Jabuticaba: Jabuticaba

Mar 08, 2024

Jabuticaba is the self-titled debut record from pianist Mikiko Nagatake and saxophonist Nami Kano, two players active in the modern-day Japanese jazz scene as leaders of their own groups and members of other projects. Here on this 2021 release, these kindred spirits play eight songs, four originals and four reinterpreted cover songs from legends Carla Bley, Lee Konitz, and others.

Based in jazz but extending beyond the genre, the music contains a great mix of moods: creatively jaunty, dark and brooding, fanciful, quirky, gentle and sensitive. The personality of the duo surfaces in fun and sensitive ways as the duo moves intuitively through shades of color, mood, and style.

A first-time listener’s ears will no doubt perk up on tracks #1, #3, #5, and #8, songs that are filled with moments of bright energy, whimsy, speedy cool jazz, and funky soul. Yet the music is heightened by the balance offered by the other tracks through slowly captivating ballads, fantastical edifices, and intimately beautiful playing from the two musicians which blooms with repeated and attentive listening.

Of pianist Nagatake’s two evocative and memorable contributions, #2 “Sakuragochi” recalls her duo album with Tetsuji Yoshida with its poignant moods and heavy riffs, while her #8 “Along With You, Sunnyman” skillfully lays out the good-feeling catchy hooks and grooves based on the pianist’s appreciation for Stevie Wonder-like positivity.

Nagatake and Kano’s playing on the saxophonist’s compositions #6 “Foggy Mind” and #7 “Mysterious Dress” feature some of the most exquisitely performed music on the record. These two songs are played consecutively, continuously linked through Nagatake’s piano which infuses the music with wisps of Debussy and Duke Ellington while Kano’s emotionally intense melodies arise bravely and flow gracefully.

Liner Notes

(Transcribed from Nami Kano’s and Mikiko Nagatake’s original Japanese liner notes.)

Jabuticaba (ジャボチカバ) is a tree native to South America whose fruit grows directly on the trunk.

During our second tour, we were discussing what we wanted to call our unit, and at first, we were looking for something cool, maybe something in Italian or French.

One late night, I received images from Mikiko of a jabuticaba tree with lots of fruit on it. I remember clearly how I lost sleep after seeing the astonishing images.

“The character 幹 (tree trunk) from Mikiko (幹子), and the character 実 (fruit) from Nami (奈実)... what do you think about this? Also, it’s a great word, isn’t it?” Coming up with clever ideas is part of Mikiko’s charm, as seen in her performances as well.

That was how Jabuticaba started. Synchronization born from sharing many stages together. And scenery that can only be drawn by these two people with similar sensibilities.

This is an album filled with that which makes us us. I hope you enjoy it.

Nami Kano

Samambaia

When I moved to Tokyo from Nagoya, I was sorting through a lot of music scores when among them I found the music for “Samambaia”, which I had never played before.

I felt like I definitely wanted to try it with this duo, and it fit us great.

As I kept playing this with Mikiko, I began to realize the song’s richness of expression, and it became one of my favorites.

(Kano)

Sakuragochi (桜東風, Sakura East Wind)

In the spring of 2020, all of my performance work was canceled due to the influence of the coronavirus, and the amount of time I spent at home drastically increased. I was so disappointed by losing the opportunity to perform, but conversely, I realized this was my chance to compose songs slowly! I created a melody based on the rhythm of India’s unique tabla drums, and this song was born.

I was hoping that in the spring of the next one or two years, together with my friends, family, and partners, I could remember the gentle feeling of the cherry blossoms of 2020. From this idea, I added the keyword “Sakura” to the title.

(Nagatake)

Wrong Key Donkey

There’s a jazz cafe in Waseda that I really love, and I often went there after classes when I was in college. When I went there, the owner would play albums that I loved like Jackie Byard, Lee Konitz, and Masahiko Togashi. It was there one day that I heard Carla Bley’s album Songs With Legs. I thought it sounded like such a great album that I had to immediately place an overseas order online. This “Wrong Key Donkey” is one of the songs on that album.

Both Nami and I love Carla Bley, and we often play her songs at Jabuticaba performances.

(Nagatake)

What Kind of Fool Am I?

When I was in the sixth grade of elementary school, it was my first time performing in a big band and I got to play on this song as a soloist.

It was the first time in my life that I played on a ballad, and for me at the time it was so difficult, but it’s full of so many memories that it’s still a favorite song of mine. For this recording, Mikiko has added a wonderful arrangement.

(Kano)

Play Fiddle Play ~ Kary’s Trance

One time, we were playing Lee Konitz’s “Kary’s Trance” and Nami said, “It would be interesting to arrange this in a trance-like state”. With that in mind, I took up this arrangement.

“Kary’s Trance” was based on a preexisting song called “Play Fiddle Play”, where Lee Konitz took the chord progression and added a new melody line. When I listened to “Play Fiddle Play” again, I thought it had a really nice melody. I wanted Nami to play both melodies, so that became part of this arrangement. The last part of Nami’s solo is amazing!

(Nagatake)

Foggy Mind

An easy feeling of being in an unfamiliar Tokyo, but with an ambitious feeling of not wanting to give up, and filled with hopes for the future of music that is not yet visible... this is a song which expresses my spirit after just having moved to Tokyo.

(Kano)

Mysterious Dress

When I finished this song, I asked my mother to listen as I played it with my clumsy piano skills. She said it reminded her of a girl wearing a pleated skirt. I had an image of being in a strange forest, so I combined this with my mother’s image and this title easily came to mind.

Continuing from “Foggy Mind”, I think this song expresses the feeling of entering a forest together with Mikiko’s beautiful piano.

(Kano)

Along With You, Sunnyman

I usually have a tendency to write songs that are a little difficult. One day I was listening to Stevie Wonder’s songs on iTunes, and I thought “This person’s songs can make anyone feel good no matter where or when” (it’s a subjective opinion [laughs]). This song was motivated by wanting to write a song like that. As I was thinking this, there was a Jabuticaba performance in three days and I wanted to play it there, so wrote it up with Nami’s sound in mind. Sunnyman is a coined word for the thought I had that sometimes there are people just like the sun. Like Anpanman.

This song is a collaboration between Jabuticaba and the Mikiko Nagatake Trio! Since we’re on the same label and can be released together, I was so happy to be able to blend my two favorite sounds!

(Nagatake)

Lastly…

There’s an expression “It’s easier to do something than to worry about it,” but when it comes to CD production it’s certainly not the case! We have nothing but admiration for musicians who overcame so many hurdles to release a CD. Looking back now, it seems so reckless trying to release independently without the know-how.

Jabuticaba was formed at the end of 2017 and our first live tour was in the spring of 2019. When we finished our second tour we talked about wanting to record just like that. Around the time we were setting up our third tour, we were thinking about which songs to include and which arrangements, and the ideas for a recording continued to grow steadily.

Having decided to self-produce and looking for a recording studio, we considered a studio in Eifukucho equipped with a Yamaha piano. Around that same period, it had been decided that Mikiko Nagatake’s trio recording would take place at the same studio and on the same label, so we consulted with Owl Wing Record’s managing director Yuichiro Aratake. He suggested, “Why don’t you release this on my label?” It was a dream-like idea.

So, after our autumn tour finished, we spent two days recording at Eifukucho Power House Studio. Right then, we really learned how hard it was to release a CD, and keenly felt gratitude to everyone at Team Owl Wing Records.

The fact that Jabuticaba is entering our fourth year and was able to release our first album is entirely due to our great fans, the live house barmasters, mamas, and staff, and everyone who has been supporting us. Thank you so much.

The fact that we were able to record in the turbulent year 2020 is also largely significant, we believe. We hope that this CD reaches many homes and that the sound deeply touches many people.

Jabuticaba Mikiko Nagatake Nami Kano