While doing my bi-weekly music hunting just now, I chanced upon this wicked jazz band again, Japan’s Soil and ‘Pimp’ Sessions. Their take on jazz is one that is unconventional and modern, what some music punters define as “death jazz”. From the music I am hearing, I guess this translates to avant garde, progressive, energetic and explosive. Which also means that I got blown away by these guys’ music, and got goosebumps over and over again. Six guys, a trumpeter and saxophonist lead the way with their adventurous brassy endeavours, either on their own or together, with their unique solos and crazy hooks . A keyboardist infuses whatever rhythms needed to suit their ever-changing flavour of music. A crazy ass drummer and double-bassist (it’s old school pimpin’) to provide the grooves, and an “agitator” who doesn’t really do much other than to bring all of them together (he’s probably the ‘Pimp’ of the band).

I heard about these guys months ago on website of BBC Radio 1 DJ extraodinaire Gilles Peterson of the weekly radio show Worldwide. Constantly hunting for fresh sounds, this fella is on the forefront of introducing new music from his eclectic collection of funk, nu-soul, hip hop, house, and jazz to the British masses. Some other artistes that he helped promote on his side of the Atlantic were Common and John Legend. This guy was probably instrumental in bringing them to within the earshot of the Brits , to the extent that they even won the ‘John Peel Play More Jazz’ award at Gilles’ Worldwide Awards last year.

Once again, I am beating myself up because I gave up not one, but TWO chances to see them performing live. The first time was during Glasgow’s grassroots music festival last year, the Triptych Festival, which I had to miss cause I was busy with my coursework. The second time I missed them was quite unforgivable. I was down in Camden, London with a couple of friends when I noticed a sign that said that they were playing a gig, right there and then. Stingy me couldn’t part with twenty quid, plus I don’t think my friends who were with me would join me to the club where they were playing. So I missed them. AGAIN.

Seeing the video below which I discovered only made me even more sore than I couldn’t catch them live. No studio or live recording can beat the energy and spontaneity of listening to jazz live.
Being a person who dwells in his thick cumulus cloud of regret, I will watch this video as self- punishment until I get over it. I will then move on by listening to this live recording of their gig in Paris not long ago. Ahh, the pain and regret of musical chances I have missed.

If you like what you hear: Check out their mySpace page where you get a sample of their music.