From: Wesley (wesleyhongkong@earthlink.net)
Date: Thu Sep 12 2002 - 20:07:27 CEST
Feature :: Kyoto Jazz Massive - Yomiuri Shimbun
KYOTO JAZZ MASSIVE
Yomiuri Shimbun
KYOTO JAZZ MASSIVE
Spirit of the Sun
Sony Music Associated Records, 2,520 yen
In the early 1990s, acid-jazz leader Gilles Peterson told two Kyoto
brothers
to make jazz massive in Japan. While Shuya and Yoshihiro Okino have yet
to
achieve that goal, they certainly have established themselves, under the
moniker Kyoto Jazz Massive, as two of Japan's leading producers of the
jazz-meets-club sound.
Times have moved on, of course. While the Acid Jazz record label
Peterson
cofounded has long since overdosed, together with the acid jazz genre
itself, many of those who were inspired by the same sounds have gone on
to
embrace more fully the possibilities of employing electronica to express
a
jazzed hipness.
During this time, Kyoto Jazz Massive have released five singles, four
compilation albums and 13 remix works. But, like many other acts of what
is
now dubbed club jazz or future jazz, it has taken them an incredibly
long
time to get around to producing their first album of original material.
But as anyone who has enjoyed the group's previous work might imagine,
the
album is an extremely solid work. The CD's outstanding track is the
group's
stellar single "Eclipse," which is likely to remain their best track for
the
time being. A spacey fusion track featuring a tasteful but slightly
unpredictable drum pattern, and a chord motif that shoots into the mix
like
a speeding Starship Enterprise, "Eclipse" demonstrates the strong points
of
the musical siblings--sophisticated Latin-flavored beats programmed by
Yoshihiro combined with the harmonic and melodic ideas of Shuya, and
their
combined production prowess in overseeing the keyboard participation of
collaborator Hajime Yoshizawa.
Other high points of the release are the spiritual jazz of "The
Brightness
of These Days," featuring vocalist Vanessa Freeman, the soulful futurism
of
"Mind Expansions," featuring the voice of Maiya James and "Deep in Your
Mind," a track arranged by Victor Davies, who also sings on it. Of these
three guest vocalists, James leaves the most lasting impression.
The inclusion of four vocal tracks seems like an attempt to appeal to a
wider audience, but some listeners may have preferred more of an
abstract
sound throughout the album. Those from a jazz background, meanwhile,
might
prefer less restraint on the soloing, and others may cover their ears
rather
than hear the synth bass sound used on two of the tracks.
On the whole, though, this tasteful combination of tracks successfully
transmits the alluring musical spirit of the Okino brothers.
VARIOUS ARTISTS
Bossa House Volumes I and II
Pioneer LDC, 2,625 yen (each)
Bossa House is a slightly misleading title for these two volumes of
entertaining music, given that there's not much house or bossa nova or
even
fusions thereof to be found on the two CDs. The original title of the
albums, Chill Out Foundation Presents, is a little closer to the mark,
as
the two releases are packed with deep bass lines, soothing keyboards and
Brazilian influenced drum patterns that are ideally suited for club
chill-out rooms or mellow listening at home on a lazy day off.
The outstanding tracks on Volume I are "Agua de Beber," an updated
version
by Sandra Cross of the Brazilian standard remixed by Kyoto Jazz Massive;
"Memories of View," an interesting combination of low-tech acoustic
guitar
and high-tech bleeps by Taiyo; and Deep Atmosphere's "Paradise Village,"
a
delicious track featuring futuristic keyboard sounds punctuated with a
dramatic pant.
Volume II contains similar high points, although not quite as many. The
low
points of the two compilations, meanwhile, are the Ohm Guru tracks
featuring
vocals and a couple of dated tunes that are are nearly 10 years older
than
the other selections.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Thu Sep 12 2002 - 20:08:04 CEST