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| (© Ken Drew) |
Where to start? Here’s the brief notes I made at the end of this stunning performance:
Disparate array of instruments used by each musician.
Occasionally
intense/heavily rhythmical/quiet and delicate solos.
Growling
notes from the Nord keyboard.
Extraordinary! Unexpected! Inspirational!
Briefly
included a happy and glorious percussion ensemble at one point.
Staccato attack. Surprise! Prolonged
intense release of energy.
Conventional
instruments often played in an unconventional way, wonderfully combined.
Smiles
across the stage!!!
“Organised
chaos”. Phenomenal! Enthusiastic applause.
Telepathic
rhythms and sonorities bouncing across the stage.
Permeates
the space & engages the audience and lifting their spirits.
Joyous
atmosphere. Stunning performance. Uplifting. Life
affirming. Pure joy!!
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| (© Ken Drew) |
Fujii, Tamura and Spence have performed together regularly in various group settings since Fujii and Spence first shared the stage with their respective bands at the 2008 Tokyo Jazz Festival. Kira Kira (meaning to sparkle or twinkle brilliantly) is a project formed by Fujii, Tamura and Spence as a commission for Melbourne International Jazz Festival 2017. The premier performance of Kira Kira at MIJF2017 featured Fujii, Tamura, Spence and Tony Buck drums and was deemed ‘an absolute triumph,’ and ‘the highlight of the festival.’ A second performance by Kira Kira in Tokyo in 2017 was with the Japanese drummer Ittetsu Takemura. Kira Kira has thus developed as a quartet of evolving membership. During the last two years Fujii has taken it to cities in the US, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, always incorporating a performer or two from visited locations. So, for their one and only UK performance of their current tour, Scotsman Tom Bancroft took the percussion seat.
Set#1: Seemed
to be totally improvised, comprising one long, very dynamic piece then a
shorter piece squeezed in to the available time. Both were immensely refreshing!
Set#2: Featured
their debut release ‘Bright Force’, comprising 4 sections. Each was
distinctly different, and was basically scored, giving it structure, but
heavily improvised throughout. Full of dynamics and surprises, solos and
duos. And then an abrupt, co-ordinated ending (led by Tamura’s occasional
conducting, even whilst playing) brought this glorious performance to a close.
More notes:
Fujii on piano:
beautifully played encompassing many styles with a few prepared devices including
a hand cymbal resting on strings, or strumming strings with a small mallet.
Spence on Nord
keyboard: Used a range of voices (only occasionally heard ‘piano’ from it)
augmented with external devices played with various electronic effects. Plus a
collection of percussion (cymbal etc) and other ‘jangly things’.
Played using a mini mallet along the piano keys!
Bancroft on
drums: Usual kit plus extras such as a string of cow-bells, bowed cymbal
and hand hitting of cymbal plus other assorted objects selected as required
together with a driving and forceful pace when needed.
Tamura on
trumpet: Inventive playing techniques from rustling to percussive, but more
often producing an overall beautiful sound from the instrument. Also used a
foot operated cymbal (operated whilst playing trumpet!) plus hand cymbal when
joining in, along with the occasional smile, in total unison with the others.
Overall this was
a whirlwind of ordered chaos which grew as it moved along, constantly exploring
new directions, yet still within the jazz idiom with more than a touch of being
crazy and free, and fun!! It is improvised and sonically charged, and
embraces so many musical styles throughout, and on occasion indulged in a
decent helping of free-jazz groove.
Kira Kira’s
international acclaim is wholly deserved. Whilst I usually refrain from
‘Gig of the Year’ nominations, I think this will stand firmly among the ‘gig of
the decade’ amongst Jazz North East’s canon of visiting bands. Bravo!!
Absolutely awe-inspiring music.
This is surely
the epitome of what Jazz North East strives to achieve in the music it brings
to Newcastle. As confirmed by the respectful attentiveness and enthusiastic
applause from the audience received from each set, and the queues of delighted
people waiting to either congratulate or thank or briefly chat with them
afterwards for the shared experience.
Afterthoughts:
I’d never
previously heard of Kira Kira, nor of the band members (*) prior to this
performance so I’m now compelled to dig deeper having witnessed their
energetic, dramatic and spectacularly diverse musically sonic craftmanship.
For those who were there I recommend looking up the biogs of each performer,
which provides the background to this globe-spanning behemoth’s
capabilities.
* I have seen Tom Bancroft from Scotland occasionally during on-line improv sessions from Scotland in his ‘Playtime Collective’ during the Lockdown years, and was thrilled to discover he was the ‘local performer’ for the visiting band. Had he played with them before? No! Well …… apart from a live session, performed online with himself in Scotland and the rest of the band on the other side of the world. Such is the power of improvisational expertise that practice is more likely a detriment than advantage in their endeavour to bring new ideas which thrill their audiences. Ken Drew
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