Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on October 2011

German free-jazz sax giant Peter Brötzmann turns 70 this year. To fete the occasion, the royalty of Japan’s avant-garde music scene will join him in a series of gigs at Shinjuku jazz temple Pit Inn. The self-taught Brötzmann earned his stripes playing with key US free-jazz innovators like Ornette Coleman in the 1960s. BrötzFest kicks off with his trio, including drummer Paal Nilssen-Love and cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm, joined by adventurous guitarists Keiji Haino and Yoshihide Otomo. Further guests include avant-koto player Michiyo Yagi and onetime Sonic Youth guitarist Jim O’Rourke in a tour also hitting Yokohama, Chiba and Ogikubo.

Pit Inn, Oct 14-16 (listing)