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It’s not entirely lost on me how improbable this conversation is. I say this because nearly half a decade ago, in 2018, when I originally wrote about, Ken-ichiro Isoda, the person I’m speaking to today, I never realistically thought he’d be the one to bring me back, full-circle, on the heel’s of SRRD’s reissue of…
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Some artists make whole careers out of reinventing themselves. The best ones, you name it from the late David Bowie, to Joni Mitchell or Tom Waits, always leave you guessing just what they’re going to do next. The ones that try too hard, which shall remain nameless, always leave you wondering why they just can’t…
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Find your space in the pocket. If ever there was a phrase that I’ve been trying to hammer home lately, on the blog, it’s that. It’s about exploring the work of musicians who moved things around, found ways to pick at frayed threads and bind them together, to build their own work. China’s Säju is…
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For any musicians out there: aren’t those perfect, creative, moments the ones you find yourself while playing “in the pocket”? It’s when the groove that swung one way comes together on a beat (and whatever you’re doing is the exactly the right thing to be done). I say this because it reminds me of Suzy…
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First off: a huge thank you for Sara Mautone for cluing me in to this album. I say this, because when you listen to Nina Catarina’s Acordei Com Preguiça I think you’re getting to hear something special. What I believe you’re hearing is part of that ongoing Brazilian musical evolution, influenced by the proximity, culture,…
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Many moons ago, someone interviewed me and asked me (to paraphrase them), “What makes you pick what you share on the site?”Now, if I remember correctly, I think I answered: “most of the time, it’s great music tied to a great story.” It’s with this in mind that today let’s do things a little differently.…
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Timing. Isn’t that what life’s all about? If you’re there at the right moment, it all works out. If you’re there late, you’re at someone else’s fate. If you’re there too early, all that effort might not be for naught. If you’re speaking about Japan’s Kusu Kusu (and their album, 世界が一番幸せな日 (Sekai Ga Ichiban Shiawase…
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There is no harder thing for a music reviewer to do than categorize music that’s, quite simply, uncategorizable. Especially so when it’s trying to pigeonhole or describe Chito Kawachi’s jaw-droppingly, unclassifiable 1993 debut, チトチック/クラクラ (CHITOTIHC/KULA-kura).
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Sometimes there isn’t any time better than the right time to share something. And in my case, it’s now or never, for East Pulse’s Asian Mirage, a fascinating curio or one-shot release by Japanese jazz flutist Toshiaki Yokota and multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Chito Kawachi, who we’ll get around to later.
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Isn’t it always those late night thoughts that can push you to do something meaningful during your daylight hours? I say this because lately I’ve been ruminating on something: if ever this blog runs this course, I’d hate myself if I never took the time to document in some way those that had some way…
ambient art pop art rock balearic brazilian electro-acoustic england environmental music experimental fourth world Funk fusion japan jazz minimalist mpb neo-folk neoclassical new age walearic