橋本信二

On Yuka Ueda’s 2013 release Dois, the Japanese singer assembles thirteen songs from her Brazilian and Latin repertoire that she’s perfected at live spots and events around Japan. The track listing satisfies with many deep gems and a few common Jobim tunes, a boon for jazz listeners who may be weary of the usual bossa novas. Definitely not background music, this album is active with a strong spirit and spicy energy powered by swaying hip rhythms and oscillations tuned to the bones. ...

Agora is the 2011 debut release from vocalist Yuka Ueda who specializes in Brazilian samba and bossa nova music, singing primarily in Portuguese at jazz bars throughout Japan. The striking singer assembles some of her favorite partners for this effort, including guitarist Shinji Hashimoto, pianist Junichiro Ohkuchi, and bassist Daisuke Toi. This jazz family of musicians also joins Yuka Ueda (sometimes written as Yu~ka, Yũka, or Yuuka Ueda) frequently at her beloved neighborhood jazz bar Gate One in Tokyo. ...

Tokyo-based jazz singer Sanae Ishikawa sings from her heart, presenting her full, confident voice on choice jazz standards with her 2007 debut Feel Like Makin’ Love. Her beautiful, crystal-clear delivery resonates with an easy joyfulness and charm, yet can also reflect depths of dramatic emotion to moving effect. Building on the strength of her veteran backup musicians, her innate jazz timing elevates the performance and welcomes the listener straight into the music. ...

Bass on Times is a 2009 album from jazz bassist Satoshi Kosugi, a well-known and active musician in Japan’s jazz scene spanning several decades. For this recording, Kosugi assembles familiar partners and veteran players such as the bluesy Shinji Hashimoto on guitar and Kazuhide Motooka on piano, to deliver hard-swinging standards such as “Monk’s Dream”, “Vierd Blues”, and “The Best Thing For You Would Be Me”. With good arrangements and strong bass, naturally, the well-established musicians deliver quality jazz with a genuine good spirit throughout this satisfying record. One happy highlight even has Kosugi joyfully whistling the melody on “There Goes My Heart” as he doubles with his bass line to open and close the swinging tune. ...