I’d be tempted to recommend Yaryu project’s new release just on the basis of their commitment to creating community in today’s increasingly divided world, but it just so happens the music is great as well.
Yaryu began as a duo, keyboardist/harpist Hyozo and Indian flute/harpist Hajime Orikawa who hold improvisational music workshops with both experienced and inexperienced musicians, encouraging participation by all present. Refreshingly, rather than give pride of place to the best musicians, they place more importance on the best expression possible among the members participating at the time. It’s an impressive endeavour, with over 200 people having attended the workshops and so far 7 session recordings. It’s a serious labour of love.
Probably for the sake of sanity they’ve stripped down to some core members for this recording and united behind a guiding musical philosophy, the vibes coalescing around new age, spiritual jazz, cautious psychedelia and kosmische sounds, which I’m hoping might put me in the running for musical director if ever the position became available.
The recording itself is the distillation of several 20th century musical golden ages - whether jazz arkestras or counter cultural collectives, the deep appreciation for their cultural ancestors is worn proudly on their sleeves, but fear not For Damage is anything but lame 21st century pastiche.
Most of the tracks ooze serenity, peace and love, and don’t we all need some of that these days? Apart from a little mid-recording krautrockery, where it sounds like someone misjudged the microdosing and things got a bit ritualistic, the LP is an exercise in blissful spiritual jazz, anchored by a deeply soulful, almost horizontal grooviness and soaked in new age radiance for good measure. It’s a wonderful listen, capped by the sprawling twenty minute long, "Shirabe" which is perhaps the best thing thing to happen to spiritual jazz in 2024.
Respect must go to America’s Centripetal, the UK’s Cardinal Fuzz and Australia’s Ramble Records for another fine collaborative release, there is strength in numbers.
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