石川智

Nobie is a multi-talented artist whose musical and professional paths started at a young age. These included learning the violin and piano which led to voice, percussion, and pharmacy studies, and through many genres like jazz, soul, pop, and Brazilian music. Her storied journey includes forays in the bands of renowned Brazilian bass player Luizão Maia (partnered with Jobim, Milton Nascimento, Elis Regina, and others—coincidentally, Nobie’s even been described as “the Japanese Elis Regina”), Soil & Pimp Sessions pianist Josei’s Alma+ band, famous Brazilian guitarist Toninho Horta, influential Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke, and the popular Japanese jazz/samba/fusion of Shinichi Kato’s B-Hot Creations. ...

Banda Feliz is a group of Tokyo musicians playing festive Brazilian music, originals and covers, centered around Makiyo Sakai’s robust and jazzy flute playing. Her lighter-than-air flute sound is buoyed by her full six-piece palette with trombone, guitar, piano, bass, and drums, and the group’s voices happily join the melodies at times for extra oomph. Happiness is integral to the band’s sound, even evident in the artist name and album title, roughly translated as cheerful, joyful, happy band and bon voyage. ...

Easy and breezy, as if dozing in a hammock between palm trees, Layla Tomomi Sakai’s The Island stirs up visions of vacationing and relaxing in sultry lands as music floats softly by. Sakai’s deep voice embraces the listener, dancing lightly through bossa novas and Latin-tinged music. The music is comforting, the musicians performing pieces that come and go in an uncomplicated manner, lulling the listener into a state of reassuring comfort. Sakai uses her voice gently yet confidently, producing an effect of sweet directness with an affectionate touch. ...