Mabui Shun Ishiwaka, Yusei Takahashi, Marty Holoubek, Tomoaki Baba

• 1 Ballade Atsume 04:50
• 2 Sepiageshiki 07:43
• 3 Sasanoha 06:28
• 4 Immortal Jellyfish 04:11
• 5 Old Friends II 04:59
• 6 Tamatebako 04:14
• 7 Mabui Ichi 04:21
• 8 Mabui Ni 05:44
• Total Runtime 42:30

Info for Mabui

The soul of jazz "Mabui", and the future. The second album from Shun Ishiwaka's new trio, with guest Tomoaki Baba featured on every track. Spanning jazz-based work with genre-crossing live and recording credits alongside Quruli, Ringo Sheena, Gen Hoshino, and KID FRESINO, Shun Ishiwaka is widely regarded as Japan's top drummer. For this new album, Ishiwaka's new trio, formed with Yusei Takahashi and Marty Holoubek, welcomes Tomoaki Baba as a guest. The trio was formed in 2024. Their first album, "Live at ALFIE 'Temporal Cubic'" (released December 2025), was nominated for Best Jazz Album at MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026 and received high acclaim. After feeling a strong connection at a January 2026 collaborative concert with Tomoaki Baba, the group decided to make this album, recording all the tracks in just a single day in March. All four members are members of Terumasa Hino's group and represent the new generation of the jazz scene. Building on what they have learned from Hino, they deliver dynamic, robust interplay. The title "Mabui" means "soul" in Okinawan dialect. Shun Ishiwaka and Tomoaki Baba, incidentally, are the same age and have been close friends since childhood in their hometown of Sapporo. In the 2023 animated film "BLUE GIANT," the two appeared together, dubbing the performances of the main characters, drawing attention at the time.

Shun Ishiwaka, drums
Yusei Takahashi, piano, electric piano
Marty Holoubek, double bass
Tomoaki Baba, tenor saxophone

Recorded March 11, 2026, at Studio Dede, Tokyo

Shun Ishiwaka
Born in Hokkaido in 1992. Graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts after majoring in percussion at the High School of Music, Faculty of Music. Upon graduation, he won the Acanthus Music Award and the Doseikai Award.

His own projects include Answer to Remember, SMTK, Songbook PROJECT, and Shun Ishiwaka Trio. As a composer and arranger, he also produces sound and provides music for various artists and video works.

To date, he has participated in live performances and recordings with many musicians such as Terumasa Hino, Kururi, Ringo Shiina, Kenshi Yonezu, Gen Hoshino, KID FRESINO, Kimishima Ozora Ensemble Form, CRCK/LCKS, Banksia Trio, Marty Holoubek Trio ll,IV, Yuya Wakai Trio, and David Bryant Trismic.

He has often collaborated with overseas artists, participating in performances in Japan by Herbie Hancock, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Jason Moran, Federico Casagrande, Tony Allen, James Francies, John Scofield, Taylor McFerrin, Peter Evans, Fabian Almazan, Linda Oh, Richard Spaven, and Corey King.

As a soloist, he has performed with Kohei Ueno, Atsushi Yamanaka, Hayato Sumino, and others with the Nagoya Philharmonic, Sapporo Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo Philharmonic, Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa, and Bremen German Chamber Philharmonic.

2022 Shun Ishiwaka + YCAM's new performance "Echoes for unknown egos", which attempts to co-star with himself using artificial intelligence, will be announced.

2023: World premiere of self-composed percussion concerto suite "Playgroundz (for Percussion)" with Sapporo Symphony Orchestra at HTB Silvester Concert. In the animated movie "BLUE GIANT" released in the same year, he played the drum part for the character "Shunji Tamada".

2024 Answer to Remember "Answer to Remember II" wins the 17th CD Shop Award 2025 Jazz Award.

In 2025, the music series "Shun Ishiwaka: Jazz Transcending" was held in New York, sponsored by the Japan Society, a Japan-US exchange organization, and was well received.

At the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026, Shun Ishiwaka Trio's "Live at ALFIE "Temporal Cubic" has been nominated for the Best Jazz Album Award.

Their latest albums will be released in 2026: Shun Ishiwaka and Mami Kakudo "Songbook7" and Shun Ishiwaka Trio +1 "mabui".

He is influencing the music scene and creating new trends with his unique approach.

This album contains no booklet.