Kazutoki Umezu & Djamra in Vi-Code 24.08.2013

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   August 24, 2013 ... Got a heavy rain in Osaka, and especially in an Osakan live house Nakatsu Vi-Code it was wet with full of passion. A Japanese saxophonist PRIDE Kazutoki UMEZU, with his jazz rock project KIKI BAND, featuring Natsuki KIDO (guitar), Takeharu HAYAKAWA (bass), and Joe TRUMP (drums), was on a live tour all around Japan (this live tour has been held as a commemorative one for Zappanale 2013 they'd attended and their newest album "Coyote"). And finally they came to Osaka that day!

Look, and get surprised at the audience's passion

After their stage appearance and a storm of applause for'em, their gig got started with Natsuki's heavy jazz rock (one of their repertoires) "Crawler", with Natsuki's cool, strict guitar shots!

Natsuki KIDO (guitar)

His cool / brilliant guitar sounds knock us completely.

btw he's called as "Guitar Angel" by Kazutoki (see below).

Takeharu HAYAKAWA (bass)

In Zappanale, the audience shouted "Bass God!" for him (yeah this is the reason why Natsuki's called as "Angel").

The second song "Gibbs' Paradox" let us the audience hear Godfanatic heavy / gorigori-hard /  swift bass play!

The aggressive drummer Joe TRUMP (drums, percussion) aka "Drum Fairy". 

His "Day / Break / Night / Shift" comprises supra-splendid deep drumming with psychedelic experimental jazz rock.

And Kazutoki UMEZU (saxophones, bass clarinet), a Japanese jazz rock KING.

He calls himself as "Sax Tengu", like others lol ... anyway, his play was a real killa!

His songs "Atama-uchi (reaching the limit in English)" and "Shiri-agari (contrary to Atama-uchi, getting better in English)" are superb experimental / avantgarde saxophone-based ones, with deep / aggressive plays by other three.

Their playlist was as follows; except the first "Crawler", all were featured in their newest album "Coyote" released a while before, that is a fantastic one.
Crawler
Gibbs' Paradox
Gel-colloid
Day / Break / Night / Shift
Atama-uchi
Coyote
Geopathic Stress
Shiri-agari
Sou-shun (encore)

Listening to the encore "Sou-shun (early spring)", dedicated to Tohoku (Kazutoki's hometown) where has got damaged  via Higashi-nihon Daishinsai (Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami) and Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Meltdown, we the audience could not help weeping indeed ... we said many thanks to them for such a excellent, gorgeous gig.

Thank you for reading my review for UMEZU KAZUTOKI KIKI BAND's gig in Osaka!

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DamoXt7942 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Forum Senior Member Joined: 23 Jan 2011 Location: Okayama, Japan Status: Offline Points: 262	Post Options Post Reply Quote DamoXt7942 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Kazutoki Umezu & Djamra in Vi-Code 24.08.2013 Posted: 25 Aug 2013 at 6:18am
	August 24, 2013 ... Got a heavy rain in Osaka, and especially in an Osakan live house Nakatsu Vi-Code it was wet with full of passion. A Japanese saxophonist PRIDE Kazutoki UMEZU, with his jazz rock project KIKI BAND, featuring Natsuki KIDO (guitar), Takeharu HAYAKAWA (bass), and Joe TRUMP (drums), was on a live tour all around Japan (this live tour has been held as a commemorative one for Zappanale 2013 they'd attended and their newest album "Coyote"). And finally they came to Osaka that day! Look, and get surprised at the audience's passion After their stage appearance and a storm of applause for'em, their gig got started with Natsuki's heavy jazz rock (one of their repertoires) "Crawler", with Natsuki's cool, strict guitar shots! Natsuki KIDO (guitar) His cool / brilliant guitar sounds knock us completely. btw he's called as "Guitar Angel" by Kazutoki (see below). Takeharu HAYAKAWA (bass) In Zappanale, the audience shouted "Bass God!" for him (yeah this is the reason why Natsuki's called as "Angel"). The second song "Gibbs' Paradox" let us the audience hear Godfanatic heavy / gorigori-hard / swift bass play! The aggressive drummer Joe TRUMP (drums, percussion) aka "Drum Fairy". His "Day / Break / Night / Shift" comprises supra-splendid deep drumming with psychedelic experimental jazz rock. And Kazutoki UMEZU (saxophones, bass clarinet), a Japanese jazz rock KING. He calls himself as "Sax Tengu", like others lol ... anyway, his play was a real killa! His songs "Atama-uchi (reaching the limit in English)" and "Shiri-agari (contrary to Atama-uchi, getting better in English)" are superb experimental / avantgarde saxophone-based ones, with deep / aggressive plays by other three. Their playlist was as follows; except the first "Crawler", all were featured in their newest album "Coyote" released a while before, that is a fantastic one. Crawler Gibbs' Paradox Gel-colloid Day / Break / Night / Shift Atama-uchi Coyote Geopathic Stress Shiri-agari Sou-shun (encore) Listening to the encore "Sou-shun (early spring)", dedicated to Tohoku (Kazutoki's hometown) where has got damaged via Higashi-nihon Daishinsai (Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami) and Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant Meltdown, we the audience could not help weeping indeed ... we said many thanks to them for such a excellent, gorgeous gig. Thank you for reading my review for UMEZU KAZUTOKI KIKI BAND's gig in Osaka!
	-- DamoXt7942 Guilt Is A Great Motivator.

DamoXt7942 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Forum Senior Member Joined: 23 Jan 2011 Location: Okayama, Japan Status: Offline Points: 262	Post Options Post Reply Quote DamoXt7942 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 Aug 2013 at 6:21am
	Before Kiki Band's gig, our Osakan pride DJAMRA appeared on stage ... in great respect for their pioneers Kiki Band, they played more enthusiastically, more aggressively, with strained looks! What an impressive combination their horn section always made. "More powerful" was a suitable phrase for their play on that stage. Masaharu NAKAKITA (bass) ... with sharp-edged bass lines as well. Takehiko FUKUDA (keyboards) ... beautiful, danceable, and sometimes funny, funky play he does. The opening number "Kamihitoe" is one of their masterpieces ... yeah a close to the edge-ish one! Sayaka KAWADA (trumpet) and Shinji KITAMURA (alto saxophone) ... ah impressive two tops. Their standard one "Assassin In Sin" was very smooth, experimental, beyond the expression. Akihiro 'Enon' ENOMOTO (drums, percussion) ... he said he'd got remarkable power via Kiki Band (especially Joe?). His drum solo in the last song "Neo Skin" was more and more enthusiastic, powerful than usual really. The audience has got immersed, even upon the third 'visualized' track (and their new one) "Kihihi (A Yellow Baboon)". In another newer song "Kaitoh Naitoh San (Mr. Naitoh The Phantom Thief)" they shouted "Kaitoh Naitoh San Dorobo (thief) ... Nusume (steal it)!" or so. They all looked pleasant extremely hahhaha (especially pretty Sayaka). btw guess Masaharu was the most strained of all ... via his MC (oh always dizzy, funny MC though lol). Their playlist were; Kamihitoe Assassin In Sin Kihihi Zetsuen Doon w/ some temporary Latin beats Komurakaeri Kaitoh Naitoh San Neo Skin w/ Enon's drum solo Thank you for reading my live review for DJAMRA's gig! P.S. And let me say "All the best for their Europe Tour this autumn"!
	-- DamoXt7942 Guilt Is A Great Motivator.

snobb Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Forum Admin Group Site Admin Joined: 22 Dec 2010 Location: Vilnius Status: Offline Points: 29515	Post Options Post Reply Quote snobb Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 Aug 2013 at 12:21pm
	Kazutoki Umezu is probably one of most interesting sax player on modern Japanese jazz scene, it's great you saw him playing live!He played here in Vilnius in 2003 (with Masahiko Satoh!),2004 and again in 2005 , unfortunately I've been living in Holland and Balkans during these years .

DamoXt7942 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Forum Senior Member Joined: 23 Jan 2011 Location: Okayama, Japan Status: Offline Points: 262	Post Options Post Reply Quote DamoXt7942 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 Aug 2013 at 6:23pm
	Hey Slava, please come to Japan! Thanks for your appreciation.
	-- DamoXt7942 Guilt Is A Great Motivator.