This year's Jazz Art Sengawa is held on September 16-18

【開催決定！】
今回で9回目を迎える即興音楽イベント、今年も開催します！
「JAZZ ART せんがわ2016」9/16（金）～18（日）
※詳細は決まり次第アップします。乞うご期待！https://t.co/uHFTH4Mc3t pic.twitter.com/TcrAW9mGtN

— せんがわ劇場 (@SengawaG) 2016年4月20日

It's just announced that the date of this year's Jazz Art Sengawa has been set on september 16-18.

Produced by three outstanding musicians, Makigami Koichi, Sakamoto Hiromichi and Fujiwara Kiyoto, the annual festival for advanced pop, avant jazz and improvised music is artist-led and supported by the city of Chofu, the west suburb of Tokyo.

It started in 2008 so this year's is the 9th. It's a sort of miracle that such a bold and ambitious attempt has been continued this long.

Right now there is no information about the line-up but we'll let you know when it's available. All we can tell you is that this event is one of the best in this country and if you are interested in unusual but utterly interesting expression of music you must see this thing. It's convenient (15 minutes from central Tokyo by train), economic (quite affordable 3-day ticket available), and interesting (many bright acts including Hikashu). They're always up to our expectations and we're sure this time's no exception so make a mark on your calender not to miss it.

Sato Masaharu contributed soundtrack for NHK documentary

Sato Masaharu, Hikashu's drummer, recently contributed soundtrack for documentary program by NHK, Japanese public broadcaster. It has three parts and the first one just aired in Japan.

The program is about Amazon, the huge river in Brazil.

Unfortunately, it's only aired in Japan but the summary is available on net. Even it captured the moment Sato recording the soundtrack. You can listen excerpts as well.

ヒカシュー 、MASSA、針兎、黒やぎ白やぎ、等で活躍
作曲家、打楽器奏者、佐藤正治が音楽を担当
NHKスペ「大アマゾン最後の秘境」
ナレーション、松田龍平
参加ミュージシャン、細井豊、太田恵資、内橋和久、四家ストリングス
と豪華！https://t.co/k5akaIEYya

— OK-MASSA (@okmassa) 2016年4月5日

ヒカシューの佐藤正治さんによるこの音楽制作の様子だけで、別個に番組作って欲しい・・・。「NHKスペシャル　大アマゾン（音楽収録風景）」https://t.co/6kZ5gmmQc5

— Reverse HouseLizard (@YamoReverse) 2016年4月11日

The line-up for the soundtrack is Sato (percussion, voice), Ohta Keisuke (electric violin), and Hosoi Yutaka (synthesizer). As you might know, it's MASSA, the trio Sato has been leading for about last ten years. But there's a huge difference - it's all improvised, while MASSA's music is basically composed.

According to the clip, they went into studio shortly after watching the film, then just started performing. There's no written score or prior discussion. Sato said the film was impressive and made him inspired. The result is satisfactory.

Sato tweeted that the soundtrack will be released as CD. We will let you know when it's available.


A Grande Amazonia - NHK-TV

昨日はNHKスペシャル「大アマゾン」第一集のMAにお邪魔しました。ナレーションの松田龍平さん、とても魅力的な方でした。
放映は4月10日、21時。4/4からは、渋谷駅前交差点の大型ビジョンでプロモーション映像が流れるそうです。 pic.twitter.com/az7C1qpj0N

— 佐藤正治 (@MASAHARUSATO) 2016年3月29日

Sato and Matsuda Ryuhei, an actor who narrated the program

本日、NHKスペシャル「大アマゾン」トラックダウン最終日！！
残りの曲たちも最高に良い感じに仕上がりました。
第一回目の放映は、4月10日21時。お楽しみに！！ pic.twitter.com/sTfbkDq1FS

— 佐藤正治 (@MASAHARUSATO) 2016年3月27日

Mixdown at the NHK studio

Makigami / Smulovitz / Hirabayashi "Seikatsu" in Vancouver Canada on May 15, 2016

In May, Makigami Koichi goes to Vancouver for improvised performance with two outstanding artists.

Please join us for an exciting evening of improvised music and dance featuring musicians Makigami Koichi and Stefan Smulovitz and dancer Jay Hirabayashi. The evening will begin with a solo set by Makigami; Smulovitz and Hirabayashi will then join him for a trio to end the night.

SEIKATSU: MAKIGAMI / SMULOVITZ / HIRABAYASHI
15 May 2016 - 15 May 2016, 8:00pm
Studio D, SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, 149 W. Hastings, Vancouver V6B 1H4
$25 GENERAL/$15 STUDENTS

See here for details:
www.sfu.ca/sca/events

Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver B.C. Canada