Miho Hazama

Alto Saxophone – Immanuel Wilkins (8)
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Flute – Steve Wilson
Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Andrew Gutauskas
Bass – Christian McBride (3)
Bass – Sam Anning (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
Cello – Meaghan Burke
Conductor, Composed By – Miho Hazama
Drums – Jake Goldbas
French Horn – Adam Unsworth
Piano – Billy Test
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Jason Rigby (2, 6, 7, 8)
Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet – Jeremy Powell (1, 3, 4, 5)
Trumpet, Flugelhorn – Jonathan Powell
Vibraphone – James Shipp
Viola – Atsuki Yoshida
Violin – Ben Russell
Violin – Maria Im (3)
Violin – Matt Consul (3)
Violin – Tomoko Akaboshi

Beyond Orbits is the new album from composer and conductor Miho Hazama, the vibrant new album that, with her ensemble M-Unit, celebrates their 10th anniversary this year. This album is testament to her endless creativity and artistic vision that has prompted her remarkable growth of her career in Japan, Europe and the US in recent years. Beyond Orbits is an album born out of the challenges that unfolded over the past few years. Confined to a small apartment in Harlem, New York, during the pandemic, amidst a backdrop of intense political turbulence, including a consequential presidential election, Miho Hazama was faced with a profound sense of disconnection. Redirecting her focus beyond the tumultuous world, Miho decided to shift her focus away from the world and began researching exoplanets. She found two with unique characteristics and decided to create a concept around them. After receiving a prestigious commission in 2021 from the Monterey Jazz Festival, Miho Hazama wrote a new work that resulted in the Exoplanet Suite, which pays homage to the captivating wonders of the exoplanetary realm. This idea became the core of the album with movements titled Electro Elliptical Orbits, As a Three Sunlight and Planet Nine.

"Canʼt Hide Love" composed by Skip Scarborough is published by Unichappell Music Inc., arranged by Miho Hazama.
All songs composed by Miho Hazama are published by JamRice Music Publishing Inc., JASRAC.

Producer: Miho Hazama
Co-Producers: Hiroaki G Muramatsu, Masu H. Masuyama (mamjp.org)
Executive Producer: Dave Stapleton
Recording Director: Christopher Zuar

Recording & Mixing Engineer: James Farber
Recorded at Power Station, NYC, USA on February 4, 5 & 7, 2023
Assistant Engineers at Power Station: Ben Miller, Michael Hickey
Mixed at Sear Sound, NYC, USA
Assistant Engineer at Sear Sound: Steven Sacco
Edited by Akihiro Nishimura
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, NJ, USA

Album artwork by Oli Bentley, Split
Photography by Dave Stapleton

Christian McBride appears courtesy of Mack Avenue Music Group
Immanuel Wilkins appears courtesy of Blue Note Records

Barcode – 5060509792009