MAX DEVEREAUX/HAYASHIPOOO/NAMEBYNAMES – LIVE AT ENVIRONMENT0G, OSAKA – 04.10.2024

(digital exclusive  – A New Wave Of Jazz)

When guitarist MAX DEVEREAUX reached out to our label for a possible release, we went together through a variety of recordings.  And it was this striking performance that really triggered our ears.  A live room recording that, despite its quality restrictions, still documented this incredible concert with all its nuances, strength and stream of instant ideas between the 3 protagonists.  LIVE IN OSAKA is an electrifying, multi-layered and provocative performance.  We’re very thrilled to release this gem on our label in our digital exclusive series.

Recorded on Max Devereaux’s 30th birthday during his 2024 tour of Japan, Live at environment0g, Osaka — 04.10.2024 captures the final performance of his journey south through the country. The event took place at the renowned subterranean experimental venue, environment0g, in Osaka’s Nishi ward—a district defined by its stark, modern reconstruction following significant air-raid bombing devastation in WWII.

The performance was envisioned as a birthday celebration, organized with the help of Osaka-based electronic musician and longtime collaborator Chie Otomi. While Otomi initially suggested a solo set, Devereaux opted for a collaborative trio, inviting the night’s opening electronic artists, hayashipooo and nameBYnames, to join him. This arrangement allowed Devereaux to study their sonic palettes from the audience during their opening sets before introducing his electric guitar stylings into the mix.

The performance was deeply informed by the environment; Devereaux cites the relentless construction noise outside the hotel he was staying at in Osaka, Zone Shinsaibashi West, as a primary influence. The sounds of a city perpetually “under construction” mirrored his own artistic transition into a new decade. To reflect this, he utilized a “dislodged,” unfinished guitar style, stitching broken melodies into unpredictable electronic landscapes and broadcasting a small portable radio through his pickups—inspired by his hero, John Cage.

Accompanied by experimental visuals from nameBYnames and BGM by Otomi, the event served as a raw reflection on thirty years of life and a creative process that remains—much like the city itself—an experimental work in progress.

Get the album here :
https://newwaveofjazz.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-environment0g-osaka-04102024