Sights (Japanese band)
Sights was a Japanese improvisational jazz trio formed in Kyoto in 1990, featuring trombonist Yutaka Ohara, bassist Hiroshi Funato and drummer Yasuhiro Yoshigaki. They were a prominent force in the 1990s Kansai free improvisation scene, noted for their energetic live performances and eclectic musical style.
History
The group emerged out of Kyoto’s vibrant underground jazz and performance spaces. According to Jazz Critique No. 86, they played regularly in venues such as Minoya Hall and Kobe’s Big Apple, blending improvisation with theatrical flair to create a sound that was “joyful, powerful and intense.”According to contributor Hiroshi Funato in Jazz Critique No. 89, Sights stood out within the Kyoto scene for their adventurous spirit and the trio's deep musical rapport. They offered a live experience that was both approachable and challenging—reminiscent of a communal musical conversation, not just a performance.
A live review by Toyoki Okajima in the same issue described their sound as “like a marching brass band passing through the venue,” despite the trio format.
Musical style
The band's music drew on a mixture of influences—marching band rhythms, calypso, Afro-Caribbean, swing and Latin grooves—woven into dense, vibrant trio improvisations. Ohara cited salsa and Afro-Cuban traditions as early inspirations, Funato brought African and European elements, and Yoshigaki contributed rhythmic flexibility and intensity.Reception
Contemporary reviews in Jazz Critique praised Sights for their unique sound and their role in energizing the Kansai jazz scene of the 1990s. Their live performances were remembered as communal and exuberant—like a living, breathing musical dialogue rather than a structured solo show.Discography
This discography is based on listings in Jazz Critique and Japanese archival sources.El Sur
Sur Music OYO-1, cassette, 1990First Sight
Recording: April–May 1992, Sound Inn CATRelease: August 15, 1992, DNA ACT-1
| No. | Title | Duration | Composer |
| 1 | Fall To Funk | 2:32 | Yutaka Ohara |
| 2 | El Sur | 6:19 | Yutaka Ohara |
| 3 | Africa Suites Part1 / Part2 | 9:55 | Yutaka Ohara |
| 4 | Dexpso | 4:31 | Yutaka Ohara |
| 5 | O-Yo | 4:40 | Yutaka Ohara |
| 6 | Days | 6:49 | Yutaka Ohara |
| 7 | Tarara ~ Matsuri | 6:07 | Yutaka Ohara |
| 8 | Insects’ House | 2:29 | Yutaka Ohara |
Pink: Live at Big Apple
Sur Music OYO-2, cassette, 1994Tatta
Recording: January 1995Release: September 25, 1995, Voice From All Access VAA-001
| No. | Title | Composer |
| 1 | Jump Up! | Yutaka Ohara |
| 2 | Barcelona | Yutaka Ohara |
| 3 | Shuffle | Yutaka Ohara |
| 4 | Ojara | Yutaka Ohara |
| 5 | Meu Voz | Yutaka Ohara |
| 6 | Tatta | Yutaka Ohara |
| 7 | ? | Yutaka Ohara |
| 8 | Adam | Yutaka Ohara |
| 9 | Pink | Yutaka Ohara |
| 10 | Results | Yutaka Ohara |
| 11 | Insects House | Yutaka Ohara |
| 12 | Far a Way | Yutaka Ohara |
El Sur
OFF NOTE reissue, CD, 2001| No. | Title |
| 1 | Tarara ~ Matsuri |
| 2 | Days |
| 3 | Choto |
| 4 | One Morning ~ Cafe Naniwa |
| 5 | Sur |
| 6 | Insect House |