One of the most successful spinoff bands from iconic 90s rockers Blankey Jet City, LOSALIOS also has the distinction of being the most divergent from the original trio's style. The brainchild of Blankey drummer Nakamura Tatsuya, LOSALIOS plays a brand of hard rock and jazz with energy that can get downright feverish.
Nakamura Tatsuya and his traps fill the soul of this band, through a technical but recognizable groove around which the other instruments improvise, until inevitably all the members, in grand hard rock fashion, converge violenty into the respective song's theme. The style is accented by aggressive and highly complicated lines from bassist TOKIE and guitarist Katou. Not surprisingly, despite LOSALIOS' jazz-rock roots, the band has little in common with fusion stalwarts such as The Mahavishnu Orchestra or Weather Report. If anything, LOSALIOS is somewhat similar to Naked City, though opting for a more focused creative output over John Zorn's unpredictably chaotic songwriting.
Nakamura began LOSALIOS alone in 1996, shortly after Blankey Jet City's Skunk hit stores, under the name Love Shop Losalios. Word has it that the only recording produced, Gabiru, was recorded in an abandoned hotel. LOSALIOS lay dormant until 1999, when Nakamura (while performing with several other bands) teamed with eight other musicians, including his bandmates in Blankey Jet City and guitarist Katou Takashi of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra to create the first album under LOSALIOS proper, Sekai Chizu ha Chi no Ato, with a heavy emphasis on improvisation.
Two years after the breakup of Blankey Jet City, LOSALIOS became active again in its third incarnation, now including TOKIE on bass (from rap-rock group RIZE and Blankey frontman Asai's supergroup AJICO) and Takeda Shinji on saxophone. Katou returned on guitar to round out the band. LOSALIOS' second album, the cryptically titled Colorado Shit Dog, cemented the band's trademark combination of hard rock and jazz.
Within the year following Colorado Shit Dog, LOSALIOS contined to grow into a more aggressive sound, releasing another album and their first live recording, School of High Sense. Though the core members remained the same, in true jazz band fashion, a literal revolving door of guest talent filled out the band on a variety of instruments. Since 2003, LOSALIOS continued to tour sporadically (at times with Blankey spinoff Rosso), while members pursued other musical interests, with Nakamura himself playing with the likes of John Zorn and Bill Laswell. In May, LOSALIOS will released its first recording in a year and a half, (aside from 2004's live DVD Aurora Madturn) Yuurei Senchou ga Hanashitekureta Koto, before taking their live show on the road to the summer festival circuit.
Nakamura Tatsuya and his traps fill the soul of this band, through a technical but recognizable groove around which the other instruments improvise, until inevitably all the members, in grand hard rock fashion, converge violenty into the respective song's theme. The style is accented by aggressive and highly complicated lines from bassist TOKIE and guitarist Katou. Not surprisingly, despite LOSALIOS' jazz-rock roots, the band has little in common with fusion stalwarts such as The Mahavishnu Orchestra or Weather Report. If anything, LOSALIOS is somewhat similar to Naked City, though opting for a more focused creative output over John Zorn's unpredictably chaotic songwriting.
Nakamura began LOSALIOS alone in 1996, shortly after Blankey Jet City's Skunk hit stores, under the name Love Shop Losalios. Word has it that the only recording produced, Gabiru, was recorded in an abandoned hotel. LOSALIOS lay dormant until 1999, when Nakamura (while performing with several other bands) teamed with eight other musicians, including his bandmates in Blankey Jet City and guitarist Katou Takashi of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra to create the first album under LOSALIOS proper, Sekai Chizu ha Chi no Ato, with a heavy emphasis on improvisation.
Two years after the breakup of Blankey Jet City, LOSALIOS became active again in its third incarnation, now including TOKIE on bass (from rap-rock group RIZE and Blankey frontman Asai's supergroup AJICO) and Takeda Shinji on saxophone. Katou returned on guitar to round out the band. LOSALIOS' second album, the cryptically titled Colorado Shit Dog, cemented the band's trademark combination of hard rock and jazz.
Within the year following Colorado Shit Dog, LOSALIOS contined to grow into a more aggressive sound, releasing another album and their first live recording, School of High Sense. Though the core members remained the same, in true jazz band fashion, a literal revolving door of guest talent filled out the band on a variety of instruments. Since 2003, LOSALIOS continued to tour sporadically (at times with Blankey spinoff Rosso), while members pursued other musical interests, with Nakamura himself playing with the likes of John Zorn and Bill Laswell. In May, LOSALIOS will released its first recording in a year and a half, (aside from 2004's live DVD Aurora Madturn) Yuurei Senchou ga Hanashitekureta Koto, before taking their live show on the road to the summer festival circuit.
:::Review by James Route:::
Losalios - School of High Sense (2002)
1. Anaconda
2. Coganemushi
3. Hit Man
4. Colorado Shit Dog
5. Wanna Wanna Jesus
6. Snake and Steak
7. IQ 69
8. Funkey Tockey
Credits
Nakamura Tatsuya – Drums, Trumpet
TOKIE - Bass
Katou Takashi - Guitar
Takeda Shinichi - Saxophone
Losalios - School of High Sense (2002)
1. Anaconda
2. Coganemushi
3. Hit Man
4. Colorado Shit Dog
5. Wanna Wanna Jesus
6. Snake and Steak
7. IQ 69
8. Funkey Tockey
Credits
Nakamura Tatsuya – Drums, Trumpet
TOKIE - Bass
Katou Takashi - Guitar
Takeda Shinichi - Saxophone
:::try it:::