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Originally Posted by RathBandu  I'm not going to quote all the names you did, but what do you recommend from each of those guys? I've been looking for more modern, non-traditional jazz over the past year and from what Wikipedia tells me, those guys fit the bill. Would be grateful for your recs/advice.
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No worries. Again, I'm no expert on the genre, but all the artists I mentioned seem to encapsulate jazz yet either go crazy with their chosen instruments, while keeping coherent melodies, or even when they're reserved there's something thats not tied down by tradition. Maybe a connoisseur would say they're 'jazz-lite' or something, I dont know, but whatever, I've heard the greats like Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk, and I appreciate them on one level, but I can relate much more to the artists I mentioned in my previous post. Maybe a googling of my favourite tracks will give you some mp3/stream samples.
Also, I should note that I got into Japanese jazz in the first place via Japanese instrumental hip hop, which is another genre that has blown me away this year. Basically Japanese producers crafting amazing jazzy beats with the aid of live instruments, and ocassionally having guest rappers along for the ride. Artists like Nujabes and Nomak have paved the way for an amazing genre populated by so much creativity. Definitely check it out.
So the Jazzy stuff I've been getting into this year:
Hajime Yoshizawa is good to chill out to with a whisky and loose tie, you feel all sophisticated like Clooney in Out of Sight just before he beds Lopez. Hajime is also pianist with the band Sleep Walker who just seem accomplished on all levels, very toe-tappingly groovy, they've only got two albums and a remix album, but they seem to have made waves in jazz circles. Favourite tracks for Hajime (Eastern Step, May, both are from the very laid back album '
Innocent Nocturne', but his album '
Japan' is also another good gateway and much more livelier with guest female vocalists) and fave tracks for Sleep Walker (Ai-No-Kawa, Lost In Blue. I'd say start with their self-titled debut)
Hiromi Uehara (who only goes by her first name) is a prodigy who plays the piano like a crazy person. Her debut is insane, she does things with the piano I've never heard before, how her fingers fly around the piano or keyboard I dont know. It always sounds joyful, even at its most intense moments. Check out the tune 'XYZ' for a taster of her skills, or 'Legend of the Purple Valley'. (start with her debut '
Another Mind' and work your way to the present)
Chihiro Yamanaka, another pianist, is tamer than Hiromi but easier to digest and just as playful. And again like all these artists, she has clear melodies that arent so adventerous that they stray out of the jazz genre but still feel modern and funky as hell. Her album '
Abyss' came out this year and is great, I like 'Sing, Sing, Sing (Give Me A Break)' the best.
Mayumi Kojima is an infectious singer, who in her bio, has had a keen interest in 50's jazz since she was a kid. Her tunes have her tomboyish voice howling and crooning over a variety of jazzy blues tunes that feel both sultry and humorous. Her tune 'Poltergeist' was featured in the opening credits of an anime called Ghost Hound which probably gave her more fame, and I think its a great taste of her sound. Her compilation CD '
A Musical Biography 2001-2007' is also a great way to get into her music. Should note that all her stuff is in Japanese, but hey if you believe in music transcending the language barrier...
Soil & Pimp Sessions have a horrible name and horrible album titles, but the sextet are really skilled and their rowdy insane sound is infectious as hell. Whether its laid back instrumental hip hop type tunes or headbanging stuff, the energy bleeding off their CDs makes you wonder if its really jazz you're listening to, all preconceptions are just smashed (under a packed dancefloor). You can start with any of their albums I think, they're pretty consistent.
Quasimode are kinda like Soil & Pimp Sessions, but not as inspiring. These guys have also made waves, but after the list of artists above, by the time I got to Quasimode I was a tad underwhelmed. They're still good and have a heavy latin bossanova vibe running through their noise. Only two albums out, start with either I'd say.
Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble only have two albums,
Mutations EP which is amazing dark ambient jazzy soundscapes. I've listened to 'Caos Calmo' and 'Shadows' so many times. Their debut self-titled album is also pure quality, more electronica-ish in the vein of Amon Tobin.
Bohren & der Club of Gore are also amazing and more minimalistic. I heavily recommend
Sunset Mission over their other early stuff, its just heavy slow pace with noir thriller mood, perfect moody jazzy music for rainy days. Their later albums have got more attention for their unique sound whereas their earlier two albums are less jazzy and more minimalistic drone-ish ambience.
