Prism I

Danish String Quartet present the first of their Prism recordings, demonstrating the influence of J.S. Bach through Beethoven and beyond—his music developed, transformed, and scattered into colors as if through a prism. The Quartet begin their voyage with Mozart’s arrangement of a Bach fugue before diving headlong into Shostakovich’s 1974 String Quartet No. 15—a bleak, often dissonant meditation on mortality that draws on Bachian fugue and counterpoint. And in his remarkable 1825 Op. 127 String Quartet, performed here with a beautifully judged sense of narrative, Beethoven holds Bach in the palm of his hand as the music meanders and unfolds toward its radiant final bars.

This album was a huge leap for Prism. It is the first album to really define their style. There are no weak tracks on this album, it's simply perfect. Shake your Head starts the album powerfully and promising…

Heritage/Evolution, Vol. 2 is a celebration of the saxophone. The intrepid PRISM Quartet joins sax icons Ravi Coltrane, Joe Lovano, and Chris Potter to explore their instrument’s dual lineages in classical music and jazz. “But that’s just a starting point,” writes WNYC’s John Schaefer. “The works presented here reconcile two apparently divergent traditions, from totally notated scores at one end to completely free improvisation at the other, and a dizzying array of possibilities in between.”

The very first fusion band in Japan. The band is originated from the band formed by Akira Wada・Ken Watanabe・Daisaku Kume・Kohki Itoh・Katsutoshi Morizono・Rika Suzuki etc. in 1975. The band was selected as an opening act for the Eric Clapton's Japan tour in 1976. After heavy competition among record companies, the band signed with Polydor Records and released the 1st album “ PRISM ”.Upon its release, many fans queued up at the stores and sold out in many places. Following year, the debut concert was held at the Sugino Kodo Hall in Meguro of Tokyo. The fan made a line as long as it can reach Meguro station. It was such a sensational beginning for the band.