On Ayumi Ishito’s latest album, Wondercult Club, she combines a myriad of styles with her quintet, sometimes in one song. Take the opener, “Sugar High People.” You can start with carefree samba rhythms, move into dissonant free jazz, another tempo change, and you’re back where you started. It’s interesting, adventurous stuff from the Brooklyn-based sax player who’s not afraid to incorporate any style she fancies into her music. One reviewer was reminded of 80s-era King Crimson (though I hear 70s Crimson in there too), writing, “‘Hot Summer Nightmares’ winds an accessible harmonic sensibility to jagged syncopated prog rhythms.”(All Music)

Ishito is from Ishikawa, Japan and began playing saxophone at university when she was 19. She received a scholarship to study at the Berklee School of Music and moved to NYC after graduating. A member of The Jazz Thieves, Eighty-pound Pug, Big Squid, Platypus Revenge (all great band names!) and GADADU, she’s obviously a prolific artist. As part of Roboquarians (George Draguns: Guitar; Kevin Shea: Drums), she released Vol. 1 earlier this year.

One of her collaborators is Daniel Carter, who runs the 577 label. Wondercult Club is her first album on that label and third overall. Also featured on the record are Hajime Yoshida and Yana Davydova (Guitar), Yoshiki Yamada (Bass), Carter Bales (Drums). She often plays dates at a variety of clubs in NYC, so check her out if you can. You’re sure to be surprised, engaged, and entertained.