Langsam Langsam

Saturday evening, I decided to eat out in Nakano in a restaurant I hadn't tried before. After wandering around a bit looking at what was on offer, I settled for a place called Langsam Langsam, which had a promising looking menu.

There was a huge wine menu and a wide selection of dishes, but I opted for the very reasonable dinner course at just 2,500 a head.

The starter of the day consisted of pork tongue and sauteed shrimp.

The soup of the day was carrot potage.

I chose sauteed cod with saffron potatoes for my main dish.
The meal was rounded off with a light black sesame dessert.

The walls of the restaurant are decorated with wine corks, and the service was excellent. Langsam Langsam is a wonderful place for a delicious meal that you can eat at a leisurely pace. I'll definitely be coming back.

Kahei in Numabukuro

Tucked away on a little side street just off the shoutengai, Kahei is a stylish and friendly little izakaya, with a nice selection of food and drink at fairly reasonable prices. Tonight I had a bit of sashimi, some kuro buta kakuni (simmered pork),parmesan risotto and salad, which all went down rather well. I really should come here a bit more often.

Planet Pimp

Saw Soil & "Pimp" Sessions (again) at Shibuya-AX on Thursday night, and, as always, they delivered the goods with a pulsating set that left me with ringing ears, a sore throat and a huge grin on my face. A perfect gig. Oh, and I picked up a Planet Pimp T-shirt to add to my growing collection.

J.A.M & Jose James at HMV Shibuya

Friday evening I was down in Shibuya to see J.A.M with Jose James for the second time in as many days. This was a free gig at HMV with tickets going on a first some first serve basis, so I made sure I arrived in plenty of time. As always the guys from J.A.M gave a superb performance and Jose James was amazing on the tracks he sang.

J.A.M started off with Quiet Blue and moved on to Roy's Scat before Jose James joined them on stage for a rousing version of Spirits Up Above. Soil & "Pimp" Sessions sax player Motoharu then appeared for Park Bench People, giving a blistering solo and then sparring with Jose's vocals and scatting ~ simply amazing stuff. It was back to J.A.M next for Quiet Fire, with both Josei and Midorin offering up amazing solos, which went down like a storm. Jose James was back after that for an extended version of Moanin' which was a match for the version played at Liquid Room the previous night. We were then treated to an unexpected aside as an over-enthusiastic member of the audience tried to make his case to jam with the band on his bamboo flute before the boys launched in to Jazzy Joint, which was closed out with some call and response playing between Jose James and Josei that was great fun to watch. As an encore they played a wonderful version of Body and Soul. An amazing in store gig that continued for about 75 minutes, and I truly hope that both Jose James and J.A.M can continue to push this wonderful music to a wider audience.

Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Showcase 2008

Thursday evening I was down at Liquid Room in Ebisu for Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Showcase 2008 for some live music and DJs. I got there shortly after the 7pm start time and Jazztronik were part way through a live set of electronic-jazz fusion tracks. Shacho of Soil & "Pimp" Sessions appeared on stage for one track to work the crowd and get the evening well and truly started. After that we were treated to a DJ set from what GP called "Tokyo Jazz Originators", which was basically a pantheon of some of the biggest names on the Tokyo club jazz scene, such as Toshio Matsuura, Shuya Okino, Tatsuya Tsunaga, Kei Kobayashi, Raphael Sebbag and so on. Each had a limited time slot to spin one or two tracks, with styles ranging form soul, jazz and funk to latin, hip-hop and electronica, with Shacho acting as the MC.

Next up were J.A.M on stage opening their set with Quiet Fire and New Things before being joined on stage by Jose James, and together they performed Jazzy Joint, Spirits Up Above and a monster version of Moanin' with an amazing drum solo from Midorin. It was a really natural collaboration and they looked really comfortable playing together. A real winner.

GP himself was at the decks next for a great eclectic mix of tracks that went down really well, starting out soulful and closing on a Brazilian note. Sweet.

The final live act was the 9-piece Japanese afrobeat combo Kingdom*Afrocks. It was the first time for me to see them, though I had heard that their live shows have been causing something of a buzz. The start to the set was atmospheric and slow, but they gradually got into their groove and the people at the front of the crowd were certainly getting into the music. Their songs had all the hallmarks of great afrobeat, with the shuffling drums, percussion and driving bass and guitar, that allowed the keyboard player and horn section to punch out their riffs over the top. A worthy addition to the new afrobeat scene and a name to watch out for.

Native at 7th Floor, Shibuya

Saturday night I was out in Shibuya to see Native with the official release party for their fourth album titled 'Just Four'. The event was at trendy little spot called 7th Floor, a kind of laid back cafe with a stage. For tonight's set, they were joined by "Mattz" from quasimode on percussion, which further enriched their live sound.

The band's set was divided into two halves with a DJ set in between, and they played tracks from the past as well as from the new album, and the audience were lapping it all up. The crowd became even more animated and lively when a couple of jazz dancers appeared for the new album's title track, 'Just Four', and a couple of others. As ever they closed their set out with 'Diva', an old favourite from the album 'Intentions', and then came back for a two track encore.

The band were on top form tonight and hopefully they can build on their audience from here. After the set I had the chance to chat briefly with sax player, Tomoyoshi Nakamura, who was a really sound guy, and he seemed really happy with the whole evening and the level of appreciation they received.

Organ Jazz Bar Numabukuro

Near Numabukuro Station in a basement there is a fairly new venue called the Organ Jazz Bar, which has regular live music. It opened about a year and a half ago, and I've been meaning to go for some time. Tonight I finally got round to it. The small but comfortable bar has a grand piano and a vintage Hammond B3 organ as fixtures, and you are sitting right up close to the music, which adds to the atmosphere.

I didn't know anything about who was playing, but decided that Saturday night was as good a night to go as any night, and a real treat it was. There was a four man session of musicians featuring "Fire" Watanabe on soprano and alto sax, though have to confess to not being able to read the other names as my knowledge of kanji is pretty limited. They played a superb energetic set moving between Hammond jazz funk and contemporary jazz, which was well-received by the crowd of just a dozen or so people.

I'll definitely be coming back here at some point.

J.A.M. at Apple Store, Ginza

Following a bit of fortuitous net-surfing I found what I was going to do with myself on Saturday night, and after work I was out the door and off to Ginza and the bright lights and ultra chic shops. On the third floor of the Apple Store is a theatre space which, judging from the flyers, is normally used for product promotion events and seminars. Last night, however, there was an event of a different kind, as J.A.M. were playing a live set as a promotional event for the "Jazzy Joint" EP that was recently released on iTunes Japan (and ahead of their debut album out in just under two weeks) to a lucky select audience of about 80-100 people.

The lights went down at 7 p.m. and on screen was the promotional video for the lead track 'Jazzy Joint' featuring Jose James on vocals. After that the band came on and played a 50 minute or so set with their usual passion and verve. No matter how many times I see J.A.M. (or Soil & "Pimp" Sessions) they never fail to impress me ~ their musicianship and energy is simply a wonder to watch. And tonight being in a tiny venue there was the added benefit of seeing them very close up as they played.

The set was closed out with a storming version of "Quiet Passion" and the went off to rapturous applause before a mellower track for the encore. A superb way to spend the evening, made even better by the fact that it was an on-the-spot decision.

Just counting down the album release now ...

Native & Shima and Shikou Duo live at Tower Records Shinjuku

Friday night saw me hot footing down to Tower Records in Shinjuku after work to catch a free in-store gig. First on were Shima & Shikou Duo, a trumpet and piano combo playing jazz-influenced tunes. They opened with their version of Dizzy Gillespie's 'Night in Tunisia' , and played a couple of other selections from their album 'Road To The Deep North', which were very enjoyable.

After a very short break it was time for Native to take the stage and play three tracks to promote their new album. Frontman Tomoyoshi Nakamura got to display his talents on flute, alto and soprano sax over the course of the short set. They started with 'Mirage' and also played 'The Edge of Daylight' before closing with the title track. A great little gig, especially since it was free, and I'm certainly looking forward to the album release party gig in March.

indigo jam unit @ duo

It's January being the last Monday, that could only mean one place to go as far as I was concerned ~ duo music exchange in Shibuya to see indigo jam unit. The first time I saw them was one year ago for their Tokyo debut, and since then they have certainly grown in confidence. They have also increased in popularity by the looks of things, as there were hardly any tables out this evening, and it was practically standing room only.

The music started with a first set from indigo jam unit, kicking off with 'Adrenaline' from the latest album and then mixing newer tunes with old. Shimi on drums looked like he was really enjoying himself. The first set was about 50 minutes or so and featured several songs from their latest album such as 'Buffalo' and 'Matador', and some older favourites such as '7th Feeling'. Attention then switched to the back of the auditorium and the support artist Tsuji Kosuke on percussion. He was joined on drums by Takeshi Numazawa and between them they drummed up a real storm. I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that many of Tsuji Kosuke's performances are pretty much improvised, and if this is indeed the case, then it's very impressive indeed. The last piece the two played was a very long piece indeed that changed mood and tempo several times before building up to a thunderous climax.

Then, after a short interval, indigo jam unit were back on stage for their second set ~ starting with popular dance tracks 'Sakura' and 'Scene - Cartaincall' and the newer 'Switch'. The next section featured some slower pieces, with 'Ren' and 'Tsui so' from the new album going down well. The last section featured some fast and furious playing with the set being closed out with "2x2" and "Sphinx". After thanking all and sundry involved on the tour, the band were out for a two track encore with "Ka I Ka" and "Palette" and the lights went up shortly after eleven o'clock.

A great night out, as always, and I'm planning to be at their next Tokyo date on the last Monday in May.

Yebsisound08 - New Year's Party

quasimode

Cro-Magnon

Kyoto Jazz Massive on the decks
Toshio Matsuura leading up to the countdown

Happy New Year!!
Jazztronik

Gilles Peterson works the crowd

Soil and "Pimp" Sessions

Baan Esan in Koenji

Went to nearby Koenji yesterday in the cold rain, and, after mooching around the used CD and zakka shops, went to Baan Essan for some Thai food. This cramped, inexpensive little restaurant is a great place for a night out ~ as long as your group isn't too big. You have to squeeze past other customers to get to your table as it's a long and narrow place ~ if you stand with both arms stretched out, one would be touching the wall and the other would be in the kitchen! You're spoilt for choice on the menu, and have to shout your orders over tinny cha-cha-cha style Thai pop music (an authentic touch). Last night I plumped for glass noodle salad, stir-fried pork and broccoli and garlic fried chicken, washed down with a couple of beers. I'll definitely be coming here again.

Dug

After a great pasta dinner last night we popped in to a cool little jazz bar in Shinjuku for a drink. It seems that Dug has existed in one form or another for 40 years and judging from some of the photos inside, has had some legendary visitors over the years, including the likes of Horace Silver and Max Roach. Last night they were playing a lot of the Count Basie Orchestra, and while big band jazz isn't my favourite, I certainly want to check this place out again some time.

J.A.M. & quasimode at Unit Daikanyama

After work it was down to Daikanyama for an evening of live jazz at Unit. First up were quasimode, who played a 40-minute set comprising most of their bigger tunes, such as 'The Man From Nagpur', 'Down In The Village' and 'Ipo Amarelo'. In a slightly smaller setting than the Liquid Room, they looked a little less nervous than last month and delivered a solid set that went down well.

Then it was time for the main act, J.A.M., the piano trio from Soil & "Pimp" Sessions. I've seen them play for part of a Soil & "Pimp" gig, but this was the first time to see a full set from them. A few of the tracks were familiar, but there were quite a few new numbers too tonight. As ever, the trio played very tight together and were clearly having a great time up on stage. Josei led on piano, playing with superb dexterity and speed, shaking his head and getting totally lost in the sound, and whilst he doesn't say much on stage, he is most definitely a consumate performer. Akita Goldman strummed away on bass occasionally veering off into interesting solos, and Midorin was a powerhouse on drums. The whole crowd was dancing away throughout the gig as the band turned the heat up with a few funky numbers.

We were in for a real treat with the encore as the full Soil & "Pimp" Sessions band came out to play a blinding brand new track.

I think this perhaps ranks as gig of the year for me and I can't wait for the J.A.M. album to come out next March.

Soil & "Pimp" Sessions a Shibuya AX

The stage was enveloped in darkness and then soft lights came on as the band took to the stage. They started the set with "Dawn" and a spectrum of colour appeared behind them while they played, leaving them in silhouette. The song gradually built to its climax and then the black sheet that was hanging down in front of the stage fell and the stage was bathed in light as they launched into "Suffocation". Tonight was the last night of their autumn tour which has seen them take in cities in several European countries and a national tour of Japan, and they were playing to a sellout crowd at Shibuya AX. They were in full throttle, barely letting up the pace for the entire gig, playing songs such as "Pluto", "We Want More" and "マクロけ"/"マシロケ" ("Makuroke"/"Mashiroke") before a funky interlude from J.A.M. and continuing with songs like "The Party", "Summer Goddess" and "Sahara" before reaching a climax with "Slaughter Suite" and "Slaughter Theme". There was a three track encore featuring "Come On Baby", a new song from the soundtrack of a forthcoming film.

A bloody good gig and even at the end of the energy-filled set the audience would have happily watched more. We definitely do want more and will be looking out for their next tour.

Quasimode at the Liquid Room in Ebisu

I had been eagerly awaiting this concert for some time, as I hadn't seen Quasimode before but have enjoyed their first two albums. Despite the fact that their second album, 'The Land of Freedom' was released in September, this was billed as a release party. It was certainly a special concert as they had guest appearances from Massa, the sax player from Sleep Walker, and from legendary American jazz singer Carmen Lundy. The four-piece were also backed by a 6-member horn section, so from the posters alone, it was clear that it was something not be missed .

Shuya Okino of Kyoto Jazz Massive was the warm-up DJ, and then the band were on, starting with the intro track 'Catch The Fact' before launching into 'The Man From Nagpur' and their version of Tubby Hayes 'Down In The Village' ~ a superb way to kick off the set. A few songs later they were joined by Massa on sax, who gave a blistering rendition of 'Raw Cotton Field', fingers flying over the keys and pads of his soprano. Next Carmen Lundy was on stage for a couple of songs, with 'Time Is Love' being absolutely outstanding. From there on the band turned up the heat even more, playing some great club jazz, rounding of the set with title track of their latest album, before an encore of 'Oneself-Likeness'.

A superb concert and it seems it was recorded for release as a live album, which will be out next spring.

indigo jam unit @ duo

Monday night was down to Shibuya to see indigo jam unit for the third time this year. After the opening DJ set, indigo jam unit came on for their first set. They opened with some familiar songs from the first two albums, and during 'Scene:Cartain Call', drummer Shimi managed let one drumstick slip from his hand in the middle of the frantic climax, but somehow managed to grab at it and continue without missing a single beat. Then after the first three songs there was the customary 'talk slot' from wisecracking bassist BJ, though I think he needs a couple more gags to slip into the patter before they come back next time.

Following the chat they showcased some new songs from the forthcoming album, which were really impressive, before a guest slot with duo Flexlife performing with the band. This slot was OK, and the vocalist was good, but somehow it was a pity to see indigo jam unit reduced to the role of backing band. Back to the band with some more familiar songs and then it was time for the support set. The lights went down on the stage and from the back of the auditorium there was a boom as percussionist Tsuji Kosuke kicked into action in his own inimitable style.

After Kosuke's set it was back to the main stage as indigo jam unit came back for their second set kicking off with more new tracks followed by a second guest vocal slot (one of the members of Hana Hana). Everyone was out of their seats for the last section featuring 'Ka I Ka', 'Alert' and then '2x2' with its duelling drummers forming the climax of the set. For the encore they played a storming version of the new song 'Sphinx' that brought the house down.

The new album is out at the end of the year and they are back at duo in January and I can't wait for either.

Koenji Awa-Odori Festival

Sunday it was off to Koenji to join the crowds for the annual Awa-Odori festival. The Awa-Odori (or Awa Dance) originally comes from Tokushima prefecture and dates back over 400 years, but there has been a festival in Koenji for the past 50 years or so. It's said that the weekend long festival attracts crowds of roughly one million people lining the avenues south of the station eating food from the myriad of street stalls, drinking beer or cold tea and cheering on the dance troupes. There were well over a hundred different groups of dancers of varying sizes and ages all backed by there own band of drummers and shamisen players, with some groups performing a more sedate version of the traditional dance, and others giving a very energetic and acrobatic performance ~ with all groups chanting 'Ya-to-sa! Ya-to-sa!' in a kind of call-and response fashion. The dancing started at six in the evening and the groups set off on their procession past the cheering crowds, and as the evening wore on the atmosphere became more electric. In the final ten minutes, the pace of the drumming and dancing quickened and the noise from the crowd increased until finally, on the stroke of nine o'clock, the groups all stopped in unison to a thunderous round of applause.

This was my second time at the festival, and I personally feel it's one of the most enjoyable festivals I've been to in Japan.