From Tokyo to Glasgow, via London, Vilnius, Paris, Marseille and Bratislava. An international line-up and an explosive genre cocktail blending samba, jazz, psychedelic rock, the spirit of tropicália, Japanese pop and even echoes of Dežo Ursiny. “Bratislava and Tokyo are the artistic soil I grew up on. Nights in Bratislava filled with conversations, improvisation and old records permanently changed the way I see music and the world,” says co-founder Mashu Harada, who studied at the Cambridge International School in the Slovak capital. The ensemble will make its exclusive Czech premiere on the Full Moon Stage, appearing in a nine-member formation.
Ari Tsugi, a richly textured international collective based primarily in London, performed fourteen shows at last year’s edition of the legendary Glastonbury Festival. Their tracks are regularly featured on BBC 6 Music and Jazz FM, championed by respected hosts such as Gilles Peterson and Deb Grant. Reflecting their Slovak connection, their latest album Ryto Vėjas ir Mėnulis was released last autumn on Slnko Records. The title — translated from Lithuanian as Morning Wind and Moon — refers to the fragile balance between closeness and distance that shapes our lives in many forms: from falling in love and separation to reconciliation, as well as broader societal shifts such as war and peace. Inspired by renowned Brazilian musician Fabiano do Nascimento from Rio de Janeiro, the album was recorded live under the guidance of Lithuanian producer Vilius Jokubaitis.