Kobayashi: Gypsy Jazz Series: Friday May 27th: $10Pm 817 Queen St. W

[SmoothedShredder]

Hey, Just to let you guys know a wicked band from Montreal is comming through the Jazz series this weekend. Come check it out at the Gypsy Friday Night. See y'all there, we can catch up on Come Together and raise a glass of Heine! Here's an excerpt from an article in the Motreal Mirror about Kobayashi:

The acid test

It doesn't hurt that the octet, who liberally mix up jazz, funk, R&B, hip hop and electronica, avoid the dense wankery of some comparable acts in favour of steady, fluid, understated grooves. Capable players all, the temptation to fly off on intricate if unproductive tangents must be mighty.

"We're very conscious of that," says Falcon. "I think our forte, and we recognized this a while back, is that we're not virtuoso players. We're capable, but we're not amazingly extraordinary. So we're a compositional band first, trying to push the song first at the expense of all our members - like communism, I guess." (Let it be noted that both Falcon and Gearey showed up for our chat decked out in red.)

"We've all trained ourselves to do that and, to me, the best part of this year is that we've gotten better at that."

As such, it's inappropriate to dump Kobayashi into the "jam band" basket. In fact, they show no shame in calling themselves an acid jazz band. "It's the nasty word, now," says Gearey. "We use it because that's what we started with, when we weren't sure which way we were going to go - more toward the funk, the electronica or the jazz. We had the big umbrella of acid jazz. It's a good way to describe what we do, and it gives us more freedom. If we want to do a funkier song, or more of a hip hop song like "The Game," or more of an electro song like "Catalyst," we're free to."

Muses Falcon, "What else have we been shooting around? There's been jazz-hop, urban jazz, electro-funk - on CBC's New Music Canada site, we're listed under hip hop, so I think everybody struggles with the name. I think acid jazz will have to do until somebody comes up with a name that sounds right."

Critical condition

Priority, though, goes to getting the sound right - reaching a perfect balance of the rhythm section with the keys and horns, the wicka-chick of Evan Melnyk's decks, Omari Newton's conscious rhymes and Hadiya Roderique's soulful crooning.

"We're getting more and more critical of what we do," says Falcon. "We used to churn out songs, now it really has to be worked and worked, really good in many different aspects, before it even gets considered. Some people are more critical than others - "

That comment prompts a mention of Melnyk the turntablist. "It's almost like we have a producer built in," chuckles Gearey, "because Evan's instrument doesn't lend itself to being thrown all over the place. He can throw in the flavours here and there, but composition-wise, he stands back and listens to what we're doing and tells us what's right or wrong."

Whatever went right, it ended up on the band's new self-released EP The Night We Took the City. "We did as good a job as we could, so we're happy about that. But the flipside of that is, we've come a long way since recording and we have a lot of new songs that we want to record.

"I think the songs are still stronger live than in the studio. Our forte right now, whether we like it or not, is that we're a live band. We do a pretty good job of live, I think."

[Kaidy Mae]

It doesn't hurt that the octet...avoid the dense wankery of some comparable acts

Hahaha, well put!

Too bad it's on Friday though. Doubt I can make this one.

[bradm]

Kobayashi is also opening for Moses Mayes at Mavericks in Ottawa on Wednesday, June 22, 2005.

Aloha,

Brad

[SmoothedShredder]

And we've got Moses Mayes for the Series on June 24th... how peculiar!

It's too bad you won't be able to make it Kaidy, you'll be missed

Edited May 26, 2005 by Guest

[Kaidy Mae]

Awwwww, thanks W! That means so much coming from the hacky sack king. I'm in for the 24th for sure!

[SmoothedShredder]

If I were King,

I'd wear a ring,

And never hurt my People,

I'd stay alert,

And dress to kill,

I might even slip you something

The sun comes up and I'm all washed out

Is this what the Deener was talking about

I don't think I'll ever return again my friend

[Jay Funk Dawg]

nice!

[kc]

Kob's has a wicked sound.

Check em' out.

[mister slippery]

guess will's still sleeping.

figured this woulda been bumped already.

good fun to be had tonight.

are people attending?

[SmoothedShredder]

Hehe,

Good to hear some buzz... I really hope there will be some people there... but I'm not worried. Life's too short, and I'll still have fun!

~W

Speaking of still sleeping: Remember this!?

[mister slippery]

NO!

although the sleeping bag is familiar.

WTF??

[SmoothedShredder]

A little Monday morning shannanigan/art project I had well underway by that point!

[mister slippery]

yer an odd little monkey, aintcha?

[SmoothedShredder]

Yes, yes I am... and proud of it. :cool:

Show will get going around 11 - 11:30... Two sets, and DJ Goldfinger to rock the vibe.

Happy 401 vibes!

~W

[mister slippery]

that was a lot of fun.

now, my liver hurts.

[shainhouse]

I had a good time... unfortunately missed most of the action, but had a blast.

[SmoothedShredder]

Hey,

Thanks to everyone involved. It was a great show... and a fine after party as well. Happy B-Long-Weekned A!

Kobayashi, what a wicked sound... really enjoyed the dub fusion jazz that happened just before the end... and Goldfinger was spinning some neat stuff. Hope you guys had a safe trip home!

See you next week maybe for the Word People, real pro Hip Hop from Guelph!!! Fun show to watch, speaking from experience, and I really enjoy the vibe of a live MC with a band... maybe it's just me though!

Peace,

\ / \ /

[Kaidy Mae]

Thanks for the good times everyone! Sorry to get there so late...I didn't roll into the city until after 10 and the pre-bar gins were tasting gooo-ooo-oood! I don't remember much in the way of details of the show (perhaps the earlier gins were a little too good), but definitely a band I would see again! I don't know what that crazy feedback was at the very end (aside from total brain rape), but it was the only thing that got our post-bar hosts to stop talking for 5 seconds. Sorry to have brought all of the "talkers" with my crew. *blush*

Thanks to all of the diehards for making the long trek up to the Merton digs. Sorry I disappeared for awhile. :blush: Lacey & I went to get a CD out of the van and ended up ballroom dancing in the street and having an impromptu photo shoot in the neighbour's menagerie. LOL Gin & Red Stripe will do that to ya. It was great to get to see you all afterwards. I hope everyone made it home safe...especially Shylo. Whew!