Hishakaku Quartet - The First Proxy

The Hishakaku Quartet’s new album The First Proxy is out now on Earshift Music with launch dates in Melbourne and the 2018 Wangaratta International Jazz Festival.

Comprised of 2017 Australian Jazz Award winner and runner up, trombonist James Macaulay and trumpeter Niran Dasika, the chord-less quartet features inspired original compositions from the ensemble, synergetic interplay between the two front line and confluent support from Australian-Japanese rhythm section of Marty Holoubek and drummer Shun Ishiwaka.

The band members have a long collaborative history of working together in groups such as the Lagerphones, Aaron Choulai Quintet, Niran Dasika Quartet, Shun Ishiwaka Clean Up Trio as well as other Tokyo-based projects. The new formation as the Hishakaku Quartet is named after their favourite Yakitori restaurant in Ekoda, which they visited following their recording session.

Macaulay and Holoubek first met Ishiwaka whilst performing with Aaron Choulai in 2014 in Japan, and the musical rapport was instantaneous, particularly in the way Holoubek and Ishiwaka melded so well, able to play with freedom and creativity whilst retaining energy and momentum. This was documented on Choulai’s release Vada Taudia (Apollo Sounds, 2017). Dasika relocated from Melbourne to Tokyo from 2016-2017, quickly becoming an in-demand trumpeter, featured on several albums including Kemano’s Metamoru City (Sony Music Artists Inc), Akihiro Yoshimoto’s Oxymoron (MOR Records), Sumire Kuribayashi’s Pieces of Colour (Somethin’ Cool, also featuring Macaulay) and Ishiwaka’s second solo album Songbook II (YoungS’tones Records). Ishiwaka also features on Dasika’s latest quartet album Suzaku (Apollo Sounds).