Nicola Conte
July 6
Blue Note, Osaka
Primarily known for introducing an innovative style of acid jazz
Nicola Conte mixes 60s Italian film score inspired Bossa Nova
melodies with easy listening rhythms and Brazilian and Indian
beats.
Conte took his first steps on to the jazz scene with the Fez
Collection in Italy whilst still in his early twenties. At this
time he was also involved as a producer and DJ, which brought
him some recognition outside of his home country. His debut album
was released through Schema records, a label known for experimenting
with retro sounds and Latin American music, and sold over 50,000
copies worldwide. To many this number of sales may seem miniscule
but in Conte’s eyes it was a huge success for someone without
the backing of a big name label and a press/media bandwagon to
push it in to the buyers domain.
Backing Conte at Osaka’s Blue Note are a group of accomplished
musicians in their own right, Fabrizio Bossa (Trumpet), Gaetano
Partipilio (Tenor Sax), Pietro Lusso (Piano), Pietro Cianeaglini
(Double Bass) and Lorenzo Tucci (Drums).
6.30pm/9.30pm • ¥4,300-¥6,300 Tel: 06-6233-8888
• Acid Jazz
Tom Grant
July 16
Azelia Hall, Osaka
 Smooth
Jazz pianist/vocalist Tom Grant advertises himself as walking
the line between jazz tradition and modern pop.
Originally from Oregon Grant started his working life as a High
School Teacher before finding his musical break with Native American
saxophonist Jim Pepper in 1970. Pepper took the young Grant to
New York and from there he has never looked back. As well as his
own successful musical career Grant has also graced the recordings
and performances of many a great jazz musician including Woody
Shaw, Joe Henderson
and Tony Williams to name but a few.
Aside from the life of a busy musician Tom Grant has also managed
to find the time to offer his services to charity work (which
he doesn’t like to talk about) and in 1999 was given the Award
for Dedication to Music, Health & Children by the New York
Presbyterian Hospital.
Tom Grant, a pioneer of New Adult Contemporary and Smooth Jazz
will be playing the Azelia Hall, Osaka with special guest Takako
Asahina on July 16th.
7pm • ¥5,000-¥6,000 Tel: 0570-06-3005 • Smooth Jazz
Otis Clay, Eddie ‘The Chief’ Clearwater and Van Hunt
July 19
Namba Hatch, Osaka
Born in Mississippi in 1942 Otis Clay has been performing
professionally for over forty years. Although a vocalist with
a solid blues base Clay cut his teeth in gospel groups. He had
his first hit single in 1967 with ‘That’s How It Is (When You’re
In Love)’ and his biggest hit came in 1972 with the track ‘Try
To Live My Life Without You’, which was covered by Bob Seger nine
years later. In 1975 Clay started his own label, Echo Records
that produces artist with a mix of ‘blues grit and Chicago soul’.
Clay has lost none of his appeal and for all these years he just
seems to get better and better.
It’s easy to see how Eddie Clearwater found his nickname
as he launches himself on stage (not so vibrantly nowadays though
as he recently turned seventy one) wearing a Native American Indian
headdress. Born Eddie Harrington in 1935 ‘The Chief’ grew up listening
to Delta Blues and Country & Western. As a teenager he was
backing gospel groups on guitar until he discovered Chuck Berry,
which changed his musical direction considerably. To quote himself,
Clearwater says his music is ‘country and blues and rock ‘n’ roll
combined … high energy music’ and The Chicago Tribune hails him
as ‘Chicago’s premier blues showman’.
Compared to Clay and Clearwater Van Hunt is still a baby. His
2002 debut album though earned him a Grammy nomination and his
follow-up album, which only came out in April this year has been
described as a ‘beautiful mess of ideas’. Hunt’s music is rock-laced
R&B with a touch of funk and some interesting but subtle punk
and blues influences to boot.
To see three great performers of the caliber of Clay, Clearwater
and Van Hunt all on the same billing is a gift that doesn’t come
around too often. They will be performing
at Namba Hatch on July 19th.
7pm • ¥7,000 • Tel: 06-6362-7301 • Blues/Soul/Rock
Soulhead
July 20
Club Quattro, Osaka
You could be forgiven for thinking that Soulhead, Hokkaido sisters
Yoshika and Tsugumi, are yet another of the company
manufactured ‘Japanese Urban Contemporary’ outfits that seem to
be popping up with endless irritation on our TV screens whether
it be in commercials or as guests on conveyor belt music shows.
What is different about Soulhead is that they aren’t company manufactured
(well, maybe just a bit) and they do in fact produce their own
material. As well as this they sing a lot of their lyrics in English
and actually spent a year in New Zealand and Australia honing
their language abilities, which would indicate that they see their
horizons a lot further away than the shores of Japan.
The duo has released an astounding twenty singles but only three
albums. Their latest album Naked was released in March this year
and Sony Music, their label, say that they will ‘change the future
of groove music’.
If you are one of the millions dumbfounded by the numerous genre
labels that we have to deal with when choosing our musical tastes
‘Urban Contemporary’ was a phrase coined by the late New York
DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 70s. Originally a mix of R&B,
Disco and Gospel, modern Urban Contemporary radio stations fill
their play-lists with African-American female vocalists mixing
R&B, Hip-Hop and Rap.
Soulhead will be playing at Club Quattro, Osaka on July 20th.
7pm • ¥4,725 Tel: 06-6341-3525 • Japanese Urban
Contemporary
Live Listings July
Rip Slyme
7/1 @ Zepp, Osaka
7pm • ¥6,300 Tel: 06-6344-3326
• J-Rock/Hip Hop
The Privates
7/1 @ Taku Taku, Kyoto
6.30pm • ¥3,500 Tel: 075-351-1321 • Rock
The SUS
7/4 @ Fandango, Osaka
7.00pm • ¥1,800 Tel: 06-6535-5569 Punk/Rock
Akiko
7/4-5 @ Blue Note, Osaka
6.30pm/9.30pm • ¥5,000-¥7,000
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • Jazz vocal
Ego-Wrappin
7/5-6 @ Namba Hatch, Osaka
8pm • ¥4,200- ¥4,800 Tel: 06-6258-5186 • Female Vocal Band
Nicola Conte
7/6 @ Blue Note, Osaka
6.30pm/9.30pm • ¥4,300-¥6,300
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • Acid Jazz
Envy
7/7 @ Club Qyattro, Osaka
7pm • ¥2,800 Tel: 06-6535-5569 • Rock
Thrash em all
7/7 @ Fandango, Osaka
7pm • ¥2,000 Tel: 0570-02-9966
• Thrash/Rock
Earl Klugh
7/7-8 @ Blue Note, Osaka
6.30pm/9.30pm • ¥6,500-¥8,500
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • Fusion Guitar
Naturally 7
7/10 @ Blue Note, Osaka
6.30pm/9.30pm • ¥5,500-¥7,500 Tel: 06-5342-7722 • Acapella Group
Pyramid (Akira Jimbo/Yuji Toriyama/Hirotaka
Izumi)
7/12 @ Blue Note, Osaka
6.30pm/9.30pm • ¥5,000-¥7,000 Tel: 06-6342-7722 • Fusion/Super
Unit
Air
7/14 @ Club Quattro, Osaka
7pm • ¥4,725 Tel: 06-6281-8181
• Japanese Singer/Songwriter
Midori Karashima
7/14-15 @ Blue Note, Osaka
6.30pm/9.30pm • ¥5,500-¥7,500
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • J-Pop Vocal
Coldplay
7/15 @ Club Quattro
6pm • ¥7,500 Tel: 06-6535-5569
• Brit Rock
Laughin Nose
7/16 @ King Cobra, Osaka
7pm • ¥2,800 Tel: 06-6535-5569 • Rock
Tom Grant
7/16 @ Azelia Hall
7pm • ¥5,000- ¥6,000 Tel: 0570-06-3005 • Smooth Jazz
Otis Clay/Eddie Clearwater/ Van Hunt
7/19 @ Namba Hatch
7pm • ¥7,000 Tel: 06-6362-7301 Blues/Soul/Rock
Okamoto Island
7/19 @ Rag, Kyoto
7.30pm • ¥2,500- ¥3,500
Tel: 075-241-0446 • Fusion
Junko Ohashi
7/19-20 @ Blue Note, Osaka
6.30pm/9.30pm • ¥6,400-¥8,400
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • J-Pop Vocal
Soulhead
7/20 @ Club Quattro, Osaka
7pm • ¥4,800 Tel: 06-6341-3525
• Urban Contemporary
Kiss
7/20 @ Udo Festival, Osaka
¥8,500-¥9,500 Tel: 092-771-9009 • Rock
Clementine
7/21-22 @ Blue Note, Osaka
6.30pm/9.30pm • ¥6,400-¥8,400
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • French Pop Vocal
Terumasa Hino Quintet
7/24-25 @ Blue Note, Osaka
6.30pm/9.30pm • ¥6,400-¥8,400
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • Jazz Trumpet
Ai Kawashima
7/24 @ Namba Hatch, Osaka
7pm • ¥4,000 Tel: 06-6357-4400
• J-Pop Female Vocal
Madness
7/26 @ Namba Hatch, Osaka
7pm ¥7,000 Tel: 06-6535-5569 Ska/Pop
K-Ci & Jo Jo
7/27-29 @ Blue Note, Osaka
6.30pm/9.30pm ¥8,500-¥10,500
Tel: 06-6342-7722 R&B
Glam Pop World Tour
7/30 @ Namba Hatch, Osaka
4pm • ¥3,500-¥4,500 Tel: 06-6258-5186 • J-Pop
Third World
7/31 @ Blue Note, Osaka
6.30pm/9.30pm • ¥6,000-¥8,000
Tel: 06-6342-7722 • Reggae
Compiled by Phillip Jackson |
