Ken'ichiro Shinzawa on Jazz of Japan | Brian McCrory https://www.jazzofjapan.com/tags/kenichiro-shinzawa/ Recent content in Ken'ichiro Shinzawa on Jazz of Japan | Brian McCrory Hugo en-us Mon, 16 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0000 Ken’ichiro Shinzawa: Piano Works https://www.jazzofjapan.com/kenichiro-shinzawa-piano-works/ Mon, 16 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.jazzofjapan.com/kenichiro-shinzawa-piano-works/ <p>Ideal for peaceful, calming piano, Ken’ichiro Shinzawa’s <em>Piano Works</em> features seven original compositions with a sweet purity in the musical message.</p> <figure><a href="L1200162-1024.jpg"> <img loading="lazy" src="L1200162-1024.jpg"/> </a> </figure> <p>The slow, melodic music conveys a pure innocence, almost evoking Japanese Studio Ghibli movies with scenes of happy animated characters walking through peaceful woods and resting on hillsides. With song titles like “Gentle Breeze” and “Quiet Leaves”, the pianist may have been in a similar state of mind when composing these piano sketches.</p> Ideal for peaceful, calming piano, Ken’ichiro Shinzawa’s Piano Works features seven original compositions with a sweet purity in the musical message.

The slow, melodic music conveys a pure innocence, almost evoking Japanese Studio Ghibli movies with scenes of happy animated characters walking through peaceful woods and resting on hillsides. With song titles like “Gentle Breeze” and “Quiet Leaves”, the pianist may have been in a similar state of mind when composing these piano sketches.

The songs are well-structured and composed, calming and easily listenable, with no jagged corners or dissonant harmonics distracting from the relaxed mood. There is a slight Bill Evans feeling, with traces of melodies resembling songs that the famous jazz pianist was known for, like subtle hints of homage. One song, the 12-minute “Above the Sky”, contrasts with the generally serene mood and builds slowly with wild excitement, resembling a long Keith Jarrett-style vamping piano solo.

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]]> Meu Coracao: A Tempo https://www.jazzofjapan.com/meu-coracao-a-tempo/ Wed, 14 Mar 2018 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.jazzofjapan.com/meu-coracao-a-tempo/ <p>The Japanese vocal-guitar duo Meu Coração releases the stunning <em>A Tempo</em> as a return to an earlier form. While the duo is well known for playing acoustic Brazilian music at sold-out concert halls and their <em>Hall Tone</em> albums, this sixth album presents dramatic variations with an exciting full-band sound.</p> <figure><a href="L1190130-1024.jpg"> <img loading="lazy" src="L1190130-1024.jpg"/> </a> </figure> <p>The album starts with a vibrant “One Note Samba” and also features a catchy “Lawns”, the peppy Brazilian tunes “Corrida De Jangada” and “Batacuda Surgiu”, and a sentimental, lush “Amazon River”. The album closes like a sweet lullaby with a dreamy “Love Me Tender”.</p> The Japanese vocal-guitar duo Meu Coração releases the stunning A Tempo as a return to an earlier form. While the duo is well known for playing acoustic Brazilian music at sold-out concert halls and their Hall Tone albums, this sixth album presents dramatic variations with an exciting full-band sound.

The album starts with a vibrant “One Note Samba” and also features a catchy “Lawns”, the peppy Brazilian tunes “Corrida De Jangada” and “Batacuda Surgiu”, and a sentimental, lush “Amazon River”. The album closes like a sweet lullaby with a dreamy “Love Me Tender”.

The music grooves with creative arrangements and interesting effects, rooted by the vocal-guitar duo at the core who continue to make music from the heart.

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