Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on September 2010
Wayne Henderson of Jazz Crusaders. Photo by Cedric Leherle
The addition of veteran Dutch free jazz drummer Han Bennink to the Tokyo Jazz festival’s closing “Jazz Stream: Past to Future” program on September 5 seemed a bit of an afterthought. With a lineup featuring sax player Joshua Redman, guitarist Kazumi Watanabe’s Tochika group and the revered Jazz Crusaders, the bill was otherwise heavily oriented to mainstream jazz and fusion.
But Bennink made the best of his allotted 20 minutes, eliciting roars of laughter for antics that included dumping a garbage bag of drumsticks over his solitary snare drum and playing the floor of the stage itself—at one point lying prone and rolling his feet over his head while continuing to rap out rhythms.
Joshua Redman Trio. Photo by Cedric Leherle
This was followed in marked contrast by the cool, impressionistic post-bop of Joshua Redman. The son of sax legend Dewey Redman, Joshua and his acoustic rhythm section launched in with an almost cubist reworking of the standard “Mack the Knife” before segueing into a number of originals. The younger Redman has carved out a successful career of his own over the past decade, and his subtle and intelligent—if sometimes dispassionate—compositions showed why.
After a brief run to the food and beverage stalls set up in the Forum’s courtyard, next up was Tochika 2010, the revival group led by Japanese jazzman Kazumi Watanabe. The guitarist’s 1980 Tochika album was a landmark in Japanese jazz, putting the country at the forefront of the electrified jazz fusion movement. Joined by original members including Marcus Miller, Watanabe led his band through a set of old staples that were at their best in their moody, meditative moments. At other times the point was lost in a hail of notes, reminding a mostly middle-aged audience of fusion’s propensity for showboating.
The night ended with a performance by the Jazz Crusaders, which pianist Joe Sample helpfully explained was the starting point—way back in 1961—for the better-known, ’70s electric funk-fusion outfit the Crusaders. With saxman Wilton Felder in hospital, the task of motivating the sedate crowd fell to remaining original members Sample and colorful trombonist Wayne Henderson. They delivered, and the group’s spiritual, Southern take on jazz—in particular the Felder number “Way Back Home”—elicited the only standing ovation of the night.
With that, the curtain fell on the ninth Tokyo Jazz, which despite a few empty seats looks firmly ensconced in the glitzy Tokyo International Forum for the immediate future. The addition of a free outdoor stage has given the festival a more freewheeling atmosphere in recent years, and Tokyo Jazz has helped bring a bit of pizzazz to once-staid Marunouchi. Despite the closure of Swing Journal and the general graying of Japanese jazz fans, the country continues to be a home away from home for many of the world’s jazz men and women.
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