Hyperentasis by A. Sakata, G. Di Domenico, G. Damianidis, P. Damianidis, A. Škorić, P. Nilssen-Love, T. Yamamoto

Hyperentasis is a double LP celebrating the unique connection between legendary saxophonist Akira Sakata and the city of Thessaloniki. Home to Defkaz Records and the birthplace of the Damianidis brothers, Thessaloniki has welcomed Sakata countless times. This release captures two of his landmark performances as a bandleader in the city.

The first LP features the group Entasis with Giovanni Di Domenico (upright piano), Giotis Damianidis (electric guitar), Petros Damianidis (double bass), and Aleksandar Škorić (drums). Recorded at Duende Upstairs on March 27, 2023, it's a psychedelic free jazz journey where Sakata's melodic saxophone lines and Di Domenico's distinctive piano patterns weave seamlessly with the atmospheric guitar of Damianidis and a strong bass–drums foundation.

The second LP documents the 2025 tour honoring Akira Sakata's 80th birthday. Recorded at Club Omilos on January 29, 2025, and presented by Duende Jazz Club, Sakata 80 brings together two powerhouse drummers—Norwegian Paal Nilssen-Love and Japanese Tatsuhisa Yamamoto—alongside the Damianidis brothers, forming an electrifying quintet around the unstoppable Sakata. The music shifts between intense, tightly-packed climaxes and unpredictable, organic explorations, with the drummers' energy ranging from massive power to subtle percussive nuance, pushing the performance toward its ultimate destination: "Hyperentasis."

These two LPs are inseparable pieces of the same musical puzzle: the first sets the stage for the second, with the entire journey from Entasis to Hyperentasis spanning 90 minutes of pure, immersive free jazz.

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Samuel Beckett

art by Aki Karano

defkaz.com