Maid dance with Take Five

We were at the College Jazz Band Contest. It was 1962 or 63, It's 45 years ago. So anyone under 45 hadn't existed at that time. Now you know how old I am. We played "So what" and relaxed as being the audience when one of the other contestants started to play "Take Five".



We knew pretty well that the improvisation of it was quite tough. Yes, the rhythm is 5/4. You count five for a bar, which is tough. If you try to keep beat you'll lose the melody line of your improvisation. It may be OK for 5-6 bars but eventually you'll give in to the four beat.

They started out all right. There was this alt sax player whose sound was pretty close to that of Paul Desmond. He stayed with 5/4 for the first chorus. A few bars later he started to play four beat. Rhythm section failed to keep time within next few bars. We all laughed out loud.

I've found this video interesting. First of all that is the amine. secondly girls dancing wear maid uniform. How does that connect to each other? Well, you must be one of the anime fun or you don't know the maid cafe in Tokyo.

It has started 4-5 years and been fad since then. Those cafes are the spot you must visit or you won't be qualified as one of the anime fun. They say "Welcome home, Master" as you walk into the cafe. Hey, you like that!

No, they don't serve alcohol, No, they don't sit next to you. They may allow to take picture with you. They may entertain you with some performance of their own.

In essence you can enjoy seeing and talking with them but no sexual matter involved.

I put up this video for its strange combination of 21st century and 1960es or 1950es for that matter. Enjoy! Let me know if you like it.

Jim Hall and two pianists, Evans and Petruciani

I haven't known this guy named Petruciani. He plays pretty nice with Jim Hall at this video. And I found that there is amazing resembalance with the recording of Undercurrent that was done with Bill Evans and Jim.

Petruciani + Jim Hall : beautiful love.

I am pretty sure that the Undercurrent was recorded much earlier than this video, isn't it? Yeah, right. That was 1962. I was 19. Arrogant in every aspect of my life. Were you not at the age?

I hear Evans touch of backing. With nice combination of block coding at lower octave. Beside, voicing itself sounds pretty close to that of Bill.

Would Petruciani is that tactful guy? I don't know 'cause this is the first time ever listen to his playing. It may be this: If Jim has to be comfortable with backing, the accompanist must be like Bill, is it? Jim is quite nice at both accompaniments.

Jim sure plays better with Valentine. But then it's a recording session. They both could have great time knowing each other. . .

By the way, the recording with this video is much better than the LP I bought.

Jazz piano plyaers of Japanese origin

I know there are lots of Japanese jazz players active in US jazz scene. Mr. Ozone, is the one and these are the most frequently played pieces at You tube.

We are all alone. Simple chord progression, very basic. It sounds nice. Listening to his balad reminds of a discussion we had in college. That was around 1960, Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk, Art Blakey, Horace Silver, etc & etc. The best year for the so called Modern Jazz.

This is his trio version.

We were arguing whom to follow, Bill Evans or Oscar Peterson.

The LP disks were expensive at the time. The exchange rate was JPY360 to US$1. It is 1/3 now. We had to deversify the budget.

Years passed. Most of them are gone. But here are those new breeds. I am not crilicizing but the Japanese players sound too clean. There's no earthy nor gloomy feeling in there. It makes the whole sound something unrealistic. Well, for me, at least.

This is his solo of same tune.


I feel lucky because I can listen to any of those players on internet. Ozone or whoever it is.