In this special project at Roulette, saxophonist and composer Saco Yasuma will bring forth her native Japanese melodies and combine them with African sounds to continue exploring the openness of music without boundaries. Spontaneous interactions and organic evolution in the performance will be the other exciting part of this concert.
The emnsemble, YOIN’ – Unit Of Seven, is the expanded unit of the trio with Jason Kao Hwang (viola) and Ken Filiano (bass). Saco invited four other extraordinary musicians for this performance including Kaoru Watanabe (Flute, Fue, Taiko), Steve Swell (Trombone), Michael Wimberly (percussion) and Sean Clements (percussion).

Saco was born in Furukawa City, Japan. She was a classically trained pianist and active keyboardist in rock bands in Tokyo. After arriving in New York City in 1989, she discovered the saxophone and was inspired by many kinds of music including Avant-Jazz. She has worked with Billy Bang, Roy Campbell, Jr., Sabir Mateen, Steve Swell, Jackson Krall, Ras Moshe and Albey Balgochian among others, and has collaborated with poets, dancers, artists. She leads a variety of configurations of ensembles, including the collaboration project with the visual artist, Amir Bey, SYNERGY: Sight and Sound.