SPECIAL COLUMN | Morning Jazz Columns by Music Writer Naoko Shimada
A Dash of Jazz to Start Your Day
SPECIAL COLUMN | Jazz Writer Naoko Shimada's Morning Jazz Column
Vol. 1: The Music That Colors My Mornings
Ever since I started working as a writer, my life has been a cycle of day and night. To truly ponder, I need the quiet power of the moon... and as a result, my mornings have become increasingly late. Even for someone like me, whose mornings start so late, the very first music I listen to each day is incredibly important. It feels like it sets the mood for the entire day.
Come to think of it, when I was in my first year of high school, I used to put a CD player on timer every morning with Chet Baker's 'Chet Baker Sings.' Listening to it now, it's hardly suitable for mornings, but I think I wanted to wake up to Chet's sweet voice and trumpet, and indulge in a slightly sophisticated, languid morning that I admired.
From "Chet Baker Sings"
Chet Baker
"That Old Feeling"
From "When You Come Home"
Triosence
"Distance Means Nothing"
Now that I'm an adult, I want to use music to help me shake off sleepiness and start the day feeling refreshed. In that sense, choosing the right music is crucial. You can lift your spirits with the sound of a saxophone, or on a rainy morning, welcome a gentle start with bossa nova and coffee.
My morning songs have changed throughout my life, but lately, I find myself leaning towards European piano trios. The beautiful piano melodies, like sunlight filtering through leaves, the deep bass notes that evoke the scent of the forest, and the exhilarating drums that echo through the trees. A shower of such sounds washes over me, gradually waking me up. "Today will be a great day." I think I can feel this way every day thanks to morning jazz.
Vol. 2: Movie Jazz for Relaxing Holiday Mornings
I feel like memorable scenes in movies always have music playing in the background. Music alone can make dialogue resonate more deeply or make the visuals appear more grand. Its effect is immense.
There's a German film I love and have watched many times called 'Mostly Martha.' It's a heartwarming story about a top chef at a French restaurant who overcomes various challenges in her work and love life to find her own ultimate happiness. It's precisely the kind of content women enjoy, and it's one of my favorite films. Above all, what makes this movie so captivating are the visually stunning French dishes that appear one after another, and the elegant music that accompanies them.
From "My Song"
Keith Jarrett Quartet
"Quester"
From "MUSIC"
Michel Petrucciani
"Looking Up"
To be precise, these are the elegant pieces from 'My Song,' a masterpiece by the reclusive pianist Keith Jarrett, released in 1977. It's remarkably fitting to the story and visuals, even though they weren't created for the film. Furthermore, the lyrical soprano saxophone of Jan Garbarek adds such depth that even scenes with colorful vegetables become memorable.
Another film that can be enjoyed with music is currently showing in Japan,the documentary film 'Vibrations' about the legendary French pianist Michel Petrucciani.This film simply cannot be told without his music.
While movies and videos are often enjoyed at night, these two films make me want to savor them slowly on a holiday morning, complete with their music.
Vol. 3: Enjoying Morning Jazz Live
I feel like I've had many opportunities to discover my love for jazz. There was the Bing Crosby my father played every Christmas, Chet Baker lent to me by a friend, and the acid jazz boom in the early 1990s. Each time, I'd get excited thinking, "Jazz might be good!" But when I tried to go deeper, perhaps due to my own limitations or finding it too complex, I'd quickly give up, thinking, "I still don't get it." However, what broke through that barrier was live performance. A jazz live show.
From "Reunion"
Gary Burton
"The Chief"
From "Paulistana"
Eliane Elias
"Paulistana"
The shower of sound from each instrument. And the exhilaration when all the sounds come together. When a performance unfolds right before your eyes, you're transported from reality and become completely absorbed. The joy of live music has many other facets, of course.
Even famous songs can change depending on the instrumentation and performers, and you can savor the process as original songs evolve with each live performance. Once you start finding the spontaneous moments during a performance thrilling, you're hooked. When you catch the eye contact between musicians, you feel as if you're on stage yourself. Since discovering the joy of live music, I've realized, "Jazz is interesting," "Jazz is fun," and now I'm immersed in jazz day and night. My room is piled high with CDs now (laughs).
From "Gig and Dawn"
Kate Fuller
"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"
Also, it's wonderful that there are now many places where women can comfortably go alone, and this is a welcome trend. Many women seem to stop by after work to refresh themselves before heading home.
This is the final installment of my "Morning Jazz" column. While you might not immediately associate mornings with live houses, try listening to jazz that suits the morning and transform your room into a slightly luxurious space, like a live performance. It will surely change your day.
Naoko Shimada(Music Writer)
As a music writer, she contributes reviews and interviews, primarily focusing on jazz, for publications such as 'Jazz Japan' and 'CD Journal,' and has written numerous CD liner notes. She also participates in events as a club DJ in various venues around Tokyo, focusing on jazz and bossa nova. She has expanded her activities to television, appearing regularly on programs for Space Shower, NTV G+, and Music Air.
Furthermore, through her self-produced jazz event "Something Jazzy," she proposes new ways to listen to and enjoy jazz. In 2010, she published her book 'Something Jazzy: A New Jazz Guide for Women,' which garnered attention, and released the compilation CD 'Something Jazzy: Everyday, Girls' Jazz' from EMI Music. Last December, she released her second book, 'Something Jazzy: Girls' Jazz Style Book' (with an accompanying CD). On November 12th (Monday), she will host "Something Jazzy ~Start Your Rich Jazz Time This Autumn~" at Pub Cardinal on the first floor of Sony Building in Ginza, and on December 1st (Saturday), "Something Jazzy: Nagano Jazz Night Produced by Naoko Shimada" at the Matsumoto Performing Arts Centre Small Hall in Nagano.
http://naoko-shimada.net/
http://something-jazzy.net/
