The first appearance in 2019 - January 25 at Star Pine's Cafe Kichijoji

On January 25, Hikashu will make the first appearance in 2019 at Star Pine's Cafe in Kichijoji, Tokyo. It's Makigami's birthday as well so expect something special.


January 25, 2018
@ Star Pine's Cafe
Kichijoji, Tokyo
open 18:30 - start 19:30
adv 3,900 yen - at door 4,300 yen

Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji, Tokyo

Christmas Concert with Polysics on December 23, 2018

On December 23, Hikashu will make the band's final appearance of this year at Daikanyama Unit, Tokyo. It's a special evening with guest artists.

December 23, 2018
"Hikashu's Golden Christmas"
@ Unit
Daikanyama, Tokyo
guest: Polysics, Zombie Chang
adv 5,000 yen
open 17:00 - start 17:30

Daikanyama Unit, Tokyo

Two retrospective compilations of Hikashu will be released in December 2018

It's just announced that two, not one, compilation albums of Hikashu will be released late this year. They are called "20th century best" and "21st century best" respectively.

These releases are for commemorating the band's 40th year anniversary. The former has tracks from 1979-1996, and the latter is selected from the band's albums in this century.

Currently, the track listings are not revealed yet. We only know they will be out in December this year, and both are 2CD set (of course). We'll let you know when the details are available.

Hikashu Kyushu Tour October 12-14 2018

In October, Hikashu will tour Kyushu, the southern island of Japan. It covers Oita, Kumamoto and Fukuoka. The dates are as follows:

October 12 - At Hall, Oita
October 13 - One Drop, Kumamoto
October 14 - Space Terra, Fukuoka



October 12, 2018
@ At Hall
Oita
open 19:00 - start 19:30
adv 3,000 yen - at door 3,500 yen

At Hall, Oita



October 13, 2018
@ One Drop
Kumamoto
open 18:00 - start 19:00
adv 2,500 yen - at door 3,000 yen
(2 drink order required)

One Drop, Kumamoto



October 14, 2018
@ Space Terra
Fukuoka
open 17:30 - start 18:00
adv 3,000 yen - at door 3,500 yen

Space Terra, Fukuoka

Jazz Art Sengawa 2018: September 13-16

The 11th Jazz Art Sengawa, a prominent event of jazz, avant-pop, and improvised music in Tokyo, will be held at Sengawa Theatre on September 13-16, 2018.

This festival has been praised for its quite adventurous booking policies, and this year's line-up is no exception. It's must-see, especially if you are interested in contemporary music scene of Japan.

Also notable is this is an entirely artist-driven thing - the producers are all artists themselves: Makigami Koichi, Fujiwara Kiyoto, and Sakamoto Hiromichi.


September 13 Thursday

Free Improvisation workshop 16:30 - 18:00
open-to-public, impromptu session moderated by the producers

Preamble by the producers 19:45

Otomo Lussier duo 20:00 - 21:00
Otomo Yoshihide (guitar), René Lussier (guitar) duo


September 14 Friday

John Zorn's Cobra 19:30 - 21:00
Makigami Koichi (prompter), Okuma Wataru (clarinet), Ono Ryoko (saxophone), Kita Yoichiro (trumpet), Sakaide Masami (bass), Shibata Nao (violin), Johnny Okura Daijin (voice), Yoshidadaikiti (citar), René Lussier (guitar, daxophone), Luzio Altobelli (accordion), Julie Houle (tuba), Marton Maderspach (drums), Robbie Kuster (drums)


September 15 Saturday

"Poetry and Music" 13:30 - 15:00
Shiraishi Kazuko (poetry), Oki Itaru (trumet), Fujiwara Kiyoto (bass)
Makigami Koichi (poetry), Werner Puntigam (trombone), Arimoto Rato (trumpet)
Misumi Miduki (poetry), Kondo Toshiro (piano)

Sakamoto Hiromichi direction 16:30 - 18:00
Peter Evans (trumpet), Ishikawa Ko (sho), Imanishi Beniyuki (koto), Chino Shuichi (keyboard), Sakamoto Hitomichi (cello)

Makigami Koichi direction 19:30 - 21:00
Hikashu x Saicobab
Hikashu - Makigami Koichi (vocal, theremin, cornet), Mita Freeman (guitar), Sakaide Masami (bass), Shimizu Kazuto (keyboard, bass clarinet), Sato Masaharu (drums)
Saicobab - Yoshimio (vocal), Yoshidadaikiti (citar), Akita Goldman (bass), Hama (frame drum)


September 16 Sunday

Sakamoto Hiromichi direction 13:30 - 15:00
Lauren Newton (voice), Heiri Kaenzig (bass), Yamasaki Aya (voice), Sakamoto Hiromichi (cello), Hanayagi Reno (nihon buyo), Higuma Haruo (visual projection)

"Quebec and Japan" 16:30 - 18:00
René Lussier Quintette - René Lussier (guitar, daxophone), Luzio Altobelli (accordion), Julie Houle (tuba), Marton Maderspach (drums), Robbie Kuster (drums)
Harada Setsu (ondo martono), Makigami Koichi (theremin)
Alive painting supplied by Nakayama Akiko

Fujiwara Kiyoto direction 19:30 - 21:00
Sakata Akira (alto saxophone, clarinet), Peter Evans (trumpet), Fujiwara Kiyoto (bass), Reggie Nicholson (drums), Fujiyama Yuko (piano)


There will be also open-air sessions with various performers held at the nearby Sengawa Station Park on September 15 and 16. Admission free. See the following map for direction.


September 13-16, 2018
Jazz Art Sengawa
@ Sengawa Theatre
Chofu, Tokyo

Ticket:
1 stage - 3,000 yen
(2,700 yen for Sengawa resident, 1,500 yen for student)
1 day pass - 6,800 yen (available only for September 15 or 16)
3 days ticket - 15,000 yen (September 14-16)
2,000 yen - Otomo Lussier duo on September 13
admission free - free improvisation workshop on September 13
available at the Sengawa Theater box office, or eplus (online ticket vendor)

Sengawa Theatre, Chofu, Tokyo



Sengawa Station Park, Chofu, Tokyo


All images are derived from the official Jazz Art Sengawa website: jazzartsengawa.com

Next appearance: Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji, Tokyo on August 21

Hikashu will perform at Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji, Tokyo on August 21, 2018. This is the only appearance of the band on the month so do not miss it.


August 21, 2018
@ Star Pine's Cafe
Kichijoji, Tokyo
open 18:30 - start 19:30
adv 3,900 yen - at door 4,300 yen

Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji, Tokyo

"Shelfish Shellfish" video

There's a video "Shelfish Shellfish" (Tsubuyaku Kai), a selection from Hikashu's latest, Anguri.

The video iself is presumably shot during their recent tour in Russia.

Sakaide Masami 60th birthday concert series June 26-29 2018

Sakaide Masami, Hikashu's bass player, turns 60 years old this month, and for commemorating it there will be held a 4-days concert series on June 26-28 at his hometown, Seijo.

Sakaide's activities are quite diverse: He regularly plays with several rock bands, collaborating with contemporary dancers and theatre as a sound designer, and recording other artists as an engineer and producer. That's why such a long event is prepared for representing his current career.

Of course we all know he joined Hikashu in 1982 and has been with the group since then. Their appearance is the last day of the series and plans to play only his compositions.

The line-up are:

June 26 Kuroyagi Shiroyagi (with Sato Masaharu), Paititi (Douguchi Yoriko, Ishida Hidenori), Takemoto Kazuko
June 27 Aimai Chudoku, Pinocchio, midoriningen, Sakaide solo
June 28 Naomi Milian, Kusakabe Yasuo, Kurata Midori, Watanabe Mika, Sakaide Masami
June 29 Hikashu

June 26-29, 2018
"Sakaide Masami 60th birthday concert series"
@ Atelier Q
Seijo, Tokyo
open 19:00 - start 19:30
4,000 yen
www.atelierq.com

Atelier Q, Seijo, Tokyo

An evening with Hikashu and ・・・・・・・・・ at Otsuka, Tokyo on May 25, 2018

On May 25, Hikashu will perform at Hearts+, Otsuka, Tokyo. It's a double bill gig with a female group called "・・・・・・・・・."


May 25, 2018
Hikashu with ・・・・・・・・・
@ Hearts+
Otsuka, Tokyo
open 18:30 - start 19:00
adv 2,800 yen - at door 3,300 yen
hearts-web.net/plus

Hearts+, Otsuka, Tokyo

A live album of Hikashu with Hirasawa Susumu and Afrirampo coming in April 2018

It's just announced that a brand new live album of Hikashu be released in April. It contains the selections from the set recorded in December 2016, and includes guest artists, Hisawasa Susumu, and Afrirampo. It's called Zekkei, magnificent view.

It's a 2CD set, and only the 1st pressing comes with a DVD containing the video of the same set. The track list is as follows:


Hikashu - Zekkei

MAKIGAMI RECORDS mkr0012
release date - April 28, 2018
price - 5,400 yen (includes sales tax)

Disc 1

1. Fude wo Fure Kanata-kun / Wave the Flag, Mr. Beyond
2. Ikirukoto / To Live
3. Nyunen / Deliberate
4. Niwatori Tonda / Chickens Fly
5. Tenguri Gaeru / Return to Tengri
6. Mottainai Hanashi
7. Tengoku Wo Nozokitai / Glimpse the Heaven
8. Nyoki Nyoki Haetekita / Sprouting Up
9. Biro Biro

guest Afrirampo on 7, 8, and 9

Disc 2

1. Rhetorics and Logics
2. Damekana? / No Way?
3. At the End of the 20th Century
4. Niwashi King
5. Melancholy in Global City
6. Missile
7. Pike
8. Ruktun Or Die
9. Naruhodo
10. Bijutsukan de Atta Hitodaro / Art Mania
11. Puyo Puyo

guest - Hirasawa Susumu on 4,5,6,7,8,9,10, and 11

DVD - about 70 minutes

Recorded at Daikanyama Unit, Tokyo on December 25, 2016.


Please note that the DVD comes with only the 1st pressing and it's only available at live shows of Hikashu or mail order from the band's management. That means any mail-order house or retailer have only 2CD (hence no DVD) edition, and it takes time for them to stock copies. The management now takes pre-order via e-mail.

Also, the High-resolution edition of the recording itself has been released via download at Ototoy, a online music store. If you want only the audio recording, just go for it. Ototoy says they can accept orders from outside Japan. Unfortunately, we cannot find any English explanation (it has an English menu though), but maybe it could be done with a help of online translation services. It's available four editions, and the files are compressed so you need some extractors (Ototoy recommends Explzh). Please be sure that you need some software for playing DSD recordings. These digital editions are priced 6,200 yen - 4,500 yen.

Ototoy Store DSD5.6MHz/1bit＋MP3
Ototoy Store DSD2.8MHz/1bit＋MP3
Ototoy Store 24bit/192kHz
Ototoy Store 24bit/96kHz

Additional date for the Spring tour 2018: Tsu on March 10

Hikashu's ongoing tour has an additional date, which is held at Tsu on March 10. Tsu is a city located in Mie perfecture and one hour ride by train from Nagoya, Osaka or Kyoto. If you are nearby and free on that date just go for it.

By the way, the venue's name, "Zarathustra Kaku Katariki" is a Japanese title of "Also sprach Zarathustra," by Friedrich Nietzsche.


March 10, 2018
@ Zarathustra Kaku Katariki
Tsu, Mie
open 18:30 - start 19:00
adv 4,000 yen - at door 4,500 yen


Zarathustra Kaku Katariki, Tsu, Mie

Godzilla Legend 2018 Tokyo Concert March 24

On the next day of Hikashu's March gig in Tokyo, Godzilla Legend, led by ex-Hikashu Inoue Makoto, holds a concert in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo on March 24. This time the line-up is the same as the ensemble's latest offer, Godzilla Legend V.


personnel:

Inoue Makoto - synthesizer

Makigami Koichi - vocal, theremin
Mita Freeman - guitar
Sakaide Masami - bass
Shimizu Kazuto - keyboard
Sato Masaharu - drums

Tatsumi Kogoro - trumpet
Goto Atsushi - trombone
Yoshida Ryuichi - baritone saxophone

Momo - vocal
Koharu - accordion, vocal

March 24, 2018
"Godzilla Legend V concert"
@ Garden
Shimokitazawa, Tokyo
open 17:00 - start 18:00
adv 5,000 yen

Garden, Shimokitazawa, Tokyo

"Hikashu's Spring 2018" @ Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji, Tokyo on March 22

Hikashu's next appearance in Tokyo will be held on March 22 at the band's regular venue, Star Pine's Cafe of Kichijoji.


March 22, 2018
"Hikashu's Spring 2018"
@ Star Pine's Cafe
Kichijoji, Tokyo
open 18:30 - start 19:30
adv 3,900 yen - at door 4,300 yen

Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji, Tokyo

Makigami Koichi Chokayo Night @ Star Pine's Cafe Kichijoji Tokyo Feb 2

Makigami Koichi will perform a solo concert on February 2 at Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji, Tokyo. It's billed as "Chokayo Night".

Chokayo is Makigami's solo project for doing popular (and some obscure) Japanese songbook. It's one of his regular activities started in early 1980s and has continued to this day with different musicians. The personnel for the gig is:

Makigami Koichi (vocal, theremin, cornet)
Uchihashi Kazuhisa (guitar, daxophone)
Shika Udai (cello)
Sato Masaharu (drums)

Quite tempting and interesting. Do not miss this opportunity.


February 2, 2018
"Makigami Koichi Chokayo Night"
@ Star Pine's Cafe
Kichijoji, Tokyo
open 18:30 - start 19:30
adv 3,900 yen - at door 4,300 yen

Star Pine's Cafe, Kichijoji, Tokyo

Hikashu Spring Tour 2018 March 7-12

In March, Hikashu will tour middle and west regions of the mainland for promoting their latest album, Anguri. The dates are as follows:


March 7 - Freakyshow, Shizuoka
March 8 - Tokuzo, Nagoya
March 11 - Rag, Kyoto
March 12 - Conpass, Osaka



March 7, 2018
@ Freakyshow
Shizuoka
open 19:00 - start 19:30
adv 3,000 yen - at door 3,500 yen

Freakyshow, Shizuoka



March 8, 2018
@ Tokuzo
Nagoya
open 18:30 - start 19:30
adv 4,000 yen - at door 4,500 yen

Tokuzo, Nagoya



March 11, 2018
@ Rag
Kyoto
open 18:00 - start 19:00
adv 4,000 yen - at door 4,500 yen

Rag, Kyoto



March 12, 2018
@ Conpass
Osaka
open 18:00 - start 19:00
adv 4,500 yen
smash-jpn.com

Conpass, Osaka