Hoppy Kamiyama

Soft Mountain - Soft Mountain (2003) {Hux Records HUX 084 rel 2007} (Soft Machine related)
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 428 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 140 Mb
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© 2003, 2007 Hux Records | HUX 084
Jazz / Free Improvisation / Jazz-Rock

As the both the name and title of this release indicate, Soft Mountain were intimately connected with Soft Machine, albeit long after the latter group had dissolved in the '70s. In August 2003, ex-Soft Machiners Elton Dean and Hugh Hopper teamed up with two Japanese musicians, keyboardist Hoppy Kamiyama and drummer Tatsuya Yoshida, to record the hour of improvised fusion that comprises this album. And it certainly is improvisation; there's just one "song" here, "Soft Mountain Suite," divided into two parts of roughly half-an-hour length each.

Improvisation x Prog-Improvisation capital letters, the 4th album for the first time in 14 years since 2006 mixes a large amount of unorganized live recordings during the self-restraint period, and summarizes the selected sound sources in a set of 3 A blockbuster! Guitar Natsuki Kido participates in one song (30-minute masterpiece) as a guest. This trio of keyboard, bass and drums sets their own rules, delivering a hard and enthusiastic product that is totally improvised. Like some kind of super-powered prog engine, their music is a collection of moods that burst into challenging sequences of zeuhl-flavored jazz. The band consists of keyboard player and vocalist Hoppy Kamiyama (of Japanese pop band PINK), drummer Tatsuya Yoshida (from RUINS) and bassist Nasuno Mitsuni (from ALTERED STATES and KOREKYOJIN). Absolutely recommended to fans of RUINS and MAGMA; in fact, to anyone looking for some challenging and exciting fusion.