Michel Reis "Japan" Quartet at Sunset-Sunside

Hailed as a 'tremendous pianist' by Downbeat Magazine, Michel Reis brings together in his Japan Quartet long time collaborators Akihiro Nishigushi and Takashi Sugawa whom he has been working with for the past 15 years. They met while studying together in Boston, MA. In 2015, together with rising-star drummer Shun Ishiwaka, they formed the Michel Reis Japan Quartet. This band has since touring numerous times, playing at some of Japan’s most famous clubs and festivals. The Japan Quartet released its first album in 2018, and it features all original material by Michel Reis. The music bears Reis’ typical traits as a composer, with a focus on clear melodic content. However the Quartet also ventures in more avant-garde territory and explores free form improvisation. Four tracks on their new album are freely improvised, yet still focusing on recurring themes and ideas, invented and developed in the moment. Michel Reis and the members of his quartet try to broaden the musical horizon of the band, by taking advantage of every sonic and rhythmical esthetic which they spontaneously encounter while interacting on stage. Michel Reis’ Japan Quartet combines well crafted compositions with a more loose improvised approach in order to create an exciting and fresh musical soundscape....

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Hailed as a 'tremendous pianist' by Downbeat Magazine, Michel Reis brings together in his Japan Quartet long time collaborators Akihiro Nishigushi and Takashi Sugawa whom he has been working with for the past 15 years. They met while studying together in Boston, MA. In 2015, together with rising-star drummer Shun Ishiwaka, they formed the Michel Reis Japan Quartet. This band has since touring numerous times, playing at some of Japan’s most famous clubs and festivals. The Japan Quartet released its first album in 2018, and it features all original material by Michel Reis. The music bears Reis’ typical traits as a composer, with a focus on clear melodic content. However the Quartet also ventures in more avant-garde territory and explores free form improvisation. Four tracks on their new album are freely improvised, yet still focusing on recurring themes and ideas, invented and developed in the moment. Michel Reis and the members of his quartet try to broaden the musical horizon of the band, by taking advantage of every sonic and rhythmical esthetic which they spontaneously encounter while interacting on stage. Michel Reis’ Japan Quartet combines well crafted compositions with a more loose improvised approach in order to create an exciting and fresh musical soundscape.

Décrit comme un « pianiste formidable » par le Downbeat Magazine, Michel Reis réunit au sein de son « Japan Quartet » : Akihiro Nishigushi & Takashi Sugawa avec qui il travaille depuis 15 ans. Tous ont rencontré Shun Ishiwaka, star montante de la batterie, en 2015 lorsqu’ils étudiaient à Boston. Depuis 2015 leur groupe a enchainé les tournées, s’est produit dans les endroits les plus renommés du Japon et a sorti son premier album en 2018. Leur musique traduit le goût du compositeur, Reis, pour les mélodies claires mais tous les quatre s’aventurent également dans des sons plus avant-gardistes et des formes libre d’improvisations. Par exemple, 4 morceaux de leur album sont des improvisations autour de thèmes et idées récurrentes. Le « Japan Quartet » de Michel Reis associe des compositions bien élaborées à des phases d’improvisations plsu légères pour un créer un environnement musical excitant et original !

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