Now on its ninth album ‘Sleeping Cat,’ Natsuki Tamura’s Gato Libre has never really been about jazz; it’s folk music with an open mind.

Music that relaxes doesn’t necessarily have to be devoid of subtlety and rich complexities. Gato Libre has proven that time and again, and ‘Koneko’ makes it an open-and-shut case.

Through death comes transformation. Gato Libre is a band whose body has changed, but its original heart perseveres.

Gato Libre makes the difficult decision to go forward after the loss of a key member.

<<< Part Two, Mainstream and Modern Jazz ||| Part 4, Fusion Jazz >>> In continuing with a long-held tradition, I’ve parsed out the jazz that goes avant-garde from the more conventional stuff. You May Also Like: S. Victor Aaron’s Best of 2015 (Part 4 of 4, Fusion Jazz): John McLaughlin,Read More

The aptly-titled Forever is the fifth release from Gato Libre. This is sadly the last with the original quartet line-up, as bassist Norikatsu Koreyasu passed away suddenly in September of 2011 – weeks after the live recording. You May Also Like: Gato Libre – Neko (2017) Gato Libre [Natsuki Tamura,Read More

photo: Valerie Trucchia by S. Victor Aaron Since starting up this site about four years ago, we’ve taken a look at a Japanese whack jazzer only once, but the fact of the matter is, the Land of the Rising Sun is a haven for music that’s unconventional, unpredictable and thrivingRead More