Music Banter - View Single Post - Anteater's Muzak 101: Legitimizing Smooth Jazz For The Unwashed Masses

Anteater · 02-03-2013, 11:31 PM

Kyoto Jazz Massive - Spirit Of The Sun (2002)

ARTIST BACKGROUND
Serving as a creative outlet of sorts between two pioneering DJ brothers, Shuya and Yoshihiro Okino, Kyoto Jazz Massive is their duo moniker as well as a studio brand for both original recordings and remixes they are conscripted to produce for other artists on a variety of electronic, nu-jazz and contemporary jazz labels from all over the world.

THE ALBUM
After these two industrious brothers signed with international jazz label Compost in the early 2000's, they produced KJM's first and (so far) only original album of music Spirit Of The Sun in 2002. Since its inception, the LP as proven to be something of a cult classic amongst fans of chilled out electronica, Nu-Jazz...and yes, smooth jazz aficionados as well. And its only getting better and better as the years go by it seems...

WHY YOU WANT THIS
A unique album in some respects, its hard to put Spirit Of The Sun in your typical one-note genre box. From my perspective, the record is very much like a Deep House take on Return To Forever's early 70's output, but there's a lot of contemporary jazz elements at play too, especially the emphasis on soft beats and early morning sax that rises out of the mix like some kind of mist. Very complementary to the whole morning sunrise imagery on the cover. Sonically, the vocal cuts are particularly impressive (English Nu-Bossa Nova maestro Victor Davies guests on the electrical, bass heavy 'Deep In Your Mind') and the instrumental numbers balance the electronic and jazz elements in a variety of ways, with the former occasionally being emphasized over the other and vice versa ('Stargazer' has classic 90's Ethno-Trance written all over it, whilst songs like 'Eclipse' and 'Between The Lights' emphasize more organic jazz instrumentation with a smooth Fusion bent).

CLOSING REMARKS
This is a fantastically laidback contemporary jazz record with a strong Acid Jazz/Nu-Jazz bent. It's one of those superlative gems in its particular niche, an end all-to-end all record where every good idea in post-90's Japanese jazz and electronic music has come together in synthesized, ear-tingling harmonium. Very lush, but not cheesy at all: like Amon Tobin or St-Germain taking an island vacation perhaps! Contemporary in all the best ways, these guys go down real smooth-like with some fresh java and a hot shower.

FINAL GRADE