One of the world’s most populous cities and certainly among the most interesting, Tokyo is a place where there is never a lack of worthwhile things to do, and that includes musical options in the countless “live houses,” or concert bars, peppered across the municipal map. Japanese musicians and fans have long demonstrated a thirst for sounds from abroad, and an informed respect as well, so quality rock, reggae, jazz, and much more can be found easily enough. For the foreign visitor, the distinctively domestic creations and interpretations are the most interesting. While tickets aren’t cheap, the online reservation system is practical (and honourably devoid of treacherous supplementary fees), sound quality is taken seriously, early start times much appreciated, and the sheer energy of the local audiences astounding. Below are a quartet of musical events from early spring that PAN M 360 is pleased to report back on. Stories by Rupert Bottenberg and Alain Brunet who were in Japan last spring.
Kagero @ Nepo Club, Mitaka, March 20th
Kagero is definitely one of the heaviest jazz small ensembles in the whole jazz world, much beyond Japan. Aggressive with a real hardcore/punk appeal, powerful, sarcastic, almost acoustic but musically violent, savage but highly skilled, this group clearly pushes the boundaries of the idea of a jazz quartet. Through the last decade, it’s been said that Kagero became a « topic » for jazz afficionados in Japan, and we don’t exactly know why it hasn’t become yet for art punk & jazz listeners in the West.
Since 2005, this excellent band has played and recorded mainly in Japan an Asia. The lineup has been Shiromizu on bass, Ryu “Ruppa” Sasaki on saxophone, Yokoyama Nana on piano, (2005-09), Takayuki Suzuki on drums (2005-07, 2008-10, 2010-12), Chieko Kikuchi on piano (2010-present), Tomomichi Hagiwara on drums (2012-present).
We could witness their great talent and edge at the Nepo Club in Mitaka neighbourghood, last March. And we’re pleased that they accepted to answer our questions. Here they are!
PAN M 360 : For almost 20 years, this band has been performing and recording. Are you true pioneers in punk jazz in Japan ?
Yu Shiromizu : Wr don’t know if we are “true pioneers” or not, but we have never taken a cue from what someone else has done.
PAN M 360 : What have inspired you to make that blend of acoustic free jazz and punk spirit ? Did you have some early influences in that sense ?
Yu Shiromizu : For us, we feel that jazz and punk are fundamentally the same in terms of “freedom. In terms of fusion, there are no particular artists that have influenced us, but of course we like many artists in each genre.
PAN M 360 : Were the 4 of you trained in music schools before being professionals ?
Yu Shiromizu : Pianist Chieko Kikuchi studied piano in the U.S., and the other three met in the light music club of a regular Japanese university.
PAN M 360 : Were you following the occidental punk jazz groups like Lounge Lizards, Tupelo Chain Sex, King Krule, Puma Blue, Tim Berne Caos Totale, Last Exit, The Ex and many others ? Do you have some favourite ?
Yu Shiromizu : Not at all.
PAN M 360 :There is a great deal of virtuosity in your band and also a great deal of violent noise. How do you see this tension ?
Yu Shiromizu : Both technology and noise are means to express a sense of urgency and exuberance.
PAN M 360 : Some Japanese musicians told me that the local jazz scene has declined over the last decade. What do you think ?
Yu Shiromizu : I don’t know for myself whether jazz has declined in the last 10 years, but I feel that jazz is becoming more and more classic in Japan.
PAN M 360 : In this band, do you consider yourselves as jazz musicians or free musicians relating to modern jazz while doing something else ?
Yu Shiromizu : I am not too concerned with such a concept. I am aware that each of us is an independent, one-of-a-kind musician and that we are a collective of musicians.
PAN M 360 : Are there many other jazz punk units in Japan ?
Yu Shiromizu : If there are any, I would like to be friends with them.
PAN M 360 : About your social and economical conditions as alternative or niche musicians in Japan ? How is it to make a living with music in your country ? Do you often perform in other countries or other markets ?
Yu Shiromizu : The reality is that the overwhelming majority of musicians in Japan have other jobs as well. In this respect, the members of KAGERO are fortunate. The mainstay of their livelihood is music production and live performances, which inevitably involve a lot of expenses. For this reason, Yu Shromizu(Ba) has its own live music club, NEPO. In the past, he has traveled to the U.S. twice with KAGERO, as well as to China and Taiwan.
PAN M 360 : What are your next projects as a band or solo ?
Yu Shiromizu : Work on the next album, and as a solo artist, he will work on a wide range of projects, from self-expression to commercial music production.
