Steve Jansen - S/D

Search: his work on Ippu-Do's 'Night Mirage' and 'Live and Zen'; Masami Tsuchiya's 'Rice Music'; Melon's 'Do You Like Japan?'; and whatever Yukihiro Takahashi albums he plays on. And obviously the last 3 Japan albums.

I've never really gotten into any of the JBK albums or The Dolphin Brothers, or even his new album 'Slope', though I don't dislike any of them. I think he's a great drummer. Kind of a minimalist.

'other worlds in a small room' is a brilliant ambient record from 1983, similar to some of ryuichi sakamoto's ambient work from the same period; lots of eastern influence in the melodies and synth voices.

anyone going to see him in Tokyo Feb 29?

All this Japan drama on the Sylvian thread got me thinking about the rest of the band. There's no ILM discussion of the Jansen/Barbieri/Karn material from the 90s - I just revisited "Ism" and it's much better than I remembered. There's one track where they rock out that sort of throws me, it's really out of place, but the rest of the album shares Rain Tree Crow's vibe. Next up is their live "Playing In A Room" album, I don't remember that one either.

Anyone heard the Jansen/Barbieri/Takemura album?

no, but occasionally I'll go through and listen to most of these that I have, and they're all good, if slightly unmemorable.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I just listened to the Jansen/Barbieri/Takemura album and it's got some very nice bits on it but, as you say, it's not all that memorable. I find when Jansen and Barbieri work with Karn, that's when the real magic happens. Though Jansen's "Slope" is a real career highpoint, in no small part due to the guest vocalists, and the follow up, "Tender Extinction", is very good as well for the same reason.

'Stories Across Borders' with Barbieri (and Karn guesting on a couple tracks) is quite nice. A great companion piece to the Rain Tree Crow album.
The post-'SaB' stuff, up through 'Slope'? Lots of gems, but also a bit more of a proggy feeling at times that turns me off. Great moments here and there though.
Jansen certainly a master at sound design (if a bit fussy on occasion) and a truly unique voice on drums.

Jansen/Barbieri's Stone To Flesh is terrific. Mark Feltham guests on harmonica, which occasionally gives it a Colour of Spring vibe. The live Lumen is also very good, with the trio augmented by a young Steven Wilson on guitar to make it feel like a supergroup, if only in hindsight. Both albums were recently reissued.

Steve's got a new project, Exit North, with one of my favorite unknown vocalists, Thomas Feiner: https://exitnorth.bandcamp.com/album/book-of-romance-and-dust

It's mostly mellow, with touches of that Rain Tree Crow/Blemish vibe all over the place. Recommended.

October seems to be the right month for this kind of music. I am just checking out "Stone to Flesh" and it is wonderful. I much prefer Steve's voice to his brother's David's. They are similar and have the same accent but David's is so much more mannered.

New album from Exit North, really great. Full of drama via piano and stand up bass.

https://exitnorth.bandcamp.com/album/anyway-still