The Shin-Okubo Gentlemen

"Another World Of Hikashu" is a concert series which aim is to introduce various side-projects from the members to royal audience of the band. The sixth installment will be coming next week, and this time a group called the Shin-Okubo Gentlemen will appear.

So what the band sounded like? Well, it's hard to describe, because what they're doing are not solely jazz, rock or whatever. Simply put, they play various kind of music, including jazz, rock, east european music (like Klezmar) and even Hawaiian. And some of them feature vocals.

The group was formed in 1994 by Umezu Kazutoki, Shimizu Kazuto and Ohta Keisuke, et al., and released three albums. There were several changes for the band's personnel in the past and now the band is officially billed as "the third incarnation." The members for the event are:

Umezu Kazutoki (reeds, vocals)
Shimizu Kazuto (piano, bass-clarinet, vocals)
Shika Udai (cello, alto saxophone)
Sato Masaharu (percussion, voice)

You might notice that all the members have some connection with Hikashu; Needless to say, Shimizu and Sato are the members of the band, Umezu has been a frequent collaborator of them for years, and Shika is a regular participator of Makigami's Cho-Kayou concert.

Also, as always for the event, there are guests; this time are Makigami Koichi (vocal) and Oka Sawaka (dance).


Another World Of Hikashu #6:
The Shin-Okubo Gentlemen
Umezu Kazutoki (reeds, vocals), Shimizu Kazuto (piano, bass-clarinet, vocals), Shika Udai (cello, alto saxophone), Sato Masaharu (percussion, voice)
guest: Makigami Koichi (vocal), Oka Sawaka (dance)
December 8, 2010
@ Aoyama CAY, Tokyo
open 18:00, start 20:00
advance 3,500 yen - at door 4,000 yen
Aoyama CAY website

Aoyama CAY

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The Shin-Okubo Gentlemen at Shinjuku Pit-Inn on August 13, 2010. The band played "Koshikudake -'ole i pau ka'i'ini-" a Hawaiian tune composed by Shimizu Kazuto.


Also, there are videos from the series:


Series #4: Arepos (Shimizu Kazuto and Reichi) with Sato Masaharu on percussion played "Cyfri'r Geifr," an original composition with Welsh lyrics, at Aoyama Cay on August 18, 2010.


Series #5: Kuro Yagi Shiro Yagi (Sakaide Masami and Sato Masaharu) with Umezu Kazutoki (reeds) and Douguchi Yoriko (vocals) played "Jenny wa gokigen naname ["Jenny Got Moody"]," a popular number of a new-wave band called Juicy Fruits, at Aoyama Cay on October 27, 2010.

Related Entries:
Shimizu Kazuto and AREPOS
Kuro Yagi Shiro Yagi Teams Up with Umezu and Douguchi