We love much Japanese jazz here at Cosmic Jazz. It comes in many forms, but this short introduction is to music that has had listeners stepping out and moving the world over. Japanese musicians have made an essential contribution to jazz dance club communities. This show illustrates something of this and is guaranteed at some stage to get you up and dancing. Neil will present Part 2 of our Japanese focus and include some more spiritual and modal elements.
- United Future Organization – Loud Minority (Back to the Future Mix) from 10″ single
Over twenty years ago I was in the small village of Beauville which lies on a rocky outcrop in Lot-et-Garonne South-West France. I knew there was a dance class taking place in the Community Centre at the edge of the village as a French friend of my daughter was attending it. You can imagine my joy when I heard coming from the building the tune which the tutor of the group had selected for dancing that day. Yes, it was Loud Minority from the Japanese nu-jazz/acid jazz trio United Future Organization (UFO), a tune released originally in 1992 on the album Jazzin’ but here is played from a 1996 mix. What an excellent choice for that teenage dance class and what a perfect way to illustrate the reach – far and wide – of Japanese jazz. Perhaps, though, it should be acknowledged that the trio included an expatriate Frenchman (Raphael Sebbag) alongside two Japanese club DJs (Toshio Matsuura and Tadashi Yabe). Their music electrified club dancefloors from Tokyo to Hamburg to New York and in September 1992 they made a memorable London debut at the Fridge Club. Listen up, it could still make a dance class today.
2. Mondo Grosso featuring Monday Michiru – Star Suite II: Fading Star from MG4
There are many examples of Japanese jazz or jazz related artists co-operating with great musicians from other countries. This is certainly true of DJ/composer/producer Shinichi Osawa who was responsible for putting together the Mondo Grosso album MG4. Guests from beyond Japan on this album include N’Dea Davenport, Tania Maria, Paula Lima and Ed Motta, but there are other lesser-known artists too. On this tune and three other tracks on the album, we find vocals and background vocals from Tokyo-born Japanese/American singer Monday Michiru, who shares with Shinichi Osawa the credit for its composition. Michiru is the daughter of pianist Toshiko Akioshi and saxophonist Charlie Mariano and has been involved with music across genres – jazz, pop, soul, Brazilian and R&B – Music that is not easily categorized, yet is thoroughly engaging said All About Jazz. Beats and programming are courtesy of Shinichi Osawa, jazz horns are arranged by Brian Lynch (American jazz trumpeter) there’s pounding bass from Russian-born Boris Kozlov, and all the while Monday Michiru raps and scats her way through the first part of the tune.
3. Indigo Jam Unit – Sunset from Collectivity
For the next three tunes Derek is grateful to my son Jacob, who introduced me to Japanese music and got me listening to and also seeing live Japanese artists he had not previously come across, let alone know that there was a very serious community of jazz musicians in Japan. Indigo Jam Unit were a jazz/jazz dance/jazz fusion group that started as a trio and became a quartet, formed in Osaka in 2005 although in 2016 the band folded. This tune is from their 2009 album Collectivity. Their importance to jazz dancers in the UK is illustrated by the work of Manchester-based jazz dance DJ Colin Curtis who has put together a UK-released compilation of their music Colin Curtis presents: indigo jam unit. The selection for this show – Sunset – makes that time of day sound like a joyful occasion as it drives along with strong percussion, that interplays with keyboard and persistent and ever-present bass. The tune is warm, melodic ,and sweet. Easy on the ear but with depth – and definitely danceable.
4. J.A.M. – Quiet Blue from Just a Maestro
Jazz piano/bass/drum trio J.A.M. bring us Quiet Blue from their first album Just A Maestro released in 2008. Quiet Blue is a short tune with a lot packed into its 2:32 mins as it swings jauntily along, J.A.M. is actually a side project for members of the more well-known Soil & “Pimp” Sessions, from whom we find Josei on piano and keys (bandleader and composer), Akita Goldman on bass and Midorin on drums. The music is quite a contrast to that of Soil & Pimp “Sessions” whose sound and live performances are heavy, flamboyant, frenetic and unpredictable. J.A.M. are more melodic and acoustic and laid-back. You can still move to it though.
5. Jafrosax feat. Yulami Nagano – drawn 2 u from A New Standard of the Future
Jafrosax features the saxophone playing of Kazuki Katsuta and this tune features the sultry, late-night jazz club vocals of Yulami Nagano, who also wrote the number. The saxophone wheels away throughout, the rhythm section drives along at a furious pace and over this Yulami Nagano sounds cool, nonchalant and quite mysterious. The album A New Standard of the Future released in 2006 also includes a mix of the track by Japanese electronic duo Studio Apartment. In some ways the sound is like traditional mainstream jazz at a revved up pace but there is the feel of soulful house and certainly the urge to move and dance would be a natural response. Jafrosax brings is the last for the show of a succession of three tunes all produced in the early years of the 21st century. A prolific time for young Japanese jazz musicians.
6. Orquestra de la Luz – Salsa Caliente Del Japon from Salsa Caliente
The show ends, quite unashamedly, on the dancefloor. The numbers above illustrate the way Japanese musicians have listened to and been influenced by music from far away. Latin music has been a key influence – and in this case, specifically salsa. We have included salsa on the show before because many of the musicians also play jazz – and salsa with its percussion and horns bring a big band sound that’s free and spontaneous. Orchestra de la Luz have all these qualities. Salsa Caliente Del Japon (Hot Salsa), written by vocalist Nora, comes from Derek’s French compilation Salsa Caliente – with a cover much worn from constant use on salsa DJ sets. On this compilation the Orquestra de la Luz track sits alongside others from the likes of the Fania All Stars, Johnny Pacheco, Celia Cruz, Jose Alberto, Eddie Palmieri, Willie Colon and Oscar D’Leon. The Japanese band more than hold their own. Orquestra de la Luz was formed in 1984, and by 1990 had their first release in the USA. It was number one in Billboard’s Latin charts for eleven consecutive weeks. In 1993 the United Nations awarded them the Peace Medal. In May 2024 the band released their 11th album Mas Caliente to celebrate 40 years of bringing dancefloor joy to the world.
More Japanese jazz in our next show.