Tokyo-based Australian bassist-composer Marty Holoubek’ debut album Trio I, out through Earshift Music/Apollo Sound, is a memoir to the adventures, trials and tribulations of relocating to a foreign country and building a new life.

Featuring his long-time musical collaborators, including the extraordinary drummer Shun Ishiwaka and pianist James Bowers, the album is a highly dynamic musical exploration of the piano trio format.

Trio I is a collection of original compositions written during and shortly after Holoubek’s move to Japan. The pieces reflect the emotional journey of this time drawing on influences from Aaron Parks, Paul Grabowsky, Rage Against the Machine and Celtic folk music.

Despite this being his debut album, Holoubek is somewhat of a young veteran, having worked with Australian musical legends such as Paul Grabowsky, Allan Brown, Scott Tinkler, David Campbell, Jamie Oehlers, James Morrison, Tony Gould as well as international artists such as Taylor Eigsti, Terumasa Hino, Gene Jackson, Dave Douglas, Kenny Werner, Lulo Reindhart and Leroy Jones. More recently, Holoubek has made an enthusiastic contribution to the Japanese music scene, including performances at the Tokyo Jazz Festival with his band SMTK, the Iwate Jazz Festival with his trio, and the Kagoshima Jazz Festival with pianist Taylor Eigsti. He has also collaborated with other Japanese-based artists including Toku, Jim O'Rourke, and Ishibashi Eiko.

Holoubek says of playing with Ishiwaka and Bowers: “Playing with musicians of such musicianship, sensitivity and compassion has been a truly moving experience.”

“The centre is not holding but these hymns played on the drenched deck are such a gorgeous transmutational vantage point. We hear the mighty Marty-Chi-Gull with its proper low flow soul chimes and all the dank harvesting. We hear the Bowers-Tristano-Bird with its present moment singingness. Grooving. And we hear Shun, the great egret with its quiet wild wing fires and its rattling yearning stank of the now.

This wonderful aviary provides for us what is most important; a place to dream. An oak tree arcs with the wind here, blue speckled sound eggs of promise are laid there, necktie alarms are dutifully ignored while tiny trout voicing flecks appear and are then gone with the cresting gospel bebop pop in these prismatic maps which dig us sublime culture tunnels from Wilson's prom to Tokyo. Break up songs, warrior songs, deeply felt songs, Joey songs, rain falling in August songs and real unity, joy and blood. Laughter during playbacks. フルフィルメント.

Sim Sala Bim your 24/7, 365 Natsuyasumi is here and it’s a doozy! Love it.”

Barney McAll - Wilsons Promontory National Park