, during the band’s tour of Switzerland. Claude Nobs, the founder and music director of the Montreaux Jazz Festival, personally invited SADATO GROUP to perform.
On these dates, SADATO GROUP featured Sadato on saxophone, Rhodes, and harmonica, Mutsuhiko Izumi on electric guitar and electric bass, and drummer-pianist Hitoshi Usami; the group he’d formed two years earlier in Osaka.” – Dawoud Kringle (DBDBD NY, July 23, 2025).
Read the review here: https://doobeedoobeedoo.info/cd-review-sosala-1983-live-at-the-montreux-jazz-festival-and-the-rathausplatz-bern/
