Utsumi Eika and Munekiyo Hiroshi & Sui-i-test Sound was formed as an experimental project in Osaka in 2005. The idea, as the album title suggests, was to mix jazz with ohayashi (musical accompaniment for traditional performing arts such as noh). Four musicians from the ohayashi side led by Utsumi (shamisen, taiko, fue (flute), vocals) and four from the jazz side under Munekiyo (trombone, bass, piano, drums) have recorded their first album after ten years of playing together. Trombone plays Japanese traditional tunes and shamisen plays George Gershwin. It's quite a mix; interesting, entertaining, suprising, invigorating. Take a look at the album sampler.
Hiroshi Munekiyo- trombone, Eika Utsumi - shamisen, vocal, trombone, Masakazu Sawa- durms, Shimeta Katsura - taiko, Toshiya Kasamatsu - bass, Kyojyaku Syofukutei- fue, Hiroko Ishida - piano, Akashi Katsura- natimono.
1. 12th Street Rag 2. Tea For Two 3. Don-Don-Bushi 4. In The Mood 5. 'S Wonderful 6. Diamond Head 7. The Tennessee Waltz 8. Fukagawa 9. In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree 10. Brazil 11. Kawata Bushi for Eika- Medley- Chikyuno Ueni Asaga Kuru, Get Out and Get Under the Moon, Dinah, My Blue Heaven 12. Otemoyan
