"Japan Nite" US Tour 2006

Next up was a jazz outfit called PE'Z (pronounced "pezz", not "peezee" as I had assumed). The five-piece band, consisting of two horns, keyboard, bass and drums, seemed to me to have come, played and gone in one big sweep. Maybe it's because they flew through about eight songs without so much as a word other than the song titles. But it's also quite possible that it's due to the fact that their music was so intense. They played a sort of jazz pioneered by Medeski, Martin and Wood that's heavily rhythm-oriented, with an obvious influence from Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra and others that straddle the boundary between jazz, rock and ska music genres. The playing was tight, the music arrangements original and interesting, maybe even far out in places, but without compromising the spirit of rock and roll that seemed to be the core of their music. The keyboardist in particular was extraordinary. He had the crazed but self-assured composure of Tom Waits and Prince, his phrasing was quite "out there," adding colors to the otherwise straight rock/jazz/ska fusion. His hands seemed to glide over the keys effortlessly, even as he jumped and danced in time to the beat, adjusting his cool sunglasses from time to time. Miles Davis would be proud, I thought. I would definitely be interested in seeing them again, hopefully in a longer set.

The other notable act in the lineup was the last band, Tsushimamire. The band with a tongue-twister of a name (even for a Japanese native) hails from Chiba, in Tokyo's sprawling suburbia. One of Benten label's flagship acts, they have toured the US quite a bit in recent years, notably as an opening act for the soft-porn web site Suicide Girls' "Burlesque Tour" in 2005. For all the hype, the three girls on stage seemed very demure and cute, dressed in handmade frilly dresses and unsure of themselves as they set up their instruments. Their stage manners were equally school-girl cute, bumbling and guileless almost to the point of being comical. I wondered if all this was by design, to win over the crowd? They sure seemed to be winning over everyone from the sound guys to the geeks with cellphone cameras pointing at them, even before the music started.

Once the music started, though, the tables were completely turned. Tsushimamire commanded attention and was all of a sudden confident, with the crowd clearly turning submissive. And boy, were they happy! I never saw anyone smile so big and unself-consciously on stage before. The girls flaunted their skills and presence, moving their bodies about sensually, like they were Steven Tyler or Mick Jagger. Fans and casual onlookers alike gobbled it up, and the atmosphere was of a party, the one that your crazy uncle wtih a hot tub in Florida would throw. They played an interesting mix of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Go-Go's, laced with influences from jazz, heavy metal and lounge music. The songs were quirky and humorous, as in "Air Control, Remote Control" (whatever that means) and in the song about making tea for a boyfriend, but all not without a vague sense of melancholy and angst, too. Would be interesting to hear their recorded songs, available here.

Overall, there was a sense that I was witnessing an important event, at least in terms of these bands' artistic careers. Some of these bands were touring America for the first time, and all of them seem to see this tour as their chance to break into the big bad world of American rock. It was refreshing to see the earnest face of Japanese youth culture without the filter of media (Harajuku Girls, anyone?).

The tour continues until Wednesday on the West Coast. If you are in LA tonight, be sure to check them out!

3-29 - Los Angeles, CA @ Knitting Factory
Open 8:00 pm/Start 8:30pm, $12 ticket, All Ages
Knitting Factory (cap.525 ) 7021 Hollywood Blvd LA, CA 90028