Blending intricate grooves, fearless improvisation, and global textures, the Ken Okada Group ft. YOYOKA makes an electrifying debut with their 2023 album Square One — a seven-track journey that marks a defining statement in the evolving landscape of jazz fusion.
At the heart of the project is bassist and composer Ken Okada, whose vision for rhythmically driven, narrative-rich compositions sets the tone for the entire record. Alongside him is YOYOKA, a drumming sensation who, at just 13 years old during the recording, delivers explosive performances that defy her age. Her playing is not only technically masterful but emotionally intuitive, anchoring the album’s pulse with precision and fire.
Rounding out the quartet are Grammy-winning tenor saxophonist Ben Torres and DownBeat Magazine’s Rising Star guitarist Hristo Vitchev, whose melodic expressiveness and bold improvisation infuse each track with color and texture. The chemistry among the four musicians is unmistakable — captured live in-studio at Acoustic Sound Shop Studios in San Jose, California — resulting in an album that feels both raw and refined, urgent yet composed.
From the propulsive energy of the opening track “Nine Gates”, to the lyrical serenity of the closer “Traces”, Square One travels through a sonic landscape where jazz meets funk, rock, and cinematic flair. Songs like “Hotel El Hot” and “Red Herring” highlight Okada’s gift for storytelling through sound, while “Say Something” and “Temujin” reveal the band’s capacity for emotional depth and dynamic interplay.
“This album was about capturing that first spark,” says Ken Okada. “The first time this lineup came together in a room, the sound just clicked — it felt honest, fresh, and full of life.”
Entirely composed and produced by Okada, Square One also benefits from meticulous post-production: mixing by Nobuki Matsui, mastering by Ryoji Hata, and engineering by Doug Pohorski, with drum tech support and sound direction by Akifumi Soma. Visually, the album is brought to life by the artwork of Kaori Drome, complementing the sonic world with bold, evocative design.
Tracklist:
- Nine Gates (5:26)
- Square One (5:40)
- Hotel El Hot (5:15)
- Say Something (4:56)
- Red Herring (4:25)
- Temujin (5:01)
- Traces (5:33)
With Square One, Ken Okada Group ft. YOYOKA deliver more than just a debut — they announce themselves as a vital new voice in modern jazz, unafraid to take risks and guided by a shared spirit of adventure. This is a must-hear for jazz fusion fans and anyone drawn to music that thrives at the crossroads of precision, emotion, and innovation.
