Hello All,
It’s been a while! It is almost for the last minutes post of the year 2023. hehe
I would like you to listen to this great work song, “Kaigara Bushi”, the folklore of Tottori.
It was very fun for me to arrange this to GuaGuanco style. Mr.Nakahara, who plays congas and vocal, does an excellent job as well. Let me know any comments! Enjoy it!
Hello All,
It has been a long time! Hope everyone spent a good time with your loved ones during the new year holidays.
Happy to inform that we posted an unique and fun video at the end of last year. Please check it out.
About a year ago, I was offered to arrange a forgotten old folk song called “Kurayoshi Kouta” composed in 1942. It was a nice song but I thought maybe it would be impossible to do.
Then I realized that the Salsa band “Estrellas” which was formed by local musicians here in Tottori would be able to play it!
Just after a year, this is the fruits of our efforts and action. You might be interested in comparing with the both versions: the original one and the salsa arrangement.
Enjoy listening to the both!
On December 8, the concert with Kurayoshi Agricultural High School Taiko Club was held at Yonago Convention Center in Tottori, Japan. This project had been preparing for almost a year offered by Tottori Prefectural Office. I asked a young Latin pianist SiNGO who is a pioneer of Cuban music in Japan to collaborate with me in this project. His knowledge about Cuban traditional rhythms is distinguished.
After the summer, we created two songs and started to practice with the students. The songs were actually the ones like no high school students in Japan had never challenged before. Yeah, very tough!
First, SiNGO’s song was based on one of the Cuban Rhythms called “Rumbanche”. The beginning, the students had a hard time to play the upbeats instead of downbeats. You know, the traditional Japanese Taiko songs are almost based on downbeats. But as the rehearsals went by, they were getting used to play the upbeats easily.
About my song, I decided to use “Blues Code” and make a kind of “Work song”. Why I wanted to use it? The long story make short, I feel like to show my respect to my parents, family and ancients in here Kurayoshi who had inherited for the lands as farmers family. I was born here and came back here again after my long life journey in NY. Though I used to dislike to live in this rural area, now I became to appreciate that I could live in the house that they left for me and my brothers . And also I feel like the deep connection with Taiko club in Kurayoshi Agricultural High School because my father and uncles graduated from this high school. Oh yes, they were also farmers.
Anyway, the concert was very successful. It was the best performance I’ve ever heard. I was so proud of themselves that must be the great memories for their high school life in the future.
SiNGO, Thank you for your cooperation and great talent. Ms.Hotta, who offered me the project, I appreciate that you gave me the great chance.
We had a great time to play with special guest Mamiko Taira(vo).
Chiemi Nakai(p) , Ben Willis(b), Juan Felipe Mayorga(ds)
Enjoy the video!
I am happy to inform you that CD "Ascendant" Distribution starts in Japan on September 22.
Check out them!
エル・アルージョ（アオラ・コーポレーションのウェブ・ショップ）Ahora Corporation Web shop
http://www.ahora-tyo.com/detail/item.php?iid=18302
AMAZON JAPAN
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07XH7MQZC/
タワー・レコード (Tower Record)
https://tower.jp/item/4959854
HMV
https://tower.jp/item/4959854/
ディスク・ユニオン (Disc Union)
https://diskunion.net/portal/ct/detail/1007987671
Finally I completed the video playing at Birdland on August 8, 2019 ! Enjoy!
I was honored to play with Andrea Brachfeld & Latin Jazz Quintet Phoenix Rising Women at Coltrane Day in Huntington Park, Long Island, NY.
Thank you so very much for coming at my CD release Party on June 5! It was full house and our band played fabulously ! Just received the digest video edited by Svetlana Jovanovic. Enjoy!
CD "Ascendant" Video Clip 2019 has come! The videographer is Svetlana Jovanovic from Czechoslovakia who is very talented artist. www.svetlanajovanovic.com Enjoy watching it!
Chiemi Nakai (p)
Alejandro Aviles (as, f l)
Carlo De Rosa (b)
Juan Felipe Mayorga (ds)
Mari Koga (Guest Vocal for “Volver”)
The 3 cabaret shows with Toshi Cappuccino(vo) on March 4, 9 and 13 were all successful and full house! It’s amazing! We’ve prepared to rehearse this project “1980’s Japanese Pop Music Show” for almost 2 months.
Thanks for coming !!
The event of Latin Jazz Connection on January 27, 2019 at Ahavas Sholom in Newark NJ was sponsored by NJPAC.
We had a very good time!
Jeff Gray (fl) Latin Jazz Quintet ; Chiemi Nakai(p), Bill Willis(b), Diego Lopez(ds), Raphael Cruz(perc.)
Super fun gig tonight! We captivated the audience !
Music connection ; Rafael Monteagudo(ds), Chiemi Nakai(p), Ben Willis(b), Onel Mulet(ts)
Today’s gig is at El Museo Del Barrio!
We are going to play soon!
With Karen Joseph(fl) !
It was a wonderful night to play with Phil Maturano(ds) and Jennifer Vincent(b) at Hillstones in midtown NY. It is really upscale & sophisticated restaurant and bar with nice Steinway grand piano! Fun to play some Jazz standards that I haven't played for long time like; Stella By Starlight, Foot Prints, Cute(!), Nica's Dream, No More Blues, Darn That Dream, All Blues, Someday My Prince Will Come, etc....
Emmanuel Presbyterian Church presented Mother's Day Latin Jazz Concert on May 12, 2018. It was successful ! Elder Cummings would like us to play sometime in a few months later for an another event to activate the neighborhood in lower Eastside of Manhattan. I am happy to play for our community people. See you next time!
Chiemi Nakai(p) Latin Jazz Trio with Rafael Monteagudo(ds) & Jennifer Vincent(b)
Thank you so much for your joining us to sing songs; Yuka Mito, Rina Komai, Aya Morita!
We had such a wonderful, professional recording session on April 30th at Soundworks Recordings. Carlo De Rosa(b), Juan Felipe Mayorga(ds), Alejandro Aviles(as) and Mari Koga(vo). The recording engineer is Kamilo Kratc and did a magical job as usual. Thank you Mi Gente!
I came along a long way since I released the second CD "Transformation"(not officially released yet) in 2013. The new album will be my 3rd recordings but technically be the 2nd CD in the market since 2008!
It was a super fun recording session with these great musicians; Wilson Chembo Corniel(congas), Ruben Rodriguez(b), Alejandro Aviles(fl), and Joel Mateo(ds). Today we made 2 songs. Looking forward to the next one! Keep on going! 3/12/2018 in Soundworks Studio in Astoria with engineer Kamilo Kratc. Thank you for your great job always.
November 12 at Keystone Club Tokyo !! Thank all of you for coming !!! Rie san was great as usual, the band was so tight and sounded fabulous. I want to come back for next year! I love Tokyo.
