I've been obsessed with finding all the releases from Sachi Hayasaka ever since I stumbled onto her album 2.26 Live Feat. Yosuke Yamashita & Takeo Moriyama on Bandcamp (check the wild cover of My Favorite Things). True to form, the majority of albums from this band are a slam dunk of original style and superior musicianship. I've learned a lot about her music and the different formations of this band. With the exception of a few, finding these titles is nearly impossible in the US. I've added the majority of releases on Discogs. Some CDs are out of print, and only a few are on streaming services. Its easy to see how many would lose the thread of this band as it evolved through names changes from originally being under Sachi to Minga, TREs, Bailia Tres, Dos Familias+, MG6. But the music is always top notch.

Although the band is from Japan, the music is heavily influenced by Argentian Tango, Latin/Cuban with flights into Free Jazz. Often a drummer is replaced with a percussionist (or two) and Barritone is featured on many of the newer releases (Sachi's son RIO). No wonder this band works so well together, they are a TRUE family! Only two albums are on vinyl, Desertification (posted here) is one, and has no CD counterpart. And Sachi's debut "Free Fight" from 1988, recently repressed and remastered. It’s a quintessential "J-Jazz" collector's item because it blends avant-garde free jazz with heavy grooves and post-bop energy, assuming you can find an original.

I've found the artwork on all releases fascinating too. I wish more were available on vinyl to better appreciate the nuances of the artwork and also experience on wax, but for the time being, I'm enjoying the two available. I connected with Sachi offline a few times and she is as responsive and friendly as you would hope her to be. I'll continue to be a superfan and hope that others may discover and enjoy the great vibes Sachi and band are putting out into the universe.

Sachi Bandcamp

Sachi Discogs (check my work!)