Ari Tsugi ft: Liam Shorthall - Haru (春) (Single)
“Haru (春)” is the new single from Glasgow-based psychedelic jazz group Ari Tsugi, featuring trombone from Scottish native Liam Shorthall. The track follows previous single “Hold Me Tight (抱きしめて)” which saw support from Gilles Peterson (BBC 6Music/Worldwide FM), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), ‘Round Midnight (BBC Radio 3), Deb Grant & Tom Ravenscroft (BBC 6Music), Dom Servini(Jazz FM), Emily Pilbeam (BBC 6Music), Bandcamp Weekly, FIP Radio France.
Both feature on the band’s upcoming debut album ‘Simultaneity (同時性)’, out Friday 5th July on renowned producer Rebecca Vasmant’s imprint Rebecca’s Records.
Coming together from cities across the world, Ari Tsugi converge global echoes ina symphony of spiritual jazz, psychedelic fusion, and Brazilian rhythms.
‘Simultaneity (同時性)’ is a musical attempt to represent a journey of a spirit which seeks warmth, contentedness and ultimately the answer to his question of existence. Across the album, the spirit travels in time, feeling the changes in season – starting in spring and journeying through to winter. Translating to mean ‘spring’ in Japanese, “Haru (春)” represents the beginning of the spirit’s journey, after it prays for security on “Hold Me Tight (抱きしめて)”. As the lyrics from“Haru (春)” translates: “To find it, seasons continue the journey, and in the blink of an eye, Summer arrives.”
Though the spirit does not find anything that satisfies his curiosity over the course of the album, he goes through an awakening, realising a spiritual truth. The final track, and title track of the album, represents his awakened state where he exists simultaneously in all time – where seasons are not distinguished anymore, and all things exist as one unity.
The word Simultaneity is a technical term from the theory of Special Relativity representing two distinct events happening at the same time. This fluidity is embodied in the musical exploration of Ari Tsugi. Comprised of mostly self-taught musicians, the soundscape is a unique melting pot of UK Jazz scenes and the raw energy that comes from psychedelic rock. Produced and mixed by Glasgow-based musician Sam Bancroft (Starsky-Rae) alongside engineer-producer Villus Vilo Jokubaitis, the album features offerings from Liam Shorthall and India Blue(Azamiah) alongside the original Ari Tsugi trio – Clement Gaud, Joe Weisberg and Mashu Harada – with keys from Angus MacDonald being added later down the line.
The original line up of Ari Tsugi was born in Glasgow, Scotland while Clement, Joe and Mashu were studying at university, playing in different bands within the same scene. On a sunny day, the musical journey began with a serendipitous encounter in a west-end Glasgow flat, Mashu (guitar) had organised a jam, and Clement (bass/guitar), Joe (drums) and Angus (keys) showed up to play. This formation led to a swirling sound combining elements of spiritual jazz, psychedelic rock and Brazillion melodies evoking a sense of interconnectedness and embracing the beauty of musical diversity. Their compositions are a testament to their commitment to pushing artistic boundaries and exploring new sonic frontiers. Through intricate arrangements, captivating improvisations, and evocative melodies, Ari Tsugi invites listeners to embark on a transformative journey of the senses.
Now consisting of eight members, including bass, vocals, flute and cello, Ari Tsugi have had multiple DIY residencies in Glasgow, London, and Epinal (France). They have toured through Europe, playing at various jazz bars and small underground venues, always playing one rehearsed set and one improvised set with a guest musician. They have showcased their talents at festivals including Karakumai Festival (Lithuania) and Tranzl8tor Festival (Germany) and are set to take to the stage at Glastonbury Festival in 2024.