Autumn Swordfish Vol. 51 Jazz&Life

✭ Feature Theme✭ This isn't an introductory guide to jazz, nor does it aim to dictate taste. It's about immersing ourselves in the natural flow of jazz in everyday Japanese life, or actively exploring the profound depths of the jazz "black hole" to discover sounds yet to be named. After World War II, with the presence of US troops in Japan, jazz entered its golden age, fostering the unique Japanese "kissaten" (coffee shop) culture centered around jazz. To this day, people in these coffee shops, surrounded by jazz records, listen with closed eyes. Jazz is also woven into the fabric of everyday life in gyudon (beef bowl) restaurants, ramen shops, supermarkets, and train stations, providing a backdrop for conversations, meals, and strolls. Jazz is simply that close to life. But what exactly is jazz? It defies single definitions or rules, always carrying an impulse to break free from convention, honoring tradition while simultaneously reinventing itself. We only know that it exists in live performances, is born in improvisation, and transforms through collision. You might recognize one of its forms, but in the next moment, it reorganizes into a new space, sometimes fitting seamlessly into a relaxed daily rhythm, other times expanding into an exhilarating force. Before delving into the myriad facets of jazz, this issue of Autumn Swordfish invites you to explore the daily jazz scenes of musicians like Naruyoshi Kikuchi and singer-songwriter UMI☆KUBO, as well as TAIHEI from the jazz band "SUI," and discover how jazz pianist Hiromi Uehara and Blue Giant author Shinichi Ishizuka portray the boundless possibilities of jazz. We also chart a jazz journey through Tokyo, Kyoto, and Sapporo for those planning their travels, and present delicious jazz pairings for your dining table. May your reading journey help you find the jazz sounds that resonate with your ears. We also wish you an experience where jazz carries you to new heights and depths, leading you to an unprecedented sense of exhilaration. ___________ ✭ Foreword✭ Everyone's First "Bar stereo" One summer evening on a business trip to Tokyo, after a satisfying meal, I randomly sought out a vinyl bar in Takadanobaba to unwind. This led me to "Bar stereo," hidden on the second floor above a Chinese ramen shop. Ascending the narrow staircase, barely wide enough for two people, one might easily miss the entrance were it not for the faint music seeping through the door. Yet, this inconspicuous, intimate bar was packed on a Tuesday night. Pushing open the door, the entire bar came into view: the owner alone behind the counter, simultaneously playing vinyl records and mixing drinks. I tried to discern the owner's expression, obscured by the dim lighting, when he said, "We're full right now, and I don't know how long the wait will be." His tone, devoid of emotion, couldn't deter my curiosity. Half an hour later, I managed to squeeze into a spot at the end of the L-shaped bar. The space, accommodating no more than 20 people, revealed that the patrons were not the main focus; everyone knew the entire wall of vinyl records behind the owner was the true star. I ordered a drink and some nuts. Amidst the quiet patrons, the atmosphere was neither somber nor dull. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the woman in business attire next to me using her phone to look up the vinyl album currently playing, nodding occasionally before ordering a stronger cocktail. This was my jazz introduction. That night, I noted down the names of three jazz musicians, ordered two vinyl albums online, and decided to visit a local jazz bar every time I traveled to Japan. Having previously worked at "Jazz Live Alfie," a renowned jazz venue in Roppongi, the owner decided to open his own establishment to make music a more accessible part of life. Choosing a location near Waseda University, he shed the notion of "you need taste to listen to jazz," welcoming nearby residents who simply loved music every night. "Stereo" means stereophonic sound, and the bar features classic audio equipment. However, this isn't a place for jazz connoisseurs; rather, it's like countless jazz venues hidden within buildings across Japan, a casual after-work destination for salarymen, a place where enjoying music can be the main course of the evening without needing a special reason, and a musical therapy session where one can completely surrender to the music, letting the owner's playlist soothe a parched soul. Creating a special feature on jazz is no easy feat. Within the blue melodies that lack a definitive answer, it feels as though one must listen to every genre to earn an invitation to a concert. But as the classic line from the manga "Blue Giant" goes, "It doesn't matter how skilled you are, as long as you can move people." The resonance of instruments and notes comes from human hands and hearts. The fluidity of jazz is like human emotion—invisible yet intensely present. Just as Japanese jazz has, over the past century, allowed Black music to develop its own melodies in Asia, it flows through jazz kissaten and bars, permeating thoughts yearning to break free from the conventional. Thus, we have birthed an issue that weaves jazz notes into life, following the rhythm of improvisation, making jazz a sport, a journey, the background music in a street food stall. The editors of this magazine each have their favorite jazz tunes and occasionally exchange information about venues, ensuring that music isn't confined to specific tastes or performance spaces. They've begun searching in Taiwan for their own "Bar stereo"—places hidden within buildings that suit them and can be enjoyed daily. This is the jazz wave we are embarking on, and I believe we will soon develop our own cultural DNA for experiencing jazz. After all, jazz, which crossed the ocean from America to Japan, is nothing more than the melody we are most familiar with—freedom and democracy. ___________ 〖 Table of Contents 〗 Features Living in Jazz 010 Naruyoshi Kikuchi at BLUE NOTE TOKYO 014 UMI☆KUBO at Aoyama Park 018 TAIHEI at Down Beat Talk Session 022 Session #01 Jazz in Japanese Life 026 Session #02 Hiromi Uehara 032 Session #03 Shinichi Ishizuka Jazz Pairing 042 Jazz Kissaten | Hot Dog Cafe & 2 Albums 044 Breakfast Shop Playlist Duration: 30 min 046 Snack & Noodle Shop Playlist Duration: 55 min 048 Stir-fry Restaurant Playlist Duration: 1.5 hr Urban Jazz Journey 054 Tokyo 056 Kyoto 060 Sapporo Liner Note 066 Listening Guide / Japanese Jazz Listening Guide 069 Reading Guide / Jazz Introductory Book List 050 Tokyo Jazz Diary 064 Jazz Scene in Taiwan Regulars 074 47 News 079 Local Dispatch / Okayama from Pei-Heng Weng 080 Asia Wave / It would be a pity if this collection of works didn't exist 084 Two Cities Guide / Tokyo Coffee Bars | Kyoto Wine Bars 086 Grumpy Chef / Hanami Onigiri Trio 088 Music Download / Tokyo Music Spending Spree Diary 089 Featured Program / My Neighbor the Music King 090 GOOD DESIGN AWARD / Venova 092 Self-Combustion / Hakushin (Part 2) 094 Mr. Yasuda on a Business Trip / Taiwan-Japan Saunas Events 070 Live Report | Fukuoka "Ukihano Takara"