Shuichi Umezu, who had returned from the New York loft jazz scene, and pianist Yoriyuki Harada formed the group "Shukai" alongside alto saxophonist Junji Mori and drummer Takashi Kikuchi. This album captures a live performance from December 24, 1976, at the jazz café "Alone" in Hachioji—a vital hub that, alongside "Aketa's Shop" in Nishi-Ogikubo, s ...Read more (Original Japanese text by Adachi)upported the scene of the time and served as their base of operations from 1973 to 1977. "AGFis," which occupies Side A, is a dense, extended improvisation—a storm of freely erupting, clashing improvisations. In stark contrast, Side B takes on a festive atmosphere, with humorous theatrical elements woven in, culminating in a moving grand finale that rises from a delicate piano melody reportedly dedicated to Harada’s newborn son. Released on the independent label Des Chonboo Records, this is the only work by the group Shūdan Sokkai. It stands as a crucial record in the history of Japanese free jazz, documenting how the musicians themselves operated on a shoestring budget and began to unleash their creativity in small suburban venues. Part of the production costs were covered by advertisements from local shops, and the numerous, mostly handwritten ads filling the back of the album jacket are a highlight in their own right. (Original Japanese text by Adachi)