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February 24, 2015
Feature: 55 Jazz Tracks for the Morning, Chosen by Experts – SPICE No.2
Add a dash of jazz to your day's beginning
Feature: 55 Morning Jazz Picks by Esteemed Experts!
On a cool, crisp morning, a single track to transform your awakening into a delightful moment. On a leisurely morning, a song to refresh your slow breakfast. A tune to lighten your step on the commute… This autumn, why not try some “morning jazz” to brighten the start of your day? Add a dash of jazz to your mornings.
SPICE No.1: 17 Tracks from the First Installment Here
SPICE No.3: 21 Tracks from the Third Installment Here
This second installment introduces 17 morning jazz selections chosen by DJ Hiroko Otsuka, GQ Editor-in-Chief Masafumi Suzuki, EMI Music Japan Jazz & International Director Ritsuko Hamamura, DJ Shikishima (aka Oyakata Ajiikawa), trumpeter Shinpei Ruike, and music writer Naoko Shimada.
SPICE No.2: 17 Tracks from the Second Installment!
Selected by Hiroko Otsuka (DJ / Music Writer)
Power Up! Charge Your Morning with "Hard" Energy
From "God"
Rip Rig + Panic
"Constant Drudgery Is Harmful to Soul, Spirit & Health"
Their avant-garde sound, fearlessly blending punk, dub, and ethnic flavors into jazz, is exhilaratingly effective at shaking off sleep!
From "Blow Thru Your Mind"
Byron Morris & Unity
"Kitty Bey"
The track "Kitty Bey" is a "power-up!" number that serves as a catalyst anytime. Listening to this intro always transports me to an ecstatic dance floor!
From "Money Jungle"
Duke Ellington
"Money Jungle"
Fierce bass and destructive drums. The piano that follows escalates into an even more intense jam session! The master Ellington silenced the sonic feud between Roach and Mingus! The energy is overwhelming!
Hiroko Otsuka(DJ / Music Writer)
She hosts the monthly event "CHAMP" at The Room and is the main DJ at Roppongi Alfee, performing at parties across Japan. She also produces events at jazz cafes, offering diverse ways to enjoy music with her flexible sensibility that transcends genre boundaries. Her active career spans appearances at "FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL 2010," Asia's largest jazz festival "Tokyo Jazz 2012" (as a DJ debut), DJ sets at BLUE NOTE TOKYO, TBS Radio appearances, magazine and web reviews, and writing for disc guides and liner notes. She has produced mix CDs for Japanese jazz labels like Trio (ART UNION), somethin'else (EMI Music Japan), DIW (DISK UNION), and VENUS (Venus Record). On September 19th, she released "Music For Reading," a compilation of Nordic jazz on the "Spice Of Life" label (distributed by Disk Union).
http://djotsuka.com
Selected by Masafumi Suzuki (GQ Editor-in-Chief)
Refreshing as the morning sun. Come, let's ride the A Train
From "The Last Concert" and others
Modern Jazz Quartet
"Softly As In A Morning Sunrise"
The poem by Gani Tanigawa, "Don't Go to Tokyo," begins with the line, "Morning is fragile glass." The opening of the song "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" reminds me of this. I believe mornings are soft, almost fragile. Newborn babies, nascent love, budding curiosity, emerging compassion – they are all soft and easily broken. Just like the morning, and the sunrise.
From "The Essential Dave Brubeck" and othersDave Brubeck
"Take Five"
The lyrics say the subway to Harlem is the A train. Harlem, of course, is the Black neighborhood in New York, once a sophisticated district said to have been inhabited by successful Black people, and before them, successful white people. In the morning, we head somewhere, and most of the time, our destination is prosaic. That's daily life. Therefore, to get there, we need the hope of going to a harem (in Arabic, a "forbidden place" where the king's consorts reside). And that train is the A train.
From "Jazz Sebastian Bach" and others
The Swingle Singers
"Invention in C Major"
The Swingle Singers' lighthearted scat singing, full of wit, feels like the very essence of the light, unburdened air of the morning. With their "tan tan tan tan, ta ta ta ta ta ta..." vocals, I want to feel the start of the day as a joy.
Special Morning Jazz Column: Masafumi Suzuki Recounts Morning Memories
When I was a child, my father would switch on the NHK Radio 2 classical music program every morning at 6:30 AM, at full volume. Radios back then weren't great quality, but at least until I was in junior high school, I woke up to music every morning. That habit has long since faded. My only remaining ritual is waking up and watching the TV news.
On this occasion, I thought I might try listening to some of my favorite jazz CDs, which I haven't touched in a while, in the morning, especially the three tracks mentioned here. Perhaps not on weekdays, but on weekends when I don't have to rush my preparations. Morning is not just the start of the day; for an individual, it's a resurrection from a state of suspended animation, and perhaps nothing is more fitting than music to celebrate the revival of one's life. Is that why my father listened to classical music so loudly?
Masafumi Suzuki(GQ Editor-in-Chief)
After working as a journalist for an English-language newspaper, he joined Nigen Sha. He participated in the launch of the car magazine "NAVI" and became its editor-in-chief in 1989. Under his direction, the magazine advocated for a cultural critique of automobiles, using social and cultural metrics alongside numerical data. He went independent in '99 and launched the men's lifestyle monthly "ENGINE" (Shincho Sha) the following year. In January 2012, he became editor-in-chief of "GQ," where he remains actively involved. His books include "Marx" and "Run! Yokoguruma." His latest work, "Suzuki-san no Seikatsu to Iken" (Mr. Suzuki's Life and Opinions), was published in June.
http://gqjapan.jp/
Selected by Ritsuko Hamamura (EMI Music Japan Jazz & International Director)
A Morning Spent Reminiscing About Paris, My Cherished City
From "Smile"
Jacky Terrasson
"Smile"
The intro immediately captivates me, and my heart dances. The melody of the main theme is beautiful, gentle, and like a sparkling sun. It's a track that evokes the freshness of opening a window and the greenery of trees, bringing a sense of nature into the city.
From "Les 3 Marches"
Stacey Kent
"Waters of March"
Stacey's whispery voice gently rides over the simple melody. The soft resonance of French and its lightness make preparing breakfast feel enjoyable.
From the original soundtrack of "The World's Most Unlucky and Happiest Woman"
Louis Armstrong
"La Vie en Rose"
A song and performance that makes you realize, "This is what happiness is!" (perhaps?). Every sound of daily life – the aroma of coffee, the smell of toast, the ambient noises – feels precious, and Satchmo's voice and playing, which blend seamlessly with these sounds, are pure magic!
Ritsuko Hamamura(EMI Music Japan Jazz & International Director)
Joined Toshiba EMI (now EMI Music Japan) in 2001. After working in TV and radio promotion, she moved to her current role eight years ago.
On October 31st, Norah Jones' "Covers: My Favorite Songs" will be released. This album features covers of songs Norah Jones has loved since childhood, coinciding with her first visit to Japan in seven years in November. Additionally, the latest installment from the "THIS IS JAZZ" compilation series, which has sold over 100,000 copies, "THIS IS JAZZ Piano - night & day," will be released on November 28th! It's a two-disc set featuring jazz piano for nighttime listening and jazz piano for daytime listening.
http://www.emimusic.jp/jazz/
Selected by DJ Shikishima (aka Oyakata Ajiikawa)
Light, Crisp, and Sometimes Romantic: A Gentle Awakening Colored by Jazz
From "California Dreamin' ~ Norwegian Wood"
Bud Shank
"World Is Waiting for the Sunrise"
Love is something to give, rather than to seek. Instead of just seeking, let's spread love from the morning (laughs). The world is waiting for love!
From "Mike Coe with the Eddie Costa Trio"
Mike Coe
"10 A.M."
When talking about morning jazz, I appreciate the crispness of 'proper' white jazz. I say 'proper' jazz because I personally prefer rich, Black-influenced styles. This track is exactly the kind of crisp morning jazz I envision.
From "George Shearing Bossa Nova"
George Shearing
"Desafinado"
This evokes a leisurely morning on a day off, with a loved one sleeping beside you. Isn't a languid morning also nice? On days like this, I'd want to drink champagne from the morning.
DJ Shikishima(DJ / Vocalist / Oyakata Ajiikawa)
Formerly Makunouchi rank wrestler Shikishima. He achieved the record of defeating Yokozuna Takanohana in their first encounter in the fourth day of the March tournament and the tenth day of the May tournament in 1998. His passion for music has led to a wide circle of acquaintances. While occasionally active as a DJ and vocalist, he also trains younger talent as Oyakata Ajiikawa. Affiliated with the Mutsu stable of the Japan Sumo Association. He is currently based in Kyushu for the Kyushu tournament, which begins on November 11th. For ticket orders for the Kyushu tournament, please call 092-291-9333 (10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, closed Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays).
Selected by Shinpei Ruike (Trumpet Player)
From waking up: Rock! Free Jazz! Monk!
From "Jack Johnson"
Miles Davis
"Right Off"
It's almost rock, almost Jimi Hendrix, but Miles's trumpet remains purely jazz. A punchy track perfect for a Monday morning. It gets you motivated right from the start.
From "The Complete Science Fiction Sessions"
Ornette Coleman
"Happy House"
This sound itself is energy. Mix Ornette's saxophone with the morning sun, and have it with a bitter vegetable juice. It energizes you from the morning.
From "Solo Monk +9"
Thelonious Monk
"Sweet and Lovely"
Washing my soul with this piano sound in the morning leads to a wonderful day. The pure, delicate solo piano invites a fresh feeling. This album, with its consistently fresh sound across all tracks, is recommended for both rainy and sunny days.
Shinpei Ruike(Trumpet Player / Composer)
He encountered the trumpet in a brass band and was captivated by Miles Davis, leading him to discover jazz. After graduating high school, he played trumpet in the Maritime Self-Defense Force band. After leaving the SDF, he made his major debut in 2004 as a member of the jam band group "urb" on SONY JAZZ. He later formed his own unit, "Shinpei Ruike 4 Piece Band." His first album, "DISTORTED GRACE," was released in June 2009. Two years after his previous release, in September 2011, he released his second album, "Sector B," produced by Naruyoshi Kikuchi. He also participates in "Naruyoshi Kikuchi Dub Septet," "Naruyoshi Kikuchi DCPRG," "WUJA BIN BIN" led by Kei Taimo of the former "Beat Crusaders," and a unit led by SUGIZO, guitarist of "LUNA SEA," expanding his range of activities. He is currently actively touring, with upcoming performances including his own unit "SHINPEI RUIKE 5 Piece Band" at Shinjuku Pit Inn on November 28th and Motion Blue Yokohama on December 10th.
http://ruike.daa.jp/
