Gato Libre | DuDu | Libra Records

DuDu Gato Libre ran aground when our bass player, Norikatsu Koreyasu, passed away suddenly. I was not sure what to do, but decided to continue the band and invited a different guest player to sit in with us every time we performed. When Yasuko Kaneko performed with the band, it felt right. Her trombone timbre matched the band well and she has a sweet and wonderful personality. I invited her again and then I decided to ask her to become part of Gato Libre. We restarted the Gato Libre quartet with strange instrumentation – trumpet, trombone, accordion and guitar. When I compose I think about this new instrumentation so the music is now different from before. I hope you enjoy the strange newborn Gato Libre. — Natsuki Tamura Continue reading

Gato Libre | Forever | Libra Records

This CD “Forever” is the fifth album released by Gato Libre and sadly, the final one by the group in its original lineup. Bassist Norikatsu Koreyasu suddely passed away in September 2011. No doubt he is out there somewhere, making a fool of himself even as he makes great music. Gato Libre started as a duo consisting of Koreyasu and me. In venues like Knuttel House in Kappabashi, Tokyo, we explored the radical combination of trumpet and bass as we attempted to make music that was unaffected, not necessarily dramatic, but plaintive and maybe a bit mysterious. Later we added guitar and accordion and began performing under the name Gato Libre. But when I fist pictured playing in a duo with a bassist, someone with a deep, compelling siund and a broad musical vision, I immediately thought of Koreyasu. — Natsuki Tamura Continue reading

Gato Libre | Kuro | Libra Records

All three Gato Libre albums covers feature a black cat, and “kuro” in Japanese means not only black, but also the blackest black imaginable, and also, according to Tamura, the name of a cat that is “the boss of stray cats.” Gentle and soothing, this closing, title tune, acts both as the bookend to the opening “Sunny Spot,” and a summation of Gato Libre’s aesthetic. Kuro fills the heart while bringing tears to the eyes. — Budd Kopman Continue reading

Gato Libre | Shiro | Libra Records

Tamura’s compositions and his lead horn form the centerpiece of this album. He weaves melodies that retain a classic majesty even when they are stark, and within this mellow setting, he nevertheless inserts ideas that grab your attention. Shira is a Latin-flavored avant garde jazz that soothes, not confronts, and offers a unique melding of differing styles. Tamura proves once again why he has earned a reputation in improvised music circles as a top trumpeter, bandleader and composer. ― Victor Aaron, Something Else Reviews Continue reading