Her storied journey includes forays in the bands of renowned Brazilian bass player Luizão Maia (partnered with Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Elis Regina, and others—coincidentally, Nobie’s even been described as “the Japanese Elis Regina”), Soil & Pimp Sessions pianist Josei’s Alma+ band, famous Brazilian guitarist Toninho Horta, influential Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke, and the popular Japanese jazz/samba/fusion of Shinichi Kato’s B-Hot Creations.

For years, she has been primarily known for her beautiful singing voice among her wealth of talents, appearing on stage as a vocalist with various bands and collaborations. She has been more prominent as a leader in her own right since making her name with her 2011 debut album Primary. Since this release, she has continued to be active with live shows and recorded music, and her latest album Owari to Hajimari, a primarily guitar/vocal duo album, was just released last year.

Primary knits together Nobie’s rich musical background, influences, and musical loves through eleven selections made up of six of her originals and five cover songs. Being described as “stylish jazz and bossa nova” would be easy but definitely too simple, as Nobie’s palette, controlled articulation, and intentions are much more colorful and vivid. In fact, only three of the songs on this album delve into obvious Latin territory at the very start, middle, and end of the album.

When not jamming it up and getting down with Brazilian guitars and rhythms, the sound of the music varies as the musicians combine in different forms. With acoustic and electric blends, the propulsive group sound is based on acoustic piano and guitars, electric keyboards and guitars, drums and percussion, and subtle effects. Through it all, her clear voice, deceptively light and airy, infuses the music with gentle elegance and soaring grace with pinpoint accuracy, leading the band and the music effortlessly through its moods.

Here is a brief map of the album’s tracks with forgivably brief descriptions: Brazilian guitars and voices with infectious riffs and rhythms (#1 “Shinkansen”, #5 “Arigatou”, #11 “Wind From Minas”), layered ethereal trips floating on fusion jazz (#4, “Loop”, #7 “Black Narcissus”, #10 “Minami e”), smooth jazz (#6 “Letter”, #9 “Oceano”), unforgettable pop (#2 “Blackbird”, #3 “Human Nature”), and a heart-heavy love song (#8 “Tarde”).

The cover songs include Lennon/McCartney’s ever-popular “Blackbird”, Michael Jackson’s hit “Human Nature”, and Joe Henderson’s mesmerizing “Black Narcissus”. Perhaps most importantly, her influences for /Primary /also include Toninho Horta (specifically mentioned on the obi sleeve), the Brazilian guitarist/singer who, along with friend and musical partner Milton Nascimento, is a giant in the Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) genre. Horta joins Nobie on the first and last tracks (Horta’s “Shinkansen” and Nobie’s “Wind From Minas”), lending his expert Brazilian guitar and voice to two of the album highlights.

No stranger to juggling genres, Nobie’s live shows are dynamic and unpredictable with the mixing of familiar favorites with unexpected gifts, from Brazilian and pop to the deep jazz catalog, from Sting and Jimi Hendrix to McCoy Tyner, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, and Airto Moreira.

In live settings when playing rearranged covers or her originals, her skills include playing with complex rhythms and time signatures with an innately accurate musical sense. On Primary, beats and time signatures are relatively straightforward, pinned down with easily absorbed grooves. Still, even when reigned in, the sense of strong time control from Nobie and her band is penetrating.

Also, in addition to her singing of song lyrics, her voice often transcends words into free-form scatting, nimble improvisations, and rhythmic vocalizations with pops, clicks, trills, chirps, hoots, growls, and whispers.

These ear-catching sounds are further extended through her impressive skills with simultaneous percussion playing of caxixi (shaker), hand drums, and similar physical instruments, and even remarkably simulating percussion sounds and rhythms with her voice between phrases and lyrics. When bringing the mood down, however, her gentle voice exudes exquisite calmness, guiding listeners into a meditative peace and stillness similar to “Loop” on this album.

At live shows, Nobie switches between singing in Portuguese, Japanese, English, or voice-as-an-instrument wordless vocalizations, as suits the material or her spontaneous mood.

Similarly, on Primary, Nobie sings in Japanese for five tracks, English for three (fitting the finely-rearranged Beatles and Michael Jackson songs and Nobie’s storytelling love song “Letter”), Portuguese on one, and with instrumental voice on “Black Narcissus” (appropriately sax-like), “Shinkansen” (with train station names appearing near the end, naturally), and “Wind From Minas”, closing the album just like it begins, with irresistible rhythms and addictively lovable singing.

Audio and Video

• Nobie performing #1 “Shinkansen” live with Toninho Horta:

• Nobie performing #1 “Shinkansen” live with Shikou Ito and Kohzo Komori:

• Nobie performing #5 “Arigatou” live with Shikou Ito and Kohzo Komori:

• Excerpt from track #4: “Loop”

Happiness is integral to the band’s sound, even evident in the artist name and album title, roughly translated as cheerful, joyful, happy band and bon voyage.

With upbeat rhythms, effervescent melodies, and playful interplay, many of the songs stir the soul with positivity through poppy Latin rhythms and kinetic energy: #1 “Sunda Land”, #2 “Água e Peixes”, and #3 “Neste Pais” (with a jazzier feel heading toward Chick Corea or Joe Henderson-type territory) start the album with a great introduction of the band’s flavorful dynamics.

Slower bossas and poetic reflections also enter the mix through the slow romance of #4 “Outono de Ipanema” and the lonely longing of #8 “Sinto Saudade de Você”. Laid-back relaxation shines on a vaguely retro Herb Alpert-esque confection #5 “Bolo de Chocolate” and the cinematically heavy #6 “Ao no Kanata”.

Yet the indefatigable spirit returns in bold for several of the last songs, with the actively cute #7 “Samba de ReRe”, the brisk vamps of #9 “Cesar”, and the lighthearted and lovely last track #10 “Mackey”, to leave listeners uplifted with full spirits and good vibes.

Makiyo Sakai, Flutist/composer

Makiyo Sakai was born in Otsu City and started playing the flute at age 11, studying under Yumiko Furuya, Naohiro Yamakoshi, and Haruyuki Nakatsukasa and with a foundation of classical music education at school. She began to win awards at competitions, and she performed in front of audiences in solo concerts and as an orchestra member. Her flute education continued at Osaka Kyoiku National University, and later in Boston and Tokyo.

Her early releases include Silver Painting (Pony Canyon, 2016), the Jazz Lady Project’s Cinema Lovers (King Records, Jazz Lady Project, 2017) and Pictures at the Exhibition (Pony Canyon, 2018).

Further album releases continued and led to this release, Boa Viagem (Feliz Records, 2020) with her Brazilian band Banda Feliz. Ever active, she stays busy with an abundance of live performances, composing, and releasing new albums both with her groups and other musicians.

Liner Notes

(Translated from the original Japanese liner notes.)

1. Sunda Land

As the sea levels dropped during the ancient ice ages, a vast landmass called Sunda Land emerged throughout Southeast Asia. One theory claims that many of our Japanese ancestors migrated from there. This is a song that reminisces about those ancient times. (Obata)

2. Água e Peixes

There is a jungle on a tributary of the Amazon River. If you watch the water’s surface, you can see lots of fish jumping and diving. I tried to capture that image in this song. By the way, the water sounds flowing in the beginning and ending were recorded by the uncompromising Makiyo Sakai, who recorded the sounds while splashing around in the Tama River. Incredible! (Ikeda)

3. Neste Pais

I happened to be reading some books on world peace and suddenly wondered, as someone living in this country, how should we live and think about this? Although it is hard to express in words, I wrote my feelings at the time down on sheet music while reflecting on peace. (Sakai)

4. Outono de Ipanema

I first visited Rio in 2012 for an album recording. Immediately I headed to the beach to look for the Girl from Ipanema (?), but when I arrived, an autumn rain fell and few people were there. Is this saudade!?

Unexpectedly, this song turned out to remind me of an old flame. Someday, I’d like to write lyrics for it. (Ikeda)

5. Bolo de Chocolate

Ordinarily, I don’t cook very often, but I baked a chocolate cake. As the sweet aroma filled the room, I couldn’t wait to taste it. All of a sudden, with that feeling of excitement, I wrote this choro. It turned out to be a cute piece (haha), which is rare for me. (Sakai)

6. 蒼の彼方 (Ao no Kanata, */*Beyond the Blue*/)*

The cloudless sky, the silent ocean,

Endlessly descending…

As the light disappears, blue stretches as far as the eye can see.

I wrote this song while thinking about that scene. (Kato)

7. Samba de ReRe

I was thinking that it would be great if our band had a song that the audience could sing along with, so I came up with this chorus. Please learn this and come to our shows, and we’ll sing together! By the way, the title “ReRe” refers to the “Re” in “Do Re Mi”. It’s because we keep playing “Re Re Do Re” for the verse (haha). (Ikeda)

8. Sinto Saudade de Você

I habitually go back to my family home for the Obon festival, but due to the worldwide situation, I refrained from going home this year. I was lonely then, and I spent the time writing this song while thinking about my hometown. An alternate title is Shiga de Saudade (haha). (Sakai)

9. Cesar

This is an homage to the maestro César Camargo Mariano, the famous Brazilian pianist who needs no introduction. Pianist Minoru Kato loves César just as much and produces an amazing groove. (Obata)

10. Mackey

Makiyo Sakai is this band’s founder. In addition to acting as manager for the band, she plays the flute spectacularly. I wrote this song for her, and it just seems to call out for lyrics and singing along. (Obata)

Obi Notes

The long-awaited first album from “Banda Feliz”, a unit formed of top musicians playing music from the world of Brazilian music! A collection of original gems played with lively rhythms and beautiful harmonies.

Audio and Video

• Promotional video for this album:

• Excerpt from track #3: “Neste Pais”

Sakai’s deep voice embraces the listener, dancing lightly through bossa novas and Latin-tinged music. The music is comforting, the musicians performing pieces that come and go in an uncomplicated manner, lulling the listener into a state of reassuring comfort. Sakai uses her voice gently yet confidently, producing an effect of sweet directness with an affectionate touch.

Suppressing tense energy and favoring intimacy, the album features vocal/guitar duo arrangements in traditional bossa nova fashion, with additional instruments (piano, saxophone, harmonica) sprinkled in lightly. Several songs feature Sakai singing simply with a guitar and one other instrument: Antonio Carlos Jobim’s “Desafinado” and “Once I Loved”, as well as “Negaeri”, a ballad sung in Japanese as a gentle album closer.

While maintaining the calm atmosphere, three songs also feature Sakai singing with a jazz quintet: “Only Trust Your Heart”, “I Remember You”, and “The Island” all feature piano, guitar, horn, bass, and drums, coming together to create a wonderfully pleasant sound, like an island breeze drifting softly by.

Audio and Video

• Layla Tomomi Sakai performing live in 2017:

• Excerpt from track #1: “Only Trust Your Heart”