Ani Difranco

Mar.10

In March, Buffalo, New York’s most famous folk-punkster-poet, Ani Difranco, makes a one-day stopover in Osaka on her way back from the Australia/New Tel: ealand leg of her current tour. (Righteous Babe Records is the name of Difranco’s independent record label.)

The Singer/songwriter/guitarist is known and respected for her reliably potent fusion of folk, jazz, punk, latin as well as alternative rock and funk, delivered in a package of dexterous musicianship, lyrical wit and attitude to spare. Startlingly prolific by any standard, the young singer has released or been featured on over twenty albums in the past 15 or so years since her debut, with 2003’s Evolve winning a Grammy. While albums Dilate and Living in Clip of the late 90’s stand as good examples of Difranco’s unique blend of fierceness and melodicism, her work since then has been hailed for its inspired use of additional and unexpected instruments- — brass and reeds, for example — as well as increasingly contagious rhythmic grooves.

Though likely not as significant a point for Japanese audiences, no
small amount of Ani’s appeal is her skill at crafting brilliant poetry out of inspirations, frustrations and exasperations, relating to sex, politics, gender, and everything else along the way. The point is, her lyrics do matter. At live shows, her clever wordplay, canny references, double/triple-entendres and pregnant pauses routinely give way to joyful and appreciative outbursts from her knowing audience, and certainly from die-hard fans.

Difranco’s lyrics may or may not get this kind of response in Osaka, Japan, but her music is sure to speak for itself, and those who come down to Club Quattro for a night with the ultimate ‘righteous babe’ will get an earful, and their money’s worth.

@ Club Quattro
19:00 • ¥6000 • Tel: 06-6882-1224

Deep Purple

Mar.17

Deep Purple have come to be known as nothing less than the essence of classic metal (along with Led Tel: eppelin), and in spite of having recently celebrated their 25th anniversary, show no signs of slowing down. Their 1972 album Machine Head is considered by most to be their landmark recording, as it captured a moment in time where the band had truly come into their powers, and contained the unexpected mega-hit about a fire in Montreaux, called "Smoke on the Water."

March 2004 finds the extremely hard-working group in the midst of their Asian Bananas Tour, so named for their latest album, Bananas, released this past autumn. It is their first studio album in five years, and fans will appreciate that it doesn't veer far from DP's trademark sound and flavor. "If you can't get enough of this band's mountainous sound, with its thunderous organs, screaming guitars, and vocals that veer from ominous to operatic, this one's for you," says the New Sound Review.

The current line-up is anchored by original members Ian Paice and Roger Glover, who are joined by Don Airey, Ian Gillan and Steve Morse. The group is just off immensely successful tours in Europe and the American Midwest and east coast, which displayed a band at a musical and entertaining high point, with plenty of musical intensity, finesse and energy.

The Asian Bananas Tour features Machine Head material alongside material from the new album, which has been the perfect formula for reaching fans old and new.

@ Osaka Kosei Nenkin Kaikan Dai Hall
19:00 • ¥7500 • Tel: 06-6341-4506

Soulive

Mar.30

The Soulive experience is one to be taken seriously, as the sublimely soulful trio lays down funk grooves so ferocious they dare you not to dance. Garnering astonishing breadth, dynamics and power from such a small combo (frequent special guests notwithstanding), Soulive has earned a reputation as THE (instrumental) jazz/funk band of the day, having risen to the top of a field which was overcrowded with similar bands in the mid to late 90’s. Soulive is: organist Neal Evans, whose has ‘reinvented the B-3 organ, fusing jazz with bumping hip hop and soulful R&B,” and whose two-handed skills render a bass player superfluous; blues — influenced Eric Krasno on guitar; and Alan Evans on drums. The band started in 1999, and in 2001, after being featured on NHK, effectively ‘took over’ Japan. They have played numerous sold-out shows to enthusiastic and growing audiences in Kansai as well. Although some groups can be appreciated by simply purchasing the CD or recording, others need to be appreciated live —heard, felt and danced to. Soulive falls into that category.

@ CLUB QUATTRO
19:00 • ¥6500 • Tel: 06-6281-8181

Live Listings November

3/1
Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. Namba Hatch. 19:00 ¥6500. Rock/Folk/Alternative. Tel: 0570-02-9991
3/1
Jody Watley. Osaka Blue Note. 19:00/21:30 . ¥8500. R&B. Tel: 06-6342-7722
3/4
A Perfect Circle. Namba Hatch 19:00. ¥6500. Rock. Tel: 0570-02-9999
3/5
Incubus. Tel: epp Osaka. 19:00. ¥7000. Rock. Tel: 06-6341-4506
3/6
Soul Flower Union. Banana Hall. 19:00. ¥4200. Rock/ Okinawan. Tel: 0570-02-9999
3/8&9
New York Voices. Osaka Blue Note. 19:00/21:30. Jazz. ¥7500 Tel: 06-6342-7722
3/9
London Symphony Orchestra Kyoto Concert Hall. 19:00. ¥6000-¥18,000. Classical. Tel: 075-711-3231
3/9&10
Shanghai Quartet. Izumi Hall. 19:30. ¥5000. Classical.
Tel: 06-6241-8255
3/10
Ani DiFranco. 3/10&11
Karla Bonoff. Osaka Blue Note 19:00/21:30. ¥8500. Jazz.
Tel: 06-6342-7722
3/11
David Bowie. Osaka-Jo Hall. 19:00. ¥7700 (adv.) /¥8700. Pop/Rock/ alternative. Tel: 06-6341-4506
3/11
Spiritualized. Club Quattro. 19:00. ¥6300. Prog Rock/ Alternative. Tel: 06-6281-8181
3/16
Hayley Westenra. Big Cat. 19:00. ¥4000. Classical Vocalist.
Tel: 0120-499-699
3/16
Century Orchestra. Symphony Hall. 19:00. ¥1000~ ¥4500. Classical. Tel: 06-6868-0591
3/17&18
Grapevine. Namba Hatch. 19:00 ¥4000. Rock. Tel: 06-6357-4400
3/17
Deep Purple. Osaka Kosei Nenkin Kaikan Dai Hall. 19:00. ¥7500. Rock Tel: 06-6341-4506
3/18
Rimi Natsukawa. Kashihara Shimin Bunka Kaikan. 18:30 ¥4000. World. Tel: 0729-722-6681
3/19
Iggy Pop/Primal Scream/ South. ATC Hall. 18:00. ¥11000 all night. Rock. Tel: 06-6450-2211.
3/23
Kitano Tadao w/ Arrow Jazz Orchestra. Osaka Blue Note. 19:00. ¥4300. Jazz. Tel: 06-6438-0208
3/27&28
Blink 182. Tel: epp Osaka. 18:00. Call for details. Rock. Tel: 06-6341-4506
3/30
Togi Hideki w/ Kyoto Symphony Orchestra. Kyoto Concert Hall. 19:00. ¥5000/ ¥6500. Classical Tel: 075-211-0261
3/30
Soulive. Club Quattro. 19:00. ¥6500. Rock. Tel: 06-6281-8181
3/31
Papa Grows Funk. Big Cat. 19:30. ¥5000. New Orleans Funk. Tel: 06-6361-0313
4/1
Junior Senior. Club Quattro. 19:00. ¥5500. Funk/Pop.
Tel: 06-6281-8181
4/14&15
Radiohead. Intex Osaka. 19:00 ¥7500. Prog Rock/Alternative. Tel: 06-6776-1400
4/8
Reggae Magic. Club Quattro. 19:00. ¥6500. Reggae.
Tel: 06-6281-8181
4/24
Dream Theater. Imp Hall. 18:30. ¥6000(adv)/ ¥7000. All standing. Prog Metal. Tel: 06-6450-2233
5/2
Keith Jarrett/Gary Peacock /Jack DeJohnette. Festival Hall. 19:00. ¥8500/¥9800. Rsvd seating. Jazz. Tel: 06-6450-2277