Japanese legendary reed player and vocalist Akira Sakata often reads the anti-war poem «What the Dead Man Left Behind» (死んだ男の残したものは) by fellow Japanese poet (and translator) Shuntarō Tanikawa (1931-2024), which was written during the Vietnam War, in his performances, Sakata recites this poem in his performances with the trio Arashi, with Norwegian powerhouse drummer Paal Nilssen-Love, and with His trio Chikamorachi.
The poem begins: «This is what the dead man left behind / A lonely wife and lonely child / He didn’t leave anything behind / He didn’t even leave a single tombstone…» (死んだ男の残したものは/ ひとりの妻とひとりの子ども/ 他には何も残さなかった / 墓石ひとつ残さなかった…).
This poem was adapted before to music, most famously by composer Toru Takemitsu, but Large Unit’s version is clearly totally different. Nilssen-Love composed the 57-minute composition, Hohai Bushi, around this poem, based on a traditional Japanese melody from Tsugaru, Aomori in Japan, for the current 15-musician lineup of his Large Unit with Sakata. This composition was recorded at Tøyen Kirke in Oslo in June 2025.
Nilssen-Love’s Hohai Bushi incorporates recurring Japanese folk themes, expressed by the flute section of Signe Emmeluth, Marthe Lea, and Andreas Røysum, the shakuhachi of double bass player Christian Meaas Svendsen, and the ritualist percussion section of Celio de Carvalho, Andreas Wildhagen, and Nilssen-Love. Sakata delivers the powerful poem with great vocal conviction, in addition to his alto sax and clarinet playing, and he sounds as if he is fully possessed by the poem’s message against futile wars.
Hohai Bushi captures beautifully the feeling of vulnerability, anger, and sorrow expressed in Tanikawa’s poem with its wise, poetic play between introspective, often mournful segments of the reed and brass sections, the percussion section, the deep-toned double basses of Jon Rune Strøm and Svendsen, and Sakata’s dramatic, openly emotional voice. It reaches its emotional climax with a powerful, cathartic, and life-affirming coda before ending with accordionist Kalle Moberg’s mournful tone, marking a new highlight in the history of the Large Unit. Then Sakata repeats – solo – the Japanese folk melody on his clarinet.
Small Units: What Just Happened? Was recorded at the same place and on the same date and features four extended compositions by Nilssen-Love for five drummers, nine sax players, three accordionists, and three tubas.
«5 X 10 Composition for 5 drummers», with Ole Mofjell (of Emmeluth’s Amoeba and Hedvig Mollestad Weejuns), Andreas Wildhagen (of Large Unit and Andreas Røysum Ensemble), Jennifer Torrence (of the experimental percussion trio Pinquins), Dag Erik Knedal Andersen (of Cortex), and Nilssen-Love. This piece begins with drone-like percussion waves, suddenly cut by a series of sharp hits on the drums that patiently shape its reserved rhythmic drive.
«Spread Rain Composition for 6 saxophones», with Eivind Leifsen on soprano sax, Signe Emmeluth on alto sax (the leader of Emmeluth’s Amoeba, and of Fire! Orchestra, Andreas Røysum Ensemble, and Large Unit), Marthe Lea on tenor sax (the leader of her band, and of Large Unit), Aksel Ø. Røed on tenor sax (the leader of his Other Aspects), Hanne de Backer on baritone sax (of Gabbro and Largue Unit), and Andreas Røysum on bass clarinet (the leader of his ensemble, and of Marthe Lea band and Large Unit). This piece explores the overlapping, resonant timbres of this ad-hoc ensemble, from the ethereal and breathy to the explosive, playful, and ecstatic ones.
«Dragespel Composition for 3 accordions», with Maren Sofie Nyland Johansen (of the contemporary ensembles KRÆKK and AKSE), Mykola Sheremeta (who has played in the Extra Large Unit), and Kalle Moberg (of Large Unit and Nilssen-Love Circus). This piece begins with a statis-like drone, but soon is crisscrossed by fast, fragmented, chaotic, and dramatic shifts that exhaust the full sonic palettes of the three accordions. This approach brings to mind John Zorn’s classic piece for solo accordion, «Road Runner» (which Norwegian accordionist Frode Hlatli also performed).
«Zlang! Composition for 3 tubas», with Per Åke Holmlander (of Fire! Orchestra, Barry Guy New Orchestra, Anna Högberg Attack, and Large Unit), Børre Mølstad (a former member of Large Unit), and Sondre Ross Folkestad (who has played in Extra Large Unit). This piece plays with the dark, deep-toned sounds of the tubas and offers an unpredictable, subversive, and eccentric dance for such eccentric instruments.
Eyal Hareuveni
Akira Sakata (alto saxophone, Bb-clarinet, voice), Signe Emmeluth (alto saxophone, flute), Marthe Lea (tenor saxophone, flute), Hanne de Backer (baritone saxophone), Andreas Røysum (bass clarinet, flute), Niklas Barnö (trumpet), Mats Äleklint (trombone), Per Åke Holmlander (tuba), Kalle Moberg (accordion), Ketil Gutvik (electric guitar), Jon Rune Strøm (double bass), Christian Meaas Svendsen (double bass, shakuhachi), Celio de Carvalho (percussion, Paiste gong), Andreas Wildhagen (drums, percussion, Paiste gong), Paal Nilssen-Love (drums, percussion, Paiste gong), Ole Mofjell (drums), Jennifer Torrence (drums), Dag Erik Knedal Andersen (drums), Eivind Leifsen (soprano saxophone), Aksel Ø. Røed (tenor saxophone), Maren Sofie Nyland Johansen (accordion), Mykola Sheremeta (accordion), Børre Mølstad (tuba), Sondre Ross Folkestad (tuba)
