I’m going to make the assumption that Japanese Jazz Fusion is not a music genre on most people’s radars. That being said, bear with me because it is a personal mission of mine to share jizue’s music with the world.
The group jizue (yes, that’s a lowercase j) was formed in 2006 in Kyoto, Japan and initially consisted of guitarist Norimasa Inoue, bassist Tsuyoshi “Gou” Yamada, and drummer Shin Kogawa. The trio grew up playing soccer and music together and got the name for their band from french soccer star Zinedine Zidane’s nickname, “Zizou.” In 2007, pianist Kataki “Kie” Nozomiyo joined and became a central part of the band’s sound with her dynamic and invigorating piano playing. As they put it on their biography page, “[The band’s] sound is a perfectly balanced composition of a soul-shaking power influenced by rock and hardcore music, a sense of swing inherited from Jazz, and sweet lyrical melodies.”
These elements are on full display in their latest album, “seeds,” released on Sept. 2. Ten songs make up forty minutes of the variety of stylings that the band has developed over the years, with some contemporary pop-sounding tracks rounding it out. While it does not necessarily break any revolutionary ground, jizue creates engaging, colorful songs out of what’s been done before. Their tendency to use terse, often single word titles helps frame the idea of each song.
In the album’s opening track, “because,” Nozomiyo’s piano is front and center and persists throughout the rest of the song, driving it forward. In addition, ethereal, indistinct vocals quickly make an entrance and help provide it with an exotic sound. These elements and the jam break in the middle do a good job encapsulating the band’s overall sound. Following this track is “marten,” a song with the same vigorous jamming that is typical of jizue but with a different effect entirely. A marten is a type of weasel, so the song is understandably much more frantic, invoking elements of cabaret-style music that one might hear in a jazz-club, which the band found their roots in. Continuing the trend of fast-paced jams is “Sabakunotsuki” or desert moon. This piece has a gritty, rough feel to it, which accentuates the sections where Nozomiyo’s beautiful piano melodies shine. Finally, “rush” plays with varied rhythms and a greater focus on the rock elements of Jazz Fusion.
Following these four jam pieces is “Reflection in the mirror,” which is the centerpiece of the pop-sounding part of this album. Nozomiyo’s piano takes a supporting role behind the vocals, and the song has a structure similar to that of a verse-chorus piece. “animal quarrel” returns to the realm of fast-paced, blistering instrumentals. The next two tracks, “meteor shower” and “grandfather” both do a fantastic job at showcasing jizue’s ability to create a small world with their songs. The former paints a pleasant scene, a summer night, stargazing, when a meteor streaks by, and one is filled with a sense of wonder and comfort. The latter, has a deeply warm and nostalgic sound to it, fitting for the idea of a caring grandparent.
Finally, the album finishes with “in one’s sleep,” another pop-sounding piece that has a more relaxed tone than “Reflection in the mirror” and does a good job leading into the final piece, “to be.” This track contains only piano and has a comforting, beautiful sound that provides a welcome contrast to the vigor found throughout the rest of the album.
Overall, “seeds” does not break much new ground, but does do a consistently good job at showcasing the sounds and styles that have made jizue such a unique gem. It delivers a wide enough variety of songs so as to not get stale, and while it does not have an apparent unifying theme or sound, it continues to please throughout.
