Based on the themes of jazz and free jazz, the trio of Kazuo Imai (guitar), Manabu Suzuki (handmade electronics), and Atsuhiro Ito (optron) was formed in July of 2005. The combination of easily controllable musical instruments, and electric sound devices that cannot be controlled precisely, gives rise to a form of music that does not remain stable. From this point I am attempting to explore what to me is the jazz(like music) of today. (By Kazuo Imai)
Kazuo Imai
Guitarist/electronics musician. Studied with Masayuki Takayanagi and Takehisa Kosugi. Imai started improvising in the '70s. In '91 he launched his solo series Solo Works, and since '97 he has been organizing the collective improvisation project Marginal Consort.
Atsuhiro Ito
Born in 1965. Since around 1998, Ito has been creating performances with the optron, his original sound device incorporating fluorescent light. At first these performances approached sound from a contemporary art-based perspective, but in recent years they have taken on a more musical character. In addition to his many exhibitions and solo performances, Ito is active in various units including Optrum, the Kazuo Imai Trio, and Offseason.
Manabu Suzuki
In 2000, Suzuki started designing original instruments using electronics technology, and using these instruments in improvisation. He creates devices that make use of analog oscillators, digital sound sources, personal computers, MIDI, and wireless radios. He also produces devices for other musicians.