小林鈴勘 on Jazz of Japan | Brian McCrory https://www.jazzofjapan.com/tags/%E5%B0%8F%E6%9E%97%E9%88%B4%E5%8B%98/ Recent content in 小林鈴勘 on Jazz of Japan | Brian McCrory Hugo en-us Fri, 27 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000 Trigraph: Fever https://www.jazzofjapan.com/trigraph-fever/ Fri, 27 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.jazzofjapan.com/trigraph-fever/ <p><em>Fever</em> is the 2014 debut release from Trigraph, a band that takes an eclectic approach to their music, focusing on jazz and pop while incorporating various genres and instruments into their music. The core group is the talented trio of musicians Sanae Ishikawa on vocals, Takayoshi Baba on guitar, and Reikan Kobayashi on shakuhachi and other instruments. Two additional musicians fill out the group for this recording, electric fretless bassist Ryoji Orihara, and drummer Yasushi Fukumori.</p> Fever is the 2014 debut release from Trigraph, a band that takes an eclectic approach to their music, focusing on jazz and pop while incorporating various genres and instruments into their music. The core group is the talented trio of musicians Sanae Ishikawa on vocals, Takayoshi Baba on guitar, and Reikan Kobayashi on shakuhachi and other instruments. Two additional musicians fill out the group for this recording, electric fretless bassist Ryoji Orihara, and drummer Yasushi Fukumori.

Whether singing in English on four tracks or Japanese on five tracks, Ishikawa’s voice is crystal clear and up front in the mix, directly conveying her skill and emotional power storytelling through song. The album works to maintain interest with arrangements and compositions influenced by jazz, pop, rock, Latin, musicals, and classic songwriters such as Stevie Wonder and Freddie Mercury.

As for jazz covers, the album opens with the refreshing “It Might as Well Be Spring” and the ballad “Angel Eyes”, performed here with an enticingly sultry nightclub vibe. The cute throwback “Goody-Goody” takes the role of a traditional swing jazz tune embellished with Japanese bamboo flute, and the exciting title track “Fever” is played with uptempo verve and abandon. The Japanese pop hit “Hanamizuki” is also covered, a well-known 2004 song from Japan used in an acclaimed movie by the same name and popular in karaoke rooms.

In addition to jazz, Trigraph also features five of their well-crafted original compositions: the sweetly tender “Appreciation”, the passionate “Akanegumo”, the restful “Etude for Shakuhachi and Guitar”, the ballad “Eternal Snow”, and the grand and swelling “Barau”.

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]]> Reikan Kobayashi: Gakudan Hitori https://www.jazzofjapan.com/reikan-kobayashi-gakudan-hitori/ Thu, 13 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.jazzofjapan.com/reikan-kobayashi-gakudan-hitori/ <p>A novel album in several ways, <em>Gakudan Hitori</em> from musician Reikan Kobayashi contains interesting dimensions and juxtapositions. Kobayashi is proficient on many instruments but has primarily made a name for himself by playing shakuhachi in Japan and using the traditional Japanese bamboo flute in jazz music. As strong a voice the whistling wind of the wooden flute is itself, the incorporation of this characteristically Japanese sound to jazz and other music adds to the originality of this 2011 release.</p> A novel album in several ways, Gakudan Hitori from musician Reikan Kobayashi contains interesting dimensions and juxtapositions. Kobayashi is proficient on many instruments but has primarily made a name for himself by playing shakuhachi in Japan and using the traditional Japanese bamboo flute in jazz music. As strong a voice the whistling wind of the wooden flute is itself, the incorporation of this characteristically Japanese sound to jazz and other music adds to the originality of this 2011 release.

The album title translates to “One Man Band” and highlights another unconventional aspect of this record, that of Kobayashi being the sole musician on all the tracks. Not quite a solo performance though, he plays all the instruments separately with overdubbing to create what sounds like several musicians performing together, with guitars, piano, bass, hand percussion and more all in the mix. Of course, the shakuhachi takes center stage on most of the songs, with guitar or piano backing along with other instruments.

Adding to the variety is the range of material written by the musician, including light pop, bebop blues, sweet Ghibli-like themes, heavy rock, and dramatic soundtrack-type movements. Two tracks in particular, “Ghost’s Tears” and “Takumi”, are quite effective at presenting the mellow, breathy sounds of the Japanese instrument with strong compositions, summoning spiritual, zen-like impressions of traditional Japan.

Not just a collection of solemn atmospheres, the overall tone leans toward cheerful and moving songs, and while this is not a conventional jazz album, it is a stimulating and diverse collection of musical ideas from one man’s mind, hands, and breath.

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