Japanese Progressive Rock presented by DamoX

I simply adore this man's playing. There is no getting around that. I have some Ghost albums and will certainly keep a look out for some The Stars. Definitely!
I also have the one where he plays together with Boris - setting fire to the notes from his guitar. Powerful like an exploding elephant or something to that effect. I really dig that album.

^Sounds like Primus in space with keyboards.

^ Hey Athanasios, check this. Actually my favourite Heavy Prog one.

Junaokissei - BANDVIVIL

In PA they're in JRF subgenre but I believe they're one of the most impressive Heavy Prog ones.

Hi, Japanese freaks.

Previously Djamra's gig in Comin, Hiroshima has been reported, and let me introduce a Japanese (non-progressive) jazz trumpeter Takayuki KAWAMURA, who played as a duo with YUMIYUMI (piano) before Djamra playing upon the same stage.


Yumiyumi (piano) and Takayuki (trumpet) ... anyway, on the rightest side of the audience was me (not in this pic though lol)

Hailed from Iwakuni, Japan, Takayuki KAWAMURA has got started as a trumpeter since 10 years old. Via some brass combos, he has devoted himself to the jazz music scene. His debut album "Harbor Wind", featuring his original tunes, was out in 2007, that could get appreciated in Japanese audio / music world. And in 2010, his ballad work "Ballads", in collaboration with his music mates especially a pianist Yumiko Kusano (Yumiyumi), was released.

Ballads (2010) - Takayuki KAWAMURA's second work

An enjoyable jazzpetter.

It was January 2013 I've listened to his play for the first time. He played with a female pianist Yumi, as if his warm trumpet sounds could have veil her kind piano play. Sometimes powerful like a metallic element, and sometimes quiet like a cool water stream ... his play could be kaleidoscopic and versatile, I remember.

Anyway, his solo (in collaboration with some music mates including Yumiyumi) album "Ballads" notifies me that scape of his in early 2013. This album consists of four traditional / popular songs covered by him and four original ones written by Takayuki, and it's impressive he could digest all of material for his jazzy nutrition in this creation. In traditional tracks, he plays quietly, steadily, but usually powerfully and excessively. As though he could have grabbed these "big" ones as his items. And in "Dark Matter", that has been launched on stage previously, Yumiyumi's piano is solemn and motherly like Maria, and Takayuki's trumpet sounds like a flexible man who swims pleasantly and elegantly ... on the contrary, his swimming sometimes drinks completely the whole piano stream ... powerfully and enthusiastically. Not simple horn kicks but explosive palpitation sometimes, like a brave hero. The last "Track Nine" is his jack-in-the-box we can say. Really his willful play makes us smile ... his hearty heart we can hear apparently. Enjoy such an immeasurably powerful and fantastically warmhearted album.


LOLWUT


Thank you for reading this blog. ٩(̾●̮̮̃̾•̃̾)۶

aapatsos wrote: Keishiro, have you got some suggestions for me from the Heavy Prog and Prog Metal side of Japan please (and albums)   bands that I (roughly) know so far Bi Kyo Ran Ningen-Isu The Black Mages Earthbound Papas Marge Litch (not listened much though)   would like to play some more Japanese scene in my show!

If I may, I can recommend (and I'm sure Keishiro will back me up on this) Cosmos Factory - Black Hole. Heavy Crimson inspired album. Highly recommended!

Hi, Pierre ... thanks for your appreciation! 

As for Kakusenjo No Ongaku, George (historian9) has reminded me ... Jyoji's active now, and he's said KNO's album will be reissued this year.

Takayuki (nice guy indeed) will be added in JazzMusicArchives sooner or later ... I'll take him there.

Okay, it's about time for me to suggest one of Japanese psychedelic / divinity-ism progressive rock pioneers ... J. A. CAESAR. Their weirdness can be called as 'originality', that might not be well-understood by every progressive rock freak, methinks.


J. A. Caesar aka Takaaki TERAHARA

J. A. CAESAR (or J. A. SEAZER) aka Takaaki TERAHARA, born on October 6, 1948, has been renowned and active as a Japanese composer for films or theatres since early 1970s. Takaaki's worked with a writer / director Shuji TERAYAMA for producing Shuji's theater named Tenjo Sajiki and writing / composing soundtracks (one of which was "Den'en Ni Shisu" released in 1974, dedicated to Shuji and his drama). Takaaki has released several albums under the moniker of J. A. CAESAR or J. A. CAESAR RECITAL, and soundtracks in collaboration with other members of Tenjo Sajiki. One of his most famous albums "Kokkyo Junreika" (1973) has been reissued a couple of times, and in March 2013 digitally remastered and re-released with his unreleased live tracks.


Kokkyo Junreika (1973) - J. A. CAESAR

Flood of divinity and psych-solemn brilliance, even though based upon bluesy rock sounds. J. A. CAESAR is a Japanese theatrical superstar, let me shout.

Taking the case of the first track "Echigo Tsutsuishi Oyashirazu", deep drum beating and melody flying / floating blended with mysteriously horrible voices following horrible flute (wabue?) vibes in the very beginning have obvious musical innovation. This project has been based upon illuminative theatre and this makes sense. Takaaki, as a couple of theatre casts, plays auditory dramas. His voices are a bit cheesy but sometimes remind us a strong passion like Demetrio Stratos. "Tenshotan" is a lazy, sloppy story created by a female reciter, with unstable melody lines ... going to extremes is amazing, please feel enough. Bluesy "Haha Koishiya Sangosho" is slightly poppy but a deeply dark bullet launcher. Cannot help stepping back with hearing that, oh man. "Kyojobushi" means "a song for crazy women", followed by "Eimei Shihen", another madness ... that’s it. Drenched in continual shouts and mind-blowing high-tone voices, without refined melodic texture, but this stuff consists of innovative collective, namely such a neat phenomenon brushed up by crazy mademoiselles and crazy Takaaki.



Female extreme pitchshift horror based upon symphonic / psychedelic slowdown in "Wasan" gives us palpitation and chill. Regardless of its melodic beauty and power, something fuzzy can be felt around us. Who knows the reason. Mystery. "Jinriki Hiko No Tame No Enzetsu Soan" is another symphonic psychedelia along with Takaaki’s inorganic but aggressive storytelling, which content is too difficult for me to give an explanation but his mind-altering power affects our brain massively. The following "Minkan Iryojutsu" sounds like an ambient sound hoaxer, that shows fishy medical appearance for addicting common people without knowledge enough. So tough to listen carefully indeed. "Otori No Kuru Hi" is quite suitable for the last scene of this dramatic theatre. Female high-tone voices are crazier than previously, and psychic symphony takes off and flies over and over. Magnificent, powerful percussion and guitar blows our minds so impressively that we cannot avoid squeezing breath into our throat. Our tears get brilliant expression via such a tragic keyboard play upon the very last part.

Nothing can be found except fascination. Excellent.




Thank you for reading this blog.

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Edited by twseel - June 10 2013 at 06:44

daydreamer wrote:   DamoXt7942 wrote: One of his most famous albums "Kokkyo Junreika" (1973) has been reissued a couple of times, and in March 2013 digitally remastered and re-released with his unreleased live tracks. Hi Keishiro AFAIK the March release is not yet available... And speaking about unreleased live tracks in it do you mean bonus CD-R for firstcomers or just complete 2-disk version of the album (that has been issued before only as part of 5CD-set "Tenjo-Sajiki Music Work Collection, vol. 1")? Dmitry P.S. I'm a big fan of J.A.Caesar and got 23 of his releases incl. all 3 of his 5CD box-sets "Tenjo-Sajiki Music Work Collection" series.

Yeah Dmitry, "Kokkyo Junreika" remastered version will be released at the end of March, 2013 it's said.
And you're a real freak of JAC wow.

Keishiro, how come Japan hogs all things awesome?