ISAO, SUZUKI

Isao Suzuki’s 1975 album Orang-Utan (credited to the Isao Suzuki Quartet + 2) is a wild, boundary-pushing masterpiece of spiritual avant-jazz and heavy post-bop. Released during the golden era of the legendary Three Blind Mice label, this record finds the visionary bassist and cellist moving into deeper, more experimental territory than its predecessor Blue City. By expanding his core group with a brilliant array of guest musicians, Suzuki crafts a fiery, unpredictable, and deeply atmospheric soundscape that feels like a thrilling journey through an untamed sonic jungle.

The brilliance of the album lies in its remarkable texture and world-class roster of musicians. Suzuki brings in a young Kazumi Watanabe on guitar, whose sharp, fusion-fueled chords perfectly complement Kunihiko Sugano's swirling Fender Rhodes organ. The 11-minute opening epic, "Blue Road," showcases Kenji Mori’s breathtaking, deeply expressive alto saxophone and bass clarinet work over a heavy, driving double-bass foundation laid down by Suzuki and Osamu Kawakami. The record beautifully balances this fiery modal energy with moments of staggering intimacy, such as Mari Nakamoto’s haunting, soulful guest vocals on "Where Are You Going?". Throughout the title track and its standard covers, Suzuki's deep, physical cello plucking adds an uncanny, chamber-like moodiness to the rhythm section. Impeccably recorded with the signature, hyper-close microphone intimacy that defined Three Blind Mice, Orang-Utan is a towering, vivid triumph of J-Jazz that rewards adventurous listeners with an unforgettable auditory thrill.