Jazz Art Sengawa 2010: Additional Concerts

There is an official announcement that three additional concert will be offered for Jazz Art Sengawa 2010. The artists are Nanao Tavito, Ogawa Mishio and Umezu Kazutoki. Curiously, all of them happened to have some connections with Hikashu and already performed with the band in the past.

Please note: All those concerts are not covered with Jazz Art Sengawa 2010 ticket - you have to buy tickets or make reservations for each concert separately. But you will get some discount with showing Jazz Art Sengawa 2010 ticket.



Nanao Tavito

Nanao Tavito is a singer-songwriter, born in 1979 and debuted as a solo artist in 1998. Always relaxed, Nanao seems to be a man of easygoing but the power of his narrative singing is so immense and hard to resist. You have to listen to him for yourself.

In January 2009, he performed a solo set as an opening act for Hikashu concert. I myself witnessed the performance - he was always smiling, frequently joking with the audience and sang a lot of songs - to me, it's like he was telling one long story continuously in various successive songs and it left me an impression that he is a modern day minstrel. After the solo act, he again appeared at the Hikashu's set, and performed 20+ minutes improvisation with the band and the other guest, violinist Ota Keisuke (he will also perform a solo set in Jazz Art Sengawa 2010). In the performance, he used no words - just voice and some effects - and I was greatly impressed.

At Jazz Art Sengawa, he will perform a solo, and duo set with Makigami Koichi follows. He wrote an entry in his blog that performing with Makigami is a great challenge to him and looking forward to it. The seats are strictly limited so the reservation is recommended.

Nanao Tavito with Makigami Koichi
in the conjunction of Jazz Art Sengawa 2010
July 9, 2010 (Friday)
Kick Back Cafe
Sengawa, Chofu
Tokyo
open 18:00 start 19:00
advance 3,000 yen - at door 3,500 yen
(one drink order minimum)
Reservation: Call Kick Back Cafe at 03-5384-1577 or e-mail info@kickbackcafe.jp
Note: 1,000 yen deduction by showing other Jazz Art Sengawa ticket
Kick Back Cafe website

kick back cafe

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Nanao Tavito sang "Terraplane" on May 29, 2009.


Nanao Tavito and Jim O'Rourke dancing on John Zorn's Cobra, Jazz Art Sengawa 2009.



Ogawa Mishio

Ogawa is a singer, debuted in 1980 as a vocalist of new wave band, Chakra. She is one of the best songstresses emerging from Japanese New Wave scene in late 70s - early 80s. Turned solo in 1984, she continues to perform in various projects to this day.

For the festival, she will perform with her band, The Sproutrapus. The band's personnel is Ogawa (vocal), Yoshimori Makoto (keyboard), Okawa Shunji (bass), whacho (perc) and Kobayashi Takefumi (drums). Yoshimori is an ex-member of Hikashu.

She has played with Hikashu many times in the past. The latest is in June, 2008. The band invited her and Inoyama Land their concert at Kichijoji Star Pine's Cafe and performed together.


Chakra performed "Fuku no Tane" ("The Seed of Happiness") and "Sensei" ("My Teacher") in 1980. You might notice Hikashu members dancing in the audience.

Ogawa Mishio with The Sproutrapus
in the conjunction of Jazz Art Sengawa 2010
July 10, 2010 (Saturday)
Kick Back Cafe
Sengawa, Chofu
Tokyo
open 18:00 start 19:00
advance 3,000 yen - at door 3,500 yen
(one drink order minimum)
Reservation: Call Kick Back Cafe at 03-5384-1577 or e-mail info@kickbackcafe.jp
Note: 1,000 yen deduction by showing other Jazz Art Sengawa ticket
Kick Back Cafe website



Umezu Kazutoki

Started as an avant-garde saxophonist, Umezu is now one of the most popular reed player in the country. Besides jazz, he covers various musical style - rock, pops and so-called world music. The roster of his past collaborators is very long list - including RC Succession (he was a regular tour member of the very popular rock combo), Ian Dury & The Brockheads, and of course, Hikashu.

He has appeared the festival in the past. In 2009, he performed a solo set, consisted entirely of Japanese Enka songs. Also he was guested in the Hikashu's set.

This year he is going to perform solo again. In the notification of the event, there is no explanation of the performance itself so probably he will do free-form set.


Umezu and His Kiki Band, 2006.

Umezu Kazutoki solo concert
in the conjunction of Jazz Art Sengawa 2010
July 12, 2010 (Sunday)
atelier DingDong
Sengawa, Chofu
Tokyo
open 18:30
charge: 2,000 yen
Reservation: Call atelier DingDong at 03-5879-7897
Note: 1,000 yen deduction by showing other Jazz Art Sengawa ticket
atelier DingDong website - event notification

atelier DingDong

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Related Entries:
Jazz Art Sengawa 2010 update
Jazz Art Sengawa 2010
Jazz Art Sengawa

Short Clip of "20th Century" (1996)

Here is just recently uploaded a short clip of "At the End of the 20th Century". It is for promoting the 1996 album, Kawatteru (Changing Like Myxomycetes). The album is a sort of the best, entirely consisted of the old favorites of the band. All the tracks are completely re-arranged and re-recorded.

The version of "20th Century" featured additional musicians, four drummers playing together, for fattening the rhythm. Here you could listen to the edited down, short version of the track.

At that time, Hikashu was Makigami Koichi (vocal, cornet), Mita Freeman (guitar), Sakaide Masami (bass), Nomoto Kazuhiro (reeds), Torsten Rusch (sampler), Yoshimori Makoto (keyboard), and Niida Kozo (drums).

The reissue of "Watashi No Tanoshimi"

Bridge Inc., the distributor of Hikashu albums, officially announced that the release date of "Watashi No Tanoshimi" ("My Pleasure") is August 20, 2010.

It is basically an instrumental album and intended for fashion show of designer, Jurgen Lehl. It was released in 1984 and have never been reissued before.

Originally it was a picture record, each side featured a photo of Planet Earth and the moon. It will be reproduced for the CD reissue - I don't know how but it is possible, at least so told am I. Also it comes with cardboard sleeve replica of original LP artwork.

And two bonus tracks will be added. Both are unreleased recordings from the same session.

Of course it is remastered, using high resolution 5.6MHz DSD technology.

HMV Japan already listed the album. See Here.

And there will be a concert held at Kichijoji Star Pine's Cafe for commemorating the reissue (and the Fuji Rock appearance) in late August, with various guests including Inoyama Land. More details on this to follow.

Hikashu with Jurgen Lehl in 2005 (just scroll it down)

Lu Inchi - the first time in 24 years

As already announced here, the band "Lu Inchi" (or "Ru Inchi") will play on June 16, 2010 at Aoyama Cay, Tokyo. It will be the first performance for them in 24 years.

Lu Inchi is the one of the forerunners of Hikashu. Circa 1976, Makigami Koichi, Mitama Masamichi (later to be known as Mita Freeman) and Tobe Satoshi formed a band and they gave themselves the name. At first, they were just playing for fun and didn't perform in public.

The band resurfaced in 1980 as a side project of Hikashu. For the resurrection, Makigami and Tobe were no longer a regular and it became Mitama's project. There were many formations but mainly, the band consisted of Mitama (vocal, guitar), Sakaide Masami (bass, vocal), Sensui Toshiro (drums, vocal) and iWah (perc, guitar, bass, vocal) plus various guests. Sensui resigned Hikashu in 1983 but after that he stayed with Lu Inchi. iWah is a long-time friend of the Hikashu members.

In the 2010 performance, the personnel is the same plus Shimizu Kazuto (keyboard, bass clarinet) as a guest.

So what kind of music they play, you ask? Sorry - having never had a chance to listen their stuff for myself, I cannot tell what their music is like. What I could tell you that it has been said that the satirical, humorous element of Hikashu came from Lu Inchi. That sounds pretty interesting, doesn't it?



As for recordings, Lu Inchi has released a few cassette titles on their own label. Unfortunately, they all have been long gone and available nowhere for years. But rejoice. As a teaser, the first 50? audience of the Aoyama performance will receive a CD-R duplication of their first release "Lu Inchi Live?". They said this will be the only time the album reissued as original form.



Also the first solo recording of Mitama Masamichi called "Impro Katagi" ("Portraits of Improvisation"), which was originally released as one of Lu Inchi-related cassette series in early 1980s, will be also reissued as CD-R and for sale at the occasion.

Do not miss the chance, unless you have the intention of waiting another 24 years.

Another World Of Hikashu #3
Lu Inchi:
Mita Freeman (guitar, vocal), Sakaide Masami (bass), Sensui Toshiro (drums), iWah
Guest: Shimizu Kazuto (keyboard)
On June 16th, 2010
@ Aoyama Cay
open 18:00, start 20:00
advance 3,500 yen - at door 4,000 yen

Lu Inchi official site (in Japanese)
Aoyama CAY website

Related Entry:
Makigamisantachi and Ru-Inchi

Jazz Art Sengawa 2010 update

Many of you came here by searching about Jazz Art Sengawa so here's some update.

3-days ticket and 1-day ticket for July 11th (the 3rd and last day) are now sold out. But should not get discouraged. Advance tickets for the event are sold only limited quantities, and there will be a plenty of tickets available on the day of the concert. It looks like competition for ticket is going to be fierce - last year I saw people made long line in the Sengawa Theater office. So, if you want a seat, be advised to come early and ask the office about ticket (in Japanese or plain English - do not expect English fluency, as this applies to the most parts of Japan). Good luck.

And unfortunately if failing to get tickets, at least you could attend free improvising session, held at Sengawa Avenue Hall. It's admission free - and actually quite an interesting event.


Basically, there is no so-called professional musician for the session. The players are all selected from open applicants via audition. Three producers of the festival - Makigami, Fujiwara and Sakamoto - are to be a moderator.

As for the Makigami's session, he decide to make a group out of 20+ players on the scene and let them play. The personnels are to be changed each "piece". Playing time of each piece is vary - roughly said it is about 5 minutes. It's like open improvisation workshop, sans any instructor (the moderators gave no advice - just made some short comments) and made me remember Derek Bailey's Company. I have witnessed the sessions in the past two years, and thought it was quite a refreshing approach for improvisation. You could see many young, aspiring improvisers perform, only this place, and Makigami said last year, this is the most interesting program for the festival. I agree with him.

Again, this session is admission free, but be sure to come early. The seats are limited and the festival allows no standing.

And anyway, in my opinion, Jazz Art Sengawa is the best festival of avant jazz or improvising music in Japan. If you live in Tokyo area and interested in such kind of music, this event is for you. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Related entries:
Jazz Art Sengawa 2010: Additional Concerts
Jazz Art Sengawa 2010
Jazz Art Sengawa

Fuji Rock Festival 2010 update

Smash Inc, the organizer of Fuji Rock Festival, officially announced the stage allocation for the acts. Hikashu will appear at Orange Court (capacity: 5,000), which they share with the bands like Zappa Plays Zappa, and Magma. The time table is still not available yet but I could give you one advice: DO NOT BE LATE. It seems that Hikashu will hit the stage very early, so be careful not to miss.

Lineup per stage from Smash site

Also, there's some useful tips for Fuji Rock in English. See here.




Seun Kuti and Fela's Egypt 80 at Orange Court, 2009.

Related entries:
Fuji Rock Festival 2010

Twitter accounts, more reissue, and Makigami's upcoming solo album

Regarding Twitter, four of the Hikashu members have account and usually twitter a few times a day. Unfortunately they twitter only in Japanese, but if you talk to them in plain English, maybe you could get some response. Their accounts are as follows: Makigami - @MAKIBRI, Sato - @MASAHARUSATO, Sakaide - @sakaidesan, and Mita - @mitafreeman. Mita just made his account today!





More reissues: Besides "Watashi No Tanoshimi" and "Hikashu Super Two", Makigami recently revealed that "Ningen No Kao" ("Human Faces") is now in consideration for reissue, tentatively planned for autumn release. The album, originally released in 1988, is regarded as one of the representative works of the band. It also have been hard to find for years so this will be very welcoming re-release.




Makigami's new album entitled "Tokyo Taiga" will be released in June from John Zorn's label, Tzadik. It is actually a group effort - a new unit called AЯ (pronounced "aya"), which Makigami formed with Bolot Bairyshev from Altai (voice, string instrument) and Sato Masaharu (percussion, voice). Also Shika Udai (cello) participated in the recording as a guest. If you are familiar with Makigami's performance with Bolot, I bet you'll enjoy the album. It is a Tzadik release, so expected to be easy to find in the US and Europe. Info on Tzadik site is here. (note: it said May release but actually slated to June.)