Dereb from Ethiopia

Ethio Jazz . Samuel Yirga

I have been sessioning the supremely talented Samuel Yirga for the last few months.

Afro Spectacular

Sounds as of late.

Borth soon to be added to my growing vinyl collection consisting of an eclectic mix afro funk, blues, japanese folk and ethio jazz. This is non stop shoulder shuffling stuff.

Jeff Lang . Tokyo 2012

As I highlighted in my Djan Djan  post, Jeff has been a long time favorite of mine. After hearing him play 'Elvis is Dead' three years ago on the internet I fell in love with both his music and the Weissenborn style lap slide. I now thankfully own an entry level model and have been naively plucking away for own amusement for a year or so and always listening to Jeff's wonderfully disturbed folk for enlightenment. Nonetheless, I have never been able to see him live. Alas, as Japan's long-time guitar culture is alive and well, it comes as no surprise that the relatively commercially unknown Lang (even in Australia) is highly regarded as a fretboard aficionado in Japan. Deservedly, he held down a prime Friday night slot at Daikanyama's  UNIT for people willing to dig deep. And many where. The packed house were recipients of truly profound musicianship from both Jeff and drummer Danny McKenna, for a tick over two hours. I was seriously in awe, and along with everyone else I didn't hold back on letting out a couple of howls when Jeff was in full flight.

After the show I got to meet both of them, and the two local Victorians where refreshed by my Australian accent. I had thanked them sincerely and chatted about my own living and studying status in Tokyo. After they singed my new CD's, one of which is a live recording from Melbourne, Jeff said "Seeya Ryan!" as I walked out of the room smiling from ear to ear. I also yanked a gig poster off the wall on the way out of which is highly taboo in Japan. So that's about as rebellious as I get. Below is a clip of him a few years back.

Vivek & Swaroop

Back in June on my first few days in Mumbai, Phil and I decided to hit up a local club called Blue Frog . Tabla and Hindi scat master Vivek Rajagopalan and his quartet teamed up with Indian Idol star Swaroop Khan. Here is some footage of both that night and Kahn exercising his well oiled Rajasthani pipes. The Total Recall like fit-out and the simple fact I was hitting the Mumbai night scene for the first time was just straight-up extraordinary.

A Social Thursday

I had a really great day today sharing Tokyo with new and old friends from back home. I had recently met R through my recent Melbourne visitor L and I offered to show her around Shimokitazawa today. As we archi kids from Melbourne town are into thrift stores and nostalgic repertoires, Shimokitazawa can be a dangerous place for the precious Japanese yen. I met up with R around midday at Shibuya crossing and we then head onto the Inokashira line bound for 'Shimokit' (as we and C like to refer). For the next two hours or so R and I wandered around a few shops admiring the plethora of interesting things. We had a pleasant drink at The Darwin Room, possibly one of the quaintest shops in the area and it is as it suggests full of botanic books, bugs and bits and bobs in the theme of Charles Darwin. The inbuilt benches against the large front windows made an ideal people watching setting. As I was due to meet B down the road at three, I showed R only the location of other great shops and left her to engange in come solid retail therapy. Reports are a few garments, shoes and collectable records are on their way back to Melbourne.

I then made my way down to Komaba-Todaimae station to meet up with my passionate Portugese maninho, B. The purpose of our exchange was that he is doing me huge favor and lending me his snowboard gear for my upcoming Hokkaido and Niseko adventure. As I waited on the platform  rekindling my love affair with Battles (see video) - some serious head bobbing occured - I was then amused to see B running down the street in a rage of energy with the gear on his back. We greeted like lost brothers and then B, a friend of his and myself boarded the train back to Shibuya. B and I discussed his upcoming Australia adventure with great excitement and then parted ways at Shibuya station.

Later that evening, a friend of mine Richard Stampton from Melbourne whom I used to both study under and work for organised to catch up for dinner.  http://richardstampton.com/

We decided to meet at a particular 'Starbucks above the concourse' in Shinjuku around 6:30. I arrived at a Starbucks above a concourse however after 20 minutes or so I began to think we had different Starbucks in mind (there are a total of 22 in Shinjuku). It was a wrong doing on my part as my past experience with L at a Shinjuku meet up point didn't go so well either. I ran around checking other Starbucks until I gladly found Richard still waiting for me at...a Starbucks above a concourse. We happily greeted and set off to find a place to eat. I had read up on a few places to eat before-hand however I wasn't keen on engaging in a needle in a haystack activity after my subsequent Starbucks "cluster fuck" (J.K Simmons, Burn After Reading). However amongst our healthy chatter and aimless wandering we incredibly stumbled across Touch of Spice a Thai place that I read up on so we headed to the third floor and were seated immediately. We chatted about his wonderfully hectic trip around Japan and the many oddities of Japanese culture. After our delicious meals, we decided to head to a gig at the Pit Inn live house which was not far. I had checked to see what was on beforehand and was intrigued by the combination of instruments on the bill. 

Michiyo Yagi Double Trio
Michiyo Yagi(20 strings&17 strings Koto,Vocals)

Todd Nicholson(Contrabass)

Takashi Sugawa(Contrabass,Cello,Electric Bass)

Tamaya Honda(Drums)

Yasunori Tanaka(Drums)

Michiyo Yagi, an innovative Koto player who has been overturning the conventional sense of Koto instrument, combined two leading rhythm sections in Japanese jazz scene into this unique group. Performing mainly Yagi’s original pieces that incorporated Japanese music, free jazz and progressive rock, the double trio played a range of pieces including the theme music from Seijun Suzuki’s monstrous film ’Branded to Kill’ (Koroshi no rakuin) and Nick Drake’s ’River Man’ with Yagi’s radical arrangements. As Richard pointed out, there were also epic moments that chanelled the Dirty Three. It was by far my most favorite gig in Japan. Here is some footage of Yagi's skills from the evening that I recorded.

Oncenth Trio . Barrel House

C and I decided to head down to our nieghbouring bar and electronic mecca Ikebukuro. We where particularly in search of a live rock house called Barrel House which was hosting the Oncenth Trip and special Guess Hon (Guitarist) and Saga Yuki (Vocalist). We found it, walked in, sat at the bar and ordered a beer. The bar walls where lined with records and various posters of distant rock and blues idols such as John Lee Hooker and Jim Morrison. The audience of fifteen or so applauded the song that just came to an end, and by what we heard it was odd improv jazz ensemble. We where correct. Saga Yuki turned out to be seriously the most hyped up and whacky performer I have seen in a long time. She made all sorts of odd squeeling sounds that sort of worked and she sporadically used rattling toys as percussive accents. Each musician had strong talent and C and I where quite impressed with the Double Bass players solos. He went completely bananas at times. In the 'intermission' the band members seemed to be drawn to C and I, the only gaijins in the place, to say hello. We expressed our delight in thier entertaining performance so far. Yuki-San burst in greeted us with an explosive "hellllow!". What a lady. Soon, the band piped up again and played a few more tracks, more whacky than the first couple we heard. The encore performance is posted here. After the show, I purchased their CD and they all signed it. So cool. and we chatted a little more with the band members and received the details of their next gig. One of the highlights of the evening was when the bar owner (I assume) asked us in his best English "why Ikebukuro?". For those that know Tokyo, Ikebukuro is the black sheep of the satellite meccas of Tokyo (others being Shinjuku, Shibuya etc.). The countless backstreets of Ikebukuro are lined with pink salloons, whisky bars, darts bars, love hotels and alternative live houses. So seeing two gaijins in his bar must have seemed odd to him. We explained we lived within walking distance and he understood.

When our glasses where empty we stood up to say goodbye and the whole bar turned around to cheerfully wish us a safe journey home.Inspired by the owners odd question, we decided to do what did last time we where in Ikebukuro and that is scour the seediest streets looking for cool and interesting bars. It was a monday night of course and so we only found the seedy places so we headed home agreeing that Ikebukuro is underrated and that Barrel House is a great place.

Blue Skies . M&D day 2

After a quick brekkie at Pronto coffee, we headed back on the Yamanonte and Toden Arakawa lines to reach Otsuka. We arrived at my dorm to show them around properly and unload some of the bits and bobs brought from Australia. I opened my collection of Christmas present and was a happy little vegemite. My little cousins G and J drew adorable pictures for me, pleading “please come back”. Next we headed to Sakuramiya as my old man was very keen to check out the coffee brew. T-san and K-san greated us all with great delight and we exchanged formalities before each ordering a coffee and cake set. Mum oohed and ahhed over the ambiance whilst playing with the array kaleidoscopes and Dad sat humbly fascinated with K-san's skills behind the coffee machine. Surprisingly, T-san presented mum with a kaliescope she made just for her, Mum was obviously as overwhelmed by the present as dad was with the taste of the coffee. T-san called the owner K-san and twenty minutes later K-san and M (bearing his Australia beanie) greeted us and sat down. For the next hour or so Dad and I drank another coffee while mum chatted with k-san and T-san. We eventually left  after a touching goodbye and Mum and Dad were positively overwhelmed by the generosity and friendliness of everyone they just met. It was a wonderful and fitting way for Mum and Dad to interact with local Japanese for the first time. After travelling on the Toden Arakawa, Yamanote and Toei Oedo lines we reached our destination of a completely different scale to Sakuramiya; the top of Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. It was a chilly, however crystal clear day and you could see the seemingly endless concrete landscape disappear as far as the eye could reach. Tokyo bay and the distant mountains where in full view. We then whizzed through the Metoblism exhibition as I explained the key ideas and pointed out the key exhibits. Mum and Dad where surprisingly engaged and impressed by the concepts and the exhibition overall. It is a wonderful exhibition however you need two proper visits to get through the information and battle the "museum fatigue". It was approaching half past four and we began our journey towards the Invoice theatre to see the early evening show of Blue Man Group. Pumped! These guys are supremely entertaining and hard to place. Using their trademark PVC pipe apparatus' they pumped out a handful of musical numbers. The show was half a comedic mime always involving stunned but willing audience members and half musical performance. It was a profoundly entertaining, engaging, humorous and skillful show that clearly portrayed these blue men as true showmen. I would definitely not baulk at the chance to see them again. 

Indigo Jam Unit

Sublime Japanese Nu-Jazz outfit Indigo Jam Unit

Djan Djan

Djan Djan a collaboration between Malian Kora master, Mamadou Diabte, Australian blues (disturbed folk) guitarist-singer-songwriter Jeff Lang and Indian tabla savant Bobby Singh. This footage below is one of great source of inspiration and enjoyment. I find almost nothing better than to be overwhelmed by witnessing masters at work and to see three come together to create something so harmonious is nothing short of spellbinding. The album was actually recognised by the ARIA's last year and won world album of the year.

I have listened to Lang's music for a few years now and he is the main reason I fell in love with the wiessenborn style acoustic lap steel. Lang plays a custom acoustic lap steel made in Ballarat by David Churchill, if you notice in the clip just how big in both depth and width the hollow neck is. This creates an incredible resonating tone. Other great lap steel players I listen to are Xavier Rudd, Ben Harper, Andrew Winton and John Butler.

Forss. Soulhack

Oh boy am I enjoying this album. Funk for Nerds best served loud with headphones and full concentration
 

Kinyobi Times

Fridays have become quite the iconic day of the week in my new routine.  If I felt I had a lazy day during the week it is made up by the relentless activity on this day. 

The day begins with a rushed breakfast and shower, packing my rucksack for the day with my behemoth of a computer, books, pencil case and so on. I then straddle the Mama Chari (bicycle for mother), which was my very pragmatic choice of bicycle purchase with its front and back baskets and chopper handle bars. I then ride furiously to Japanese class which I am perpetually running 3 minutes late. Sweating like a horse, I make it to class on time even before the always smiling sensei has arrived. After an hour and a half of mumbling basic words and sentences out of mouth I move on quickly to the adjacent building to prepare for the important design competition meeting. After spending a few days mentally consumed by the project, I feel I have some useful things to bring to the table by the time the meeting comes around at 1pm. The Monaco Design competition is for 10-15 luxury apartments in the Monte Carlo area of Monaco. The brief from the developer has been quite the hurdle to decipher and comprehend due to the local planning policies being in French.  The meeting was the first time to discuss design ideas and some engaging opinions were put forward, and it now this weekend’s task is for each member to present a scheme for Professor Kuma by Monday. I have been looking forward my involvement in a design proposal with Prof. Kuma for quite some time. To hear his opinion and particular approach to this complex project will hopefully be a valuable learning experience.

On with the Friday activities. I assumed that I would have to miss my regular Friday gym session with my great Swedish mate C. Thankfully, we wrapped up after a couple of hours and I shot through a successful pitch to make a late dash to gym. We busted out guts and concluded the session with some boxing that left us both lying flat on our backs in an exhausted and sweaty daze. We stumbled down to the locker rooms whilst discussing the various location potentials of the forthcoming preconceived drunken activities. After gym I had to again move hastily to a lecture whilst stuffing my face with a rice bento, 2 sandwiches, chocolate, protein jelly and milk. The lecture’s topic was on Japanese housing and refurbishment strategies. Interesting I thought, however the lecturer had a mature cold and read almost word for word the hand out he gave us. I nodded off at least 3 times. The lecture eventually concluded at 6pm, and now I had a 2 hour computer tutorial on Grasshopper. The tutorial was good, however it did finish half an hour late and therefore my estimated arrival time back home was shot. I called C and told him I would get back as fast as I could as we decided to meet N and J in Shimokitazawa at 10. I kept my word and peddled like a lunatic to get home. My thighs burned when I arrived. My spirit was up when I arrived and I quickly informed C that we should get going. I had a refreshing beer while I waited for C to choreograph his layered outfit. We took the JR Yamanote to Shibuya and then changed to the Keio Inokashira (which was packed like a can of sardines) to Shimokitazawa. C and I remarked how uncomfortable it is to be pressed up so hard against everybody; particularly when it involves adjacent bums, groins and people with colds.

We waited in the chilly breeze at the South exit of the station. N and J emerged from the narrow and glowing streets ready to commence drinking and eating. We approached a nomihodai (all you can drink) venue which was unfortunately full and J persistently expressed her disappointment. I pointed us in the direction of another potential place. The 4 storey building stood precariously on a discreet corner and we scoured the stairs popping our heads in to each bar to assess their situation. We ended up at the rooftop establishment called Lotus. Man this place is great! All that was need would be a bunch of Nepalese smoking shisha and we would be in Kathmandu. The friendly owner sat us down at a square structure that had the table top removed to encompass a large gas heater in the centre. The heat was overbearing and I switched it off. She served us delicious beer and a generous bowl of salty mixed nuts. We talked crap, ate the nuts, ordered another round, chatted with the locals and left in good spirits. J insisted we try the nomihodai place again and to everyone’s pleasure we were able to get a table. C voiced his concern of not planning to “fucked up” but in true C spirit he jumped on board the two hour Getting Fucked Up express. The next two hours consisted of C and I drinking and eating like animals. N and J drank solidly and were both keen to try an array of drinks from the menu. C asked us all a great question of what was our greatest memory. The next two minutes we all gazed to the ceiling in that usual process of going through your brains memory bank. I plucked out my time at Tilicho Tal as my greatest memory. I am still happy with that choice.  C’s best memory was standing at the top the Romanian mountains. The discussion rapidly declined towards the gutter where topics and anecdotes of sex and grotesque human activities were canvassed. When the two hours ran dry, we paid the modest bill and stumbled back outside by 2:30am. We waddled not far until we were halted by a pink sign saying “Girls Bar”. We laughed and giggled our way into the elevator and C was quite apprehensive of the plan due to our midweek revelation of understanding the nature of Pink Bits Salons. We were met at the elevator entrance by a security gard/host/pimp/door man and we bailed on the idea as it was as we assumed; very shady. Back out on the street we ventured into a dark alley where I proceeded to open various doors of adjacent bars. Each place was mostly empty and silent and reeked of unwholesome activity. I opened a handful of doors. One was to a Philipino Bar and the others assumed a general smoking watering hole identity. We clambered up a large flight of stairs to a place called Mona Records. The faint sound of acoustic performance embodied hope. I opened the door and the narrow bar was full and sure enough it turned at to be an all-night open mike night. After a song or two, we moved to the front table and assumed our positions for what would be the next 2 hours of enjoyable and skillful performance of mainly folk infused Japanese acoustic ballads. One guy played multiple instruments in multiple bands and also performed a solo piano and vocal piece. I was impressed. I nodded off a few times as did N because by this time it was approaching 5am. At the end of the night, we chatted in a mix of Japanese and English to Fujiya san, Terakajima san and Tanaka san who seemed interested in our presence. We were the only gaijins. We eventually left and stupidly ran to the station thinking a train was leaving soon. It wasn’t. From a distance, N, C and I waved goodnight/goodmorning/goodbye to J as she ran off to catch her train. At Shibuya C and I parted with N and made our usual sleepy, drunken journey back to our really hard futons at home.

Brian Eno

Taken from Brian Enos album: Drums Between The Bells. The key pioneer in ambient electronic is still pushing fresh sounds.


Brian Eno - bless this space (taken from Drums Between The Bells) by Warp Records

Tyler Durden

The Dust Brothers - This Is Your Life

Tasogare

Tonight C, J and myself ventured to Komyogi Temple for the annual Tasogare "Twilight" Festival.

" TASOGARE is a ephemeral festival at night with colorful particles of various sounds " http://www.taso.jp

And I would agree. The festival, held in the main hall of the Buddhist temple, was a unique experience in many ways. Firstly to see a live contemporary music performance in a Buddhist Temple is rare even for Japanese locals. Secondly, one of the only three acts was from Brisbane Australia. Unfortunately I found their evident discomfort with the rooms heat, PA sound issues and experimental rockisms difficult to swallow. Lastly, the night ended with all attendees participating in a Sutra Chant to Amida-Buddha; the statue at the centre of the hall. 

So we left a little perplexed however satisfied as to the reality of the evening being that we saw Australian and US musicians playing ephemeral electronic in a Buddhist Temple in Tokyo...odd to say the least.

We rounded off the successful evening with a Chinese feast followed by the quintessential ice-cream in Shimbashi, where a steam locomotive was decorated in Christmas lights. 

Oki

Oki is a Ainu Japanese musician, fusing traditional Tonkori sounds with reggae, dub and world influences. This is a great cut, which I tracked down after hearing it at the Tokyo Art Beat 7th birthday Party. Feel free to move about like a rhythmic baboon.

Kane Ren Ren Dub by Oki

Sugamo Jizodori - Harajuku for old ladies

On my ride home this afternoon, I was met wish an exceptionally busy Sugamo Jizodori. A street I ride down every day, it is an extension along the old "Nakasendo" highway, which was one of the five major highways in the Edo period.


Today was definitely a celebration of some sort as stalls selling things from trash and treasure, fish, sweets, antiques and mainly clothing for the elderly. So the presence of young bearded Gaijin wheeling his obtrusive bicycle down the street perplexed many. I also came across these two great buskers at the end of street; one on a traditional Shamisen and the other on tambourine. A fine combination.

The shamisen is a 3 stringed resonating instrument with no frets that is played with a large plectrum. It is officially on the growing wish list.

Sugamo Jizodori shamisen busker 

Tokyo Art Beat turns 7

The wonderful Tokyo Art Beat had their 7th birthday celebration. They have been keeping me up to date with the latest exhibition and general art and design happenings all around Tokyo. The event was an intimate affair held at a  Dictionary Club an event space part of a boutique art school in Shinjuku. Guests and Performances by: Yasuto Yokota (pseudo light); Mizue Ogiso (art installation); Ho Ho-Do (performance); DadadD (music), Beatinvstr(DJ). The craft beer, bento and cake stall where all delicious. E, C, J and I all ended up an "English" Pub where I could not resist the 1 litre test tube of draft. kum pai!

Thursday Night Soul

A bit of Melbourne's Thursday Night Cherry Bar withdrawal symptoms.

You Got To Be a Man(Chop Suey Remix)125.000BPM by TallBlackGuyProductions