Name: Ayumi Ishito
Nationality: Japanese
Occupation: Saxophonist, composer, improviser
Current Release: Ayumi Ishito's Wondercult Club is out via 577. The album features Hajime Yoshida (guitar), Yana Davydova (guitar), Yoshiki Yamada (bass), and Carter Bales (drums). Another recent release is the self-titled full-length with her trio Entropic Hop comprising Aron Namenwirth (guitar, recorder, poetry) as well as Kevin Shea (drums, electronics).
Recommendations: Album: Wake Up! by Wake Up! (2010); Album: Ethereal Essence by Cornelius (2024)

[Read our Kevin Shea interview]

If you enjoyed this Ayumi Ishito interview and would like to know more about her music and upcoming tour dates, visit her official website. She is also on Instagram, and Facebook, and bandcamp.



When did you first consciously start getting interested in musical improvisation? Which artists, teachers, albums or performances involving prominent use of improvisation captured your imagination in the beginning?

I began playing the saxophone while attending Ritsumeikan University in Japan. I joined a college big band that exclusively played Count Basie's music.

As a soloist, I studied and performed solos by jazz legends such as Lester Young, Ben Webster, and Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. This was my introduction to the concept of improvisation. I transcribed and memorized their solos and had the opportunity to play them in the big band, which was an enjoyable experience.

But even more exciting was that some senior students were already adept at improvising during their solos. After our big band practices, they would jam and improvise on jazz standards late into the night. I was intrigued by their abilities and found it very cool.



Tell me about your instrument and/or tools, please. What made you seek it out, what makes it “your” instrument, and what are some of the most important aspects of playing it?

I picked up the tenor saxophone because it looked shiny and cool. I was so young and didn’t know much about the instrument. After playing it, I loved its deep, low tone.

Great players always have personal sound. Like Dexter Gordon, Lester Young, Joe Henderson, Daniel Carter, etc, they play as if they are talking to me.



Sound is a significant aspect for me. I've been striving to connect with it, but it's always challenging.

How would you describe your own relationship with your instrument – is it an extension of your self/body, a partner and companion, a creative catalyst, a challenge to be overcome, something else entirely?

I have been playing my current horn for over 15 years. I love the sound and feel of the horn. I never considered replacing it with another horn so it became my life partner.

I wish I had a better technique to get more out of it. I’m still working on it every day, little by little.      

Do you feel as though there are at least elements of composition and improvisation which are entirely unique to each? Based on your own work or maybe performances or recordings by other artists, do you feel that there are results which could only have happened through one of them?

I think the composition is 100% controlled by me and the improvisation is interaction with other musicians.

Improvisation is teamwork that composes and orchestrates the moment with others.     

When you're improvising, does it actually feel like you're inventing something on the spot – or are you inventively re-arranging patterns from preparations, practise or previous performances? What balance is there between forgetting and remembering in your work?

When I’m improvising, I’m more focused on how to support, blend, or connect with other musicians. I can’t provide something completely original, but I want to be a good listener who can give what is needed at the moment in the music.

I normally try not to think about what I play when I’m improvising, but then even unconsciously, the stuff that comes out of me is something I have practiced before.

I need to keep myself updated by practicing and playing with others consistently back and forth.

Are you acting out parts of your personality in your improvisations which you couldn't or wouldn't through other musical approaches? If so, which are these? What, would you say, are the key ideas behind your approach to improvisation?

I believe improvisation is spontaneous music that honestly expresses oneself. No matter what I play, no matter if it’s good or bad, I try not to judge it and just let it flow.

I used to have a habit of self-denial, but since I started playing free improvised music, I have become more accepting of myself.

In terms of your personal expression and the experience of performance, how does playing solo compare to group improvisations?

Playing solo is challenging for me. As I answered above, my main focus on improvisation is interaction with others. I have only played solo a few times, but I have learned a lot from those experiences.

When I play solo, I have to push myself further, which helps me discover new ideas.

In your best improvisations, do you feel a strong sense of personal presence or do you (or your ego) “disappear”?

In my best improvisations, I feel a strong sense of personal presence not driven by my ego.

In a live situation, decisions between creatives often work without words. From your experience and current projects, what does this process feel like and how does it work?

We typically don't discuss the direction before playing, but that may be because we already understand everyone's approach to music and trust each other strongly.

To put it another way, I sometimes find it more exciting to play with someone I have never played with before, or with rare instrumentation I have never tried before, without any expectations.

Stewart Copeland said: “Listening is where the cool stuff comes from. And that listening thing, magically, turns all of your chops into gold.” What do you listen for?

I agree with Stewart Copeland. Creation always starts with my imagination, but without listening, my imagination won't grow. Listening keeps me curious and motivated.

There can be surprising moments during improvisations – from one of the performers not playing a single note to another shaking up a quiet section with an outburst of noise. Have you been part of similar situations and how did they impact the performance from your point of view?

I enjoy those unexpected moments because they can take the music to new and surprising places.

There is no right or wrong. We can continue from that point and have fun together.

I have always been fascinated by the many facets of improvisation but sometimes found it hard to follow them as a listener. Do you have some recommendations for “how to listen” in this regard?

I can imagine that it would be hard to follow those types of music especially when it’s very abstract.

I recommend seeing them live. Seeing a live performance can provide a completely different experience where you can feel the vibration and texture of the sound more precisely.

In a way, improvisations remind us of the transitory nature of life. When an improvisation ends, is it really gone, just like a cup of coffee? Or does it live on in some form?

I actually like that aspect of improvised music. When the music stops, you can never relive the same moment, which I think is beautiful. That makes improvised music more appreciated.

I believe that even though the music is gone, it leaves a strong inspiration for the audience.