JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2021: Utopia(USA/Japan)-Imaginably

 

Imaginably is the 2nd album of Utopia, NY based duo project formed by Japanese musicians Yuto Mitomi (sax) and Yuto Kanazawa (guitar) who share the same first name.

The first track Karatachi no Hana is written by Japanese composer Kosaku Yamada in 1925, Mitomi originally arranged this piece for his octet and later he started to play together with Kanazawa. Title track Imaginably is the original composition by Yuto Mitomi, other tracks are a collection of jazz standards and pop covers.

First two tracks are played in a similar aesthetic, free improvisation based on the melody and form. It is a similar approach to their influence, the music of Paul Motian trio with Bill Frisell and Joe Lovano. Mitomi and Kanazawa focused on listening to the momentum of each other’s performance and improvised freely along with the flow of the melody.

In contrast to the first two tracks, I Want You Back, Black Bird, Dralice and Isn’t She Lovely have steady rhythms with the styles of Funk, Latin, Country and Brazilian Music. Mitomi and Kanazawa express their respect and love for jazz with Thelonious Monk’s Ugly Beauty and Cliff Burwell’s jazz standard Sweet Lorraine that was written in 1928.

Their unique repertoire was formed while performing gigs in NYC and touring in Japan where they play music for audiences who love all genres of music. Utopia’s intention on this album was to introduce jazz and improvisation to a broader audience with the familiar melodies and cultural music. Mitomi plays tenor and soprano sax and Kanazawa plays Brazilian 7 string guitar on this album.

Their mutual friend pianist Noah MacNeil gave notes to the album inner cover; For both standards and cover songs, there is no limit to what one could imaginably play.

Album Release Date: 3/12/21 on major streaming websites.
Pre-release available at Bandcamp on 3/5/21. 

Yuto Mitomi (Tenor & Soprano Saxophone)
yutomitomi.bandcamp.com

Yuto Kanazawa (Brazilian 7 string guitar )
yutokanazawa.bandcamp.com

Recorded by Jason Borisoff
at Conveyor Recording Studio in Brooklyn NY, on January 21st, 2020

Mixed & Mastered by Yuto Kanazawa
Art designed by Yuto Kanazawa,

Special thanks to Noah MacNeil,
noahmacneil.bandcamp.com

USA/JAPAN: Imaginably by Utopia

 

Imaginably by Utopia

Utopia consists of two Japanese musicians, who happen to share the same first name (Yuto). They seeked inspiration in the music of Paul Motian Trio, together with staying focused on listening to the momentum of each other’s performance, and improvising freely along with the flow of the melody. Their album repertoire was formed while performing gigs in NYC and touring in Japan where they played music for audiences who love all genres of music. Utopia’s intention on this album was to introduce jazz and improvisation to a broader audience with the familiar melodies and cultural music. Yuto Mitomi plays tenor and soprano sax and Yuto Kanazawa plays Brazilian 7string guitar on this album.

Yuto Kanazawa

https://yutomitomi.bandcamp.com/album/imaginably

https://ditto.fm/imaginably

https://www.facebook.com/groups/jazzworldquestgroup

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2020 - Streaming

JazzWorldQuest Showcase 2020
Jazz & World Music Albums released in 2020
STREAMING
Elijah Band(France), Tim Burton Sr(USA), Karen Rosenberg(Denmark), Manuel Muzzu (Italy), Florian Arbenz & Greg Osby (Switzerland/USA), Guglielmo Santimone(Italy), The Appropriation Committee(USA), Nastazio Gkoumas(Greece), César Cardoso Ensemble(Portugal), Krzysia Górniak(Poland), David Linx(Belgium), Örjan Hultén Orion(Sweden), Steve Fidyk(USA), Francesco Marziani(Italy), Nikolas Skordas & Stephanos Chytiris(Greece), Little Gorgeous(USA), Calabó(USA), Ramiro Pinheiro & Rafael Barata(Brazil) Mariea Antoinette(USA), Hailey Tuck(USA), Big Funk Brass(France), Vibes Alive(USA), Marie Mifsud(France), Heistheartist(USA), The HeadShakers(France) Cody Carpenter(USA), Toku(Japan), Hot Club of Los Angeles(USA), Ozma(France), Gordon Grdina’s Nomad Trio(Canada), Robin McKelle(USA), Maude Caillat, Damani Butler, Billie Davis(USA), Giuseppe Paradiso(USA/Italy), Tony Adamo(USA) 

JAPAN: Takahiro Izumikawa-Life Is Your Thoughts (2020)

 

Takahiro Izumikawa is a highly sought-after pianist, keyboardist, arranger, and producer born and raised in Japan. His style has roots in jazz and incorporates Hip-Hop, R&B, Gospel, and traditional Japanese melodies. He released his first piano solo album in 2014, which was sponsored by KAWAI, a major piano manufacturer. He moved to New York City later that year To further his music career, working with well-known hip hop artists such as Smif&Wessun, Kool Keith, Black Moon, and Smoke DZA. He has also worked with Grammy Award winning musicians Maurice Brown (Anderson.Paak), Keyon Harrold (D’Angelo, Erykah Badu), YEBBA (vocalist), Jermaine Holmes (D’Angelo), Daru Jones (drummer), Mononeon (Prince, Ghost-Note), Marcus Machado (guitarist), and Timothy Bloom (vocalist). In 2016, he performed with Takuya Kuroda, a notable trumpet player who debuted through Blue Note Records at the Blue Note Jazz Festival, which was headlined by Earth Wind and Fire, George Benson, and Marcus Miller. In 2017, he arranged all the tracks on Hard Times, by jazz giant Vincent Herring.

USA/JAPAN: The Doggy Cats – Daikon Pizza (2019)

The Doggy Cats play new American music. We are a six-piece brass band led by Tetsuro Hoshii. We started in New York City in 2015 and perform regularly at Sunny's Bar in Red Hook, Brooklyn—one of New York's most historic bars. tetsurohoshii.com

JAPAN: Yuichiro Tokuda Ralyzzdig -Wind (2019)

It rocks my heart like a wind of one. It is neither gusts nor breeze. It is comfortable, but it is not just that, it has strength. This balance is exquisite. From Normandy to the universe, this wind keeps blowing everywhere." ~ Jazz JAPAN Magazine (2018 Japan)

"Contemporary jazz with its overwhelming energy and rich lyricism will not leave my ear once I hear it ...The real "sound" in the music is because what he learned in real experience will be reflected. He is a minstrel who travels the world and is a realist." ~Jazz JAPAN Magazine (2018 Japan)

"In addition to the conventional jumping drive feeling, he will also show landscape observations in foreign countries, ethnicism which can tighten our hearts, hand clapping used for flamenco, and his sweet vocals. Looking for new grounds, keeping the spirit of nature but powerfulness, you can see the holding as a band that has always challenged growth and change. " ~ Tower Records Magazine/intoxicate (2018 Japan)

USA/JAPAN: Akira Tana & Otonowa-Love's Radiance (Ai San San) (Vegamusic-Usa 2019)

A third offering from this group that cleverly and creatively reinvents beautiful Japanese melodies in an acoustic jazz setting.

This band tours areas of Japan still recovering from devastating Earthquakes and Tsunami's from 2011. Otonowa was founded in 2012 by four American musicians of Japanese descent in response to the Great Eastern Earthquake/Tsunami of March 2011 that devastated coastal regions of Northern Japan (Tohoku) claiming over 20,000 lives. Our mission is offered as an homage and in respect to the victims and survivors to that event. On this, our third collection of songs released on CD, we have continued to expand our interpretation of songs related to Japan, both traditional and popular, in the American jazz tradition. The songs on this CD include themes from Japanese film and television shows to traditional, folk and pop melodies that go back decades. There is also one original composition that pays tribute to a pioneer in the Asian American Movement, Chris Kando Iijima. We have made several visits to Japan, sharing our music with the people of the still rebuilding areas, letting them know that their collective and individual suffering and losses are not forgotten. We hope our music plays some small part in bringing people together and healing some of the wounds inflicted on the communities of Tohoku on March 11, 2011. Thank you, Akira Tana

Tracklist: 1. Akira Tana;OTONOWA – Antagata Dokosa 2. Akira Tana;OTONOWA – Ai San San 3. Akira Tana;OTONOWA – Hinokuni Ryojo 4. Akira Tana;OTONOWA – Habu No Minato 5. Akira Tana;OTONOWA – Mura Matsuri 6. Art Hirahara;Masaru Koga – Hamabe No Uta 7. Akira Tana;OTONOWA – Summer 8. Akira Tana;OTONOWA – Taiyo Ni Hoero 9. Akira Tana;OTONOWA – Tsunagareta Tairyo-Bata 10. Akira Tana;OTONOWA – Kando 11. Akira Tana;OTONOWA – Peace ON YT

USA: Emi Takada Quintet w/Marion Cowings CD Release Show Thursday, September 19th 5:30 PM Birdland Jazz Club

Featuring Paul Meyers (Guitar), Joe Davidian (Piano), Noriko Ueda (Bass), Dwayne ‘Cook’ Broadnax (Drums) with very special guest Marion Cowings (Vocals & Percussion) Tickets & Info

Japanese Jazz Singer Emi Takada’s Why Did I Choose You Features Her Gentle Voice And Deep Understanding Of Timeless Lyrics On Ten Standards. Tributes to Jon Hendricks and composer Michael Leonard along with guest appearances by singer Marion Cowings are among the highlights of her second album. Why Did I Choose You follows up on the success of Emil Takada’s previous recording I’m All Smiles. She sings ten classic songs with understated feeling and sensitivity while joined by a swinging quartet comprised of pianist Michael Kanan, guitarist Satoshi Inoue, bassist Neal Miner, and drummer Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax. Emi Takada puts plenty of feeling into her interpretations, picks great songs, swings no matter what the tempo, and always displays sincerity while digging deep into the meaning behind the lyrics. Inspired by the concise and tasteful solos of pianist Kanan and guitarist Inoue, Ms. Takada performs such numbers as “It Might As Well Be Spring,” “All The Things You Are” (starting with its rarely-heard verse), a dreamy jazz waltz version of “I’m In The Mood For Love,” and heartfelt renditions of “You Must Believe In Spring” and “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.” Her mentor, singer Marion Cowings, guests on a few numbers including a combination of “Blue Skies” and “In Walked Bud” which features the two vocalists joyfully interacting, as well as “Miagete Goran Yoru No Hoshi Wo (Look Up At The Night Stars),” a very important song loved by all Japanese people. Emi Takada pays tribute to Cowings’ mentor Jon Hendricks on “No More Blues” (which has Hendricks’ English lyrics) and to composer Michael Leonard (whose “I’m All Smiles” was the title track of her previous album) on a slow and emotional “Why Did I Choose You.” And to display her versatility, the singer also performs a bluesy “Story Weather” and an uptempo “Lover Come Back To Me.” Emi Takada was born in Sapporo, Japan. She began singing when she was ten in the Boys and Girls Choral Group and sang classical music while growing up. She first visited the United States in 1997 where she joined the Houston Symphony Chorus as a soprano. Back in Japan, she worked steadily in a variety of settings and became very interested in jazz. In 2010 she came to New York to study with Marion Cowings, starting her career as a jazz singer and appearing in New York clubs. Emi was based in Houston, Texas during much of 2011-16 where she performed with pianist Bob Henschen, but also had a monthly gig in NYC during 2015-16 and sang in Tokyo (with guitarist Satoshi Inoue) and Sapporo.  In 2014 she released her first recording I’m All Smiles which received positive and enthusiastic reviews. Emi Takada moved to Tokyo in 2017 but visits and performs regularly in New York where she recorded Why Did I Choose You? Upcoming in September, she will be making her debut at NYC’s Birdland to celebrate the release of her memorable new album.   Emi Takada Why Did I Choose You? (Self Produced) Street Date: September 1, 2019 Emi Takada-vocals, Michael Kanan-piano, Satoshi Inoue-guitar, Neal Miner-bass, Dwayne “Cook” Broadnax-drums, Marion Cowings-vocals & percussion UPC Code: 012345678905 www.emitakada.com https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/emitakada2 www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK9bZcoEhA8  AVAILABLE FROM:  Amazon • CDBaby • iTunes Press Contact Jim Eigo Jazz Promo Services 272 State Route 94 South #1 Warwick, NY 10990-3363 Ph: 845-986-1677  E Mail: jim@jazzpromoservices.com www.jazzpromoservices.com "Specializing in Media Campaigns for the music community, artists, labels, venues and events.”

Radio Contact

UK/JAPAN: Simon Cosgrove Trio- Simon Cosgrove Trio Meets the Okazaki Bros(2019)

1. Off to a flying start (5:34) - A rousing opener inspired by the Blue Note recordings of the late 1950s. We went into the studio right at the beginning of the new year so this tune was the obvious choice to start the session.

2. I should care (9:10) - A fresh arrangement of the timeless Cahn-Stordahl-Weston standard. This tune sits right in the pocket and swings from start to finish.

3. Bandai Bashi (10:12) - This tune takes its name from a bridge in Niigata city, a place that holds special memories for me.

4. Joe’s tune (5:59) - There are so many Joes in the jazz world. Henderson, Pass, Lovano, Zawinul, Yamada… the list goes on, But this composition is dedicated to my boisterous three year-old boy, little Joe Cosgrove.

5. Orudam (6:00) - Taking its cue from such jazz tunes as “Airegin” and “Ecaroh” in which the title is written back to front, “Orudam” is inspired by the Maduro lounge, one of my regular performance spots in the heart of Tokyo.

6. The night we called it a day (6:31) - This rarely played gem by Matt Dennis was introduced to me by jazz aficionado Masahiko Tagiri, and it is arranged here for the trio as a jazz waltz.

7. Simple Pleasures (8:58) - I wrote this tune back in 2010, right after a period when I had been composing a lot of harmonically and rhythmically complex music. Here the trio goes “back to basics” and rediscovers the joy of swinging jazz music. 

8. Foibles (3:53) - The great Thelonious Monk was the inspiration for this trio offering, featuring the inimitable drums and cymbals of Andrew Dickeson.

9. Mini strut (1:26) - The horns join us again for the last tune of the session, a funky postlude dedicated to my quintessentially British (and entirely unreliable!) vintage Mini Cooper. The band is grooving, and Yoshiro Okazaki blows out the last notes of the record in style.

Special thanks to my family and friends for their continued support and encouragement; to Ryuichi and Andrew for “always smiling” and bringing joy to the music; to Yoshiro and Masanori for swinging hard and interpreting my tunes and arrangements so beautifully; to the students and staff at Joshibi University for their constant inspiration; and to Eiji and Bob for working their magic in the studio and adding an extra dimension to the music.

Simon Cosgrove piano
Yoshiro Okazaki trumpet
Masanori Okazaki tenor sax
Ryuichi Yamamura bass
Andrew Dickeson drums

USA/JAPAN: Hiroe Sekine- Hiroe's Spirit (Blue Canoe Records 2019)

Las Vegas, NV (July 19th, 2019) - Blue Canoe artist, Hiroe Sekine, is back in the spotlight with her fourth release, "Hiroe's Spirit". With this bold effort, Ms. Sekine brings fresh, unique arrangements to jazz and classical songs in a very original way.

A native of Japan, pianist Hiroe Sekine has been living in the Los Angeles area since 1993, performing at many venues, festivals, and others, including the Jazz Concert Series at Los Angeles County Museum of Arts (LACMA) in 2014 and 2016. Ms. Hiroe studied jazz at University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. In 2010, Ms. Sekine's debut album, "a-mé", was named by "All About Jazz" as one of the 25 best albums of the year. Ms. Sekine's long-time musical relationship with Russell Ferrante of the YellowJackets continues on "Hiroe's Spirit" and the result is a classical crossover stunner. Over the years, she has worked with musical greats such as Bob Sheppard (Chick Corea, Steely Dan, Michael Brecker, Joni Mitchell), Tony Dumas (The Manhattan Transfer, Chick Corea, Etta James, Mariah Carey), Peter Erskine (Weather Report, Pat Metheny, John Scofield,) and Abraham Laboriel (Al Jarreau, George Benson, Quincy Jones, Ray Charles) to name a few.

"Hiroe's Spirit" opens with a dramatic rendition of “Pavane pour une infante défunte” by French composer Maurice Ravel. It begins with Ms. Sekine hinting at the melody with her strong piano phrasing against a simple drum beat. Bob Sheppard floats to the front with his sax and takes over melodic duties before the listener is drawn in by spirited accompaniment with Michael Valerio (bass), James Tate (drums) and Akira Jimbo (shaker). Together they reach the summit with dramatically soaring sax ringing triumphantly in the end.

Another very original take on Spirit is Ms. Hiroe's version of Ave Maria. She chooses a very upbeat approach with riveting drum and bass intro. The great Abraham Laboriel contributes both electric bass and vocals in this unique approach to the standard. The changes in rhythmic patterns throughout the interpretation keep the listener engaged as Ms. Hiroe falls in with a breathtaking piano solo that will leave an audience wanting for more. At the end, all come together in a force of rocket-paced bass groove along with subdued vocals that magically just works. Creatively divine, indeed!

"Hiroe's Spirit" is an intelligent, stand-out creation that will not be matched this year. Take a ride
with Hiroe Sekine's "Hiroe's Spirit" today....this one is not to be missed.


Links:

Blue Canoe Records
Hiroe Sekine's Official Website: SekaiMusic.com

USA/JAPAN: #jazz Fumi Tomita-The Elephant Vanishes: Jazz Interpretations Of The Short Stories Of Haruki Murakami (2019) @Fumitomita # bass #Fumitomita

With haunting, memorable melodies, the combination of writer Haruki Murakami's influence and bassist Fumi Tomita's compositions is a bold statement of Asian-American identity. 'The Elephant Vanishes' interprets seven short stories by the Japanese author that draw on themes of despair, loneliness, disconnection, and self-discovery. Equally prominent are the Western pop culture references and magical elements that decorate each story. Along with saxophonist Jason Rigby, guitarist Mike Baggetta, pianist Art Hirahara and drummer Mark Micklethwaite, Tomita reimagines Murakami's literary themes, transforming them into rich musical landscapes. Active in New York City for fifteen years, Tomita is currently on the faculty at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

JAPAN: Tohru Aizawa Quartet-Tachibana (2018)

The desire to discover and delve into new and unexplored areas of music has turned attention on the Japanese jazz scene of the 1970s, often regarded as its gilded age. The recent ground-breaking sell-out BBE compilation J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz from Japan 1969-1984 threw much needed light on this fascinating era and presented a range of artists and music that surprised and delighted all who heard it. A key track on the compilation was one of the rarest and least known: Dead Letter by the Tohru Aizawa Quartet, taken from ‘Tachibana’, an album so elusive that some pondered whether it even existed. The album, Tachibana, was recorded in 1975 and, until included on the J Jazz compilation, was unknown except to a small group of obsessive Japanese jazz collectors. The privately pressed record was the only album made by the Quartet, four amateur musicians who were university students at the time. The session was financed by a local businessman, Ikujiroh Tachibana, who pressed up a few hundred copies to use as a business card. In the intervening 40 odd years since its recording, few copies have surfaced, making it an in-demand yet elusive artefact from the golden age of Japanese jazz. BBE Records are honoured to present a fully authorised reissue of this holy grail, licensed directly from the band themselves. Tachibana has all the necessary components of a cult album: pressed in small numbers, a few mysterious and vague details about its origins, languishing in obscurity for decades and, above all, superb musical craftsmanship and skill. It can now be enjoyed by a new audience around the world. The album opens with the dynamic percussion work-out Philosopher’s Stone written by the then law-student and drummer Tetsuya Morimura. It propels along with the band at full pelt, showcasing Morimura’s well-developed drumming style. For a teenage amateur player to compose and perform such an accomplished and impressive piece is a testament to the talent that the band contained. Philosopher’s Stone is followed by Sacrament, an epic modal composition by saxophonist Kyoichiro Morimura that fans of Wayne Shorter, Pharoah Sanders and late-era John Coltrane will appreciate. After an extended intro the band drop into a heavy, churning groove, Morimura’s saxophone scorching above the volcanic rhythm section. Dead Letter, written by Aizawa himself, is an epic piano led symphony of spiritual jazz. Think McCoy Tyner at his imperial finest and you’ll get a flavour: impact, emotion and power all suffuse to create a overwhelming experience. Amazingly, this is still the only Aizawa composition yet to be recorded. The Tachibana album also includes two cover versions, both Latin flavoured numbers delivered with élan and brio: La Fiesta by Chick Corea and the classic Samba de Orfeu by Luiz Bonfá. So, just five tracks in total, the sole existing evidence of an astonishing band, the Tohru Aizawa Quartet. The long-awaited reissue of this mythic album will include new liner notes and photos, plus fully translated notes from the original Japanese text. The album will be presented in an authentic thick card gatefold sleeve in a faithful reproduction of the original sleeve design.

JAPAN: SINSUKE FUJIEDA-HYPER HARMONY (2018)

"HYPER HARMONY" is a moment when the genre and instruments are crossed beyond the boundaries, and the waves of each human being sublimate to something out of specification by one song and performance. This work is a live recording work capturing the moment when a spectacular music world of Sinsuke Fujieda and nine musicians tranquility and explosion coexist. Saxophone player Masato Nakamura is participating in this work as a special guest. He is also famous as a saxophonist of MONDO GROSSO and SLEEP WALKER who co-starred with Pharoah Sanders and won popularity abroad. It is a work that you can not miss even if you catch the moment of collaboration with Sinsuke Fujieda. This album can be downloaded with high sound quality (48 kh 24 bit). SINSUKE FUJIEDA Musician. Music producer / composer. Multi lead player (sax, flute, harmonic flute, bamboo clarinet, ho mei etc). Living in Tokyo. He was impressed with listening to jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker when he was a high school student. Began Alto sax with 18 years old. He has released live and released in various forms. Activity at i-dep (Club jazz band popular in festival... more credits released July 20, 2018 HYPER HARMONY / SINSUKE FUJIEDA All Songs Written by Sinsuke Fujieda musicians SINSUKE FUJIEDA - Tenor & Soprano Sax, Flute, Harmonic Flute, Kalimba, Bamboo Clarinet MASATO NAKAMURA - Tenor & Soprano Sax TOSHI IIO - Piano SHIGERU KATO - Fretless Bass WINTERHAWK SPENCER - Voice, Djembe HIROSHI "eno" ENOMOTO - Percussions HIROSHI "Shimmy" SHIMIZU - Percussions SOREA SHIMAZU - Didgeridoo PALMECHO - Drums MASAAKI AOYAMA - Khoomie, Electric Sitar (3,4,5)

JAPAN: Tohru Aizawa Quartet-Tachibana (2018)

The desire to discover and delve into new and unexplored areas of music has turned attention on the Japanese jazz scene of the 1970s, often regarded as its gilded age. The recent ground-breaking sell-out BBE compilation J Jazz: Deep Modern Jazz from Japan 1969-1984 threw much needed light on this fascinating era and presented a range of artists and music that surprised and delighted all who heard it. A key track on the compilation was one of the rarest and least known: Dead Letter by the Tohru Aizawa Quartet, taken from ‘Tachibana’, an album so elusive that some pondered whether it even existed.

The album, Tachibana, was recorded in 1975 and, until included on the J Jazz compilation, was unknown except to a small group of obsessive Japanese jazz collectors. The privately pressed record was the only album made by the Quartet, four amateur musicians who were university students at the time. The session was financed by a local businessman, Ikujiroh Tachibana, who pressed up a few hundred copies to use as a business card. In the intervening 40 odd years since its recording, few copies have surfaced, making it an in-demand yet elusive artefact from the golden age of Japanese jazz. BBE Records are honoured to present a fully authorised reissue of this holy grail, licensed directly from the band themselves.

Tachibana has all the necessary components of a cult album: pressed in small numbers, a few mysterious and vague details about its origins, languishing in obscurity for decades and, above all, superb musical craftsmanship and skill. It can now be enjoyed by a new audience around the world.

The album opens with the dynamic percussion work-out Philosopher’s Stone written by the then law-student and drummer Tetsuya Morimura. It propels along with the band at full pelt, showcasing Morimura’s well-developed drumming style. For a teenage amateur player to compose and perform such an accomplished and impressive piece is a testament to the talent that the band contained. Philosopher’s Stone is followed by Sacrament, an epic modal composition by saxophonist Kyoichiro Morimura that fans of Wayne Shorter, Pharoah Sanders and late-era John Coltrane will appreciate. After an extended intro the band drop into a heavy, churning groove, Morimura’s saxophone scorching above the volcanic rhythm section.

Dead Letter, written by Aizawa himself, is an epic piano led symphony of spiritual jazz. Think McCoy Tyner at his imperial finest and you’ll get a flavour: impact, emotion and power all suffuse to create a overwhelming experience. Amazingly, this is still the only Aizawa composition yet to be recorded.

The Tachibana album also includes two cover versions, both Latin flavoured numbers delivered with élan and brio: La Fiesta by Chick Corea and the classic Samba de Orfeu by Luiz Bonfá.

So, just five tracks in total, the sole existing evidence of an astonishing band, the Tohru Aizawa Quartet.

The long-awaited reissue of this mythic album will include new liner notes and photos, plus fully translated notes from the original Japanese text. The album will be presented in an authentic thick card gatefold sleeve in a faithful reproduction of the original sleeve design.
credits
releases July 27, 2018

JAPAN/USA/UK: Gary Husband A Meeting Of Spirits Japan Tour and guesting with Soft Machine

GARY HUSBAND

first solo tour of Japan

promoting his latest solo album on EDITION RECORDS

A MEETING OF SPIRITS

Dear Friends in Music

Gary Husband is frequenting lately very often the MoonJune Universe. The extraordinarily talented British drummer / pianist / keyboardist / composer is celebrated for his high level association with world class jazz, fusion and rock icons and legends such as Allan Holdsworth, John McLaughlin, Jack Bruce, Gary Moore, Robin Trower, Billy Cobham, and he is lately recording and performing with MoonJune Records recording artists such as Beledo, Dewa Budjana, Dusan Jevtovic, Mark Wingfield, Asaf Sirkis and Jason Smith. Gary Husband will appear for these second time in Japan as a very special guest with the British progressive jazz-rock institution Soft Machine, on July 28th and 29th in Tokyo and on July 31st in Osaka, with John Etheridge on guitar, Theo Travis on sax/flute, Roy Babbington on bass and John Marshall on drums. During the same visit to Japan, maestro Gary Husband will perform there solo concerts; in Yokohama on July 26th, in Osaka on July 30th and in Nagoya on August 1st.

"A Meeting Of Spirits In Japan Tour" is not only the promotion of Gary's latest album on the English record label Edition, but also celebration of the music of John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth and his own music.

I am encouraging You to hear this truly amazing album, and buying on BandCamp You are supporting directly both the artist and his independent record label.

"A Meting Of Spirits" is available in CD and Download format on:

www.garyhusbandmusic.bandcamp.com

CDs are £9.99 +shipping (shipped from UK)

Instant download is £8.20 (FLAC/WAV/ALAC, MP3-320 formats)

"A Meting Of Spirits" is released on Edition Records, UK:

www.editionrecords.com

"Gary Husband is a musician of many talents – his instruments are piano, in-piano percussion, voice and bell – and has been at the forefront of the international jazz scene for many years. He is that rare breed: a musician equally fluent in expression, and internationally lauded, on two instruments, in this case, drums and keyboard. Even more singular is his ability to bring together the fruits of a career that have included classical training, improvisational versatility and long experience on the pop, rock, funk and blues circuits into a distinctive and influential musical personality." - Grady Harp, Amazon

"A Meeting Of Spirits succeeds as an interpretational and at times, impressionistic representation of the music of McLaughlin, the undeniable maestro of jazz. It also serves as a timely reminder of the massive contribution that McLaughlin has made to music, whilst all the while Husband effortlessly exudes a prodigious talent of his own. - Roger Farbey, All About Jazz

"What's most remarkable is how Husband's own pieces mesh with McLaughlin's, creating a common ground that reflects of a deeper understanding of McLaughlin's vast vernacular, along with Husband's own evolving language and virtuosic pianism. McLaughlin has never sounded so dark, so abstract or so contextually unfettered. But equally, Husband finds the line that threads through McLaughlin's stylistically diverse career, making A Meeting of Spirits an innovative tribute that's reverential but always speaks with its own voice." - John Kelman, All About Jazz

Gary Husband has been at the forefront of the international jazz scene for many years. He is that rare breed: a musician equally fluent in expression, and internationally lauded, on two instruments, in this case, drums and keyboard. Even more singular is his ability to bring together the fruits of a career that have included classical training, improvisational versatility and long experience on the pop, rock, funk and blues circuits into a distinctive and influential musical personality. Gary’s latest album, and his first for Edition, A Meeting of Spirits is an innovative re-interpretation of the music of legendary guitarist, bandleader and composer John McLaughlin that in many ways demonstrates the totality of Husband’s multifaceted talent. In “...dissecting, reforming and freshly presenting...” the music of the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Husband - a long time collaborator with McLaughlin - pays personal and intimate homage to the iconic guitarist while showcasing his own highly distinctive creativity and personal expression. And McLaughlin returns the compliment, summing up this beautiful work: "Gary Husband the pianist has long been overshadowed by Gary Husband the drummer. I can personally testify to it. However, here we have a recording which will probably achieve the reverse of what I just wrote. In addition, he has chosen to base this recording primarily on my own compositions. I am honoured. This is a recording that is full of surprises; and the fact that I have difficulty in recognizing one or two of my own compositions is only one of them! But Gary is no ordinary musician: full of invention and surprises, modulations and inversions of melodic, harmonic and rhythmic content abound.” While the album is a tribute to McLaughlin’s music, it’s no slavish copy. As arranger and composer Michael Gibbs suggests: “I’m not sure that the word interpretations is the right one for these performances - they go so much further - not even close to what the industry calls covers - so individual are they.” Gary’s now thirteen-year-long involvement with John McLaughlin (and the band The 4th Dimension) has sat alongside tenures with Billy Cobham (most recently in Cobham’s Spectrum 40 band), regular projects with Hamburg’s NDR Big Band, further touring or recording commitments with artists such as Lenny White, Didier Lockwood, Joachim Kuhn and Enrico Rava, in addition to activity in the legendary ground-breaking over three-decades-long association he shared with the late Allan Holdsworth. But despite these fruitful encounters, it’s with this personal and rewarding project that we are placed directly in touch with just how significantly - as an arranger, composer and multi-instrumentalist - Gary Husband has evolved. Of this - the second of his two “Interpretations Of” piano albums - he says “I’m proudest, to date, of this album ... actually of both these works.”

	GARY HUSBAND performing with SOFT MACHINE in 2018 JULY 28 - Tokyo, Japan (Billboard Live) - 2 show (piano/keyboards) JULY 29 - Tokyo, Japan (Billboard Live) - 2 show (piano/keyboards) JULY 31 - Osaka, Japan (Billboard Live) - 2 show (piano/keyboards) OCTOBER 16, Tue - Toronto, ON (Mod Club) - (drums) OCTOBER 17, Wed - Buffalo, NY (The Tralf) - (drums) OCTOBER 18, Thu - Cleveland, OH (Beachland Music Hall) - (drums) OCTOBER 19, Fri - Indianapolis, IN (Irving Theater) - (drums) OCTOBER 21, Sun - Chicago (Reggie's, Progtober Fest) - (drums) OCTOBER 22, Mon - Milwaukee, WI (Shank Hall) - (drums) OCTOBER 23, Tue - St. Paul, MN (The Turf) - (drums)

	GARY HUSBAND is appearing on the following albums on MoonJune Records. You can stream fully all albums on BandCamp.

CD $10 / DOWNLOAD $7

2CD $15 / DOWNLOAD $10

BELEDO Dreamland Mechanism feat. GARY HUSBAND, LINCOLN GOINES with guests DEWA BUDJANA. DORON LEV, TONY STEELE, RUDY ZULKARNAEAN

DEWA BUDJANA Zentuary feat. TONY LEVIN, GARY HUSBAND, JACK DEJOHNETTE with guests TIM GARLAND, GUTHRIE GOVAN, DANNY MARKOVITCH

DOWNLOAD $7

CD $10 / DOWNLOAD $7

JASON SMITH Tipping Point feat. GARY HUSBAND, DAVE CARPENTER

DEWA BUDJANA Surya Namaskar feat. JIMMY JOHNSON, VINNIE COLAIUTA, special guests GARY HUSBAND, MICHAEL LANDAU

	CDs will be shipped on August 2. Downloads available immediately.

NEW ZEALAND/JAPAN: Miho Wada-Accidental Journey (2018)

Discover Miho Wada’s expanded instrumental line up and latest music in her fantastic new album “Accidental Journey”.

Miho’s seventh album was a lucky event after an accidental journey to the hospital in 2016. The impact of her near death experience lead to a flood of song ideas about her life and the experience of surgery.



From the fun call and response melody she had with a bird on her walks with her dog for the piece “Tui Song” to the gamelanesque fluidity of the surreal experience of waking up from anaesthesia on “Wandering Eyes” it’s truly a different take on inspiration for Miho.



To go with with this change, there is a larger array of instrumentation on this album. Multi instrumentalists, Drew Hutchinson (sax, guitar, clarinet) and Sunjin Hong (bass, trumpet) are new additions to the band and really expand the available soundscape. Band stalwart Pascal Roggen even lends his ability on cello to round out this fresh vision.

Miho walks us through a fun, bizarre and at times scary part of her life. She invites listeners to take part in the playful inventiveness of her ensemble that will take you from dark moods to joyful flights of fancy.
credits
released March 7, 2018

Miho Wada - Flute & Alto Saxophone
Pascal Roggen - Electric Violin, Violins & Cello
Drew Hutchinson - Guitars, Clarinet & Tenor Saxophone
SungJin Hong - Bass Guitar, Double Bass & Trumpet
Jared Desvaux de Marigny - Drums
Music by Miho Wada
Performed by Miho’s Jazz Orchestra
Recorded & Mixed by Olly Harmer at The Lab Recording Studio
Mastered by Don Bartley at Benchmark Mastering
Photography by Jane Blundell, Kloser Studio
Live Photography by Hannah Roelf, HR Photography
Cover Artwork by Thomas P. Reidy III aka Goatboy
Album Design by Jason Peters, JP3 Design
All Rights Reserved @ 2017, Miho Wada

JAPAN:Takoh Group- Still Remains (2018)

USA/JAPAN: Video: Hitomi Oba

UCLA Contemporary Jazz Ensemble performing Redress Blues and Reparations Now! by Jon Jang. Directed by Hitomi Oba. 2018 winter Big Band Jazz Concert.

Hitomi is a co-founder of the new music collective, LA Signal Lab, premiering and recording stylistically diverse new music with a focus on integrating improvised and pre-composed music.

Hitomi is currently on faculty at UCLA, directing the Contemporary Jazz Ensemble, teaching jazz saxophone and a music theory course that incorporates Western classical, jazz, American popular music, and various world musical genres.
http://hitomioba.com