Listen: ASA-CHANG & Junray - Live at Le Guess Who? 2024

Recordings

ASA-CHANG & Junray performed live at TivoliVredenburg's Pandora during Le Guess Who? 2024. You can now relive the full, spellbinding performance via the recording below - a mesmerizing hour of unprecedented music making.

ASA-CHANG is the founder and original bandmaster of Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, who, upon leaving the ensemble in the early nineties, formed ASA-CHANG & Junray with programmer and guitarist Hidehiko Urayama. Now, the eccentric duo is accompanied by violinist Anzu Suhara. Named after their unique Jun-Ray Tronics sound system, 'junray' also means 'pilgrimage', which makes sense; back from a pandemic-driven hiatus, they return to take music to places it has never been before.

"Japanese experimental trio ASA-CHANG & Junray plays a show that constantly oscillates between the relative chill of trumpet solos and more conversational harmonies, with a major supporting role for violinist Anzu Suhara. Suhara is also the one who often initiates joint readings of music-laced poems. An absolute highlight is reached with a performance of 花, an intense track with heavy string parts, exciting percussion, multi-part spoken word and - not on record but only live - terrifying screams." - Gonzo (circus)

Le Guess Who? Recordings

The publication of this recording is part of Le Guess Who?’s ongoing expansion of the festival’s recordings archive, with 100+ recordings from past editions now freely available online.

This archive contains audio and/or video recordings of performances by Kamilya Jubran, Alan Sparhawk, Stereolab, Tom Skinner, Selda Bağcan, clipping., Aldous Harding, Deerhunter, Art Ensemble of Chicago, The Microphones, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Lightning Bolt, Neneh Cherry, Arooj Aftab, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, and many more.

Captured at TivoliVredenburg's Pandora on Friday, 8 November 2024.

Audio recording by Vera Kraaijkamp; mix by Marc Broer
Photography by Tim van Veen