SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS
 

Whooho, everybody who liked Karisome Otome Death Jazz ver. would like them I guess.

Soil & "PIMP" Sessions - Summer Goddess

I love 'em. Who else does?

Me! Introduced to them by SR herself, then went to youtube to search for their videos, then found suffocation and avalanche. I was so blown away by their music I couldn't sleep for the whole night!

By the way, does the "agitator" guy do anything else other than scream "CRUSH!" or "SUMMER GODDESS!"? He amuses me.

He wears funny hats. And He's called "The President"
That's about it. Dunno what he does.

Nice. Thanks for sharing :)

I like them too, thanks to Radioanthem!! :D I haven't memorized their song names, but I really like their sound and style more than PE'Z. (But I've also listened to more of their songs than PE'Z's.)

He also dances, and sometimes it looks like he conducts them. I dunno, maybe he writes and arranges the songs? :huh:

(I think he's the "PIMP." :lol:)

I have their first album and is really great. They remind me also of PE'Z, but a little more complex. Well, they are really great.
That "agitator" also amuses me, I don't understand why he is in the band...I would only understand if someone can confirm he writes some of the songs.

Here is Soil & "PIMP" Sessions' live in korea held on 8th July 2004 at EBS-Space Gonggam.
I didn't know that they performed in korea and recently found it.

Streaming Video
Download

Track List
1.Wivers and Lovers
2.Suffocation
3.Waltz for Goddess
4.Theme of Soil & Pimp Sessions
5.Mature

from ebs-space.co.kr

It also contains another band's live so skip it to about 26m17s.
( I couldn't divide it because it's ASF type file. I don't have a program to divide ASF type into.)
And it has some lagging when processing fast-moving frames. I don't know whether it only happens in my computer.

Our dearest SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS are featured in this week's Gilles Peterson Worldwide show as part of his JapJazz mix. He played "A.I.E" from their newest album Pimpoint.

If you like S&P and wanna know more about the Japanese jazz scene, I highly recommend you to go take a listen. It's got about one hour of solid jazz music, and GP always chooses amazing stuff. Unfortunately, the JapJazz mix is in the 2nd half of his show. So you got to sit out his first hour, which shouldn't be too hard if you like electronic/club/brazilian music. But for the JapJazz mix, I'd say it's worth it.

Here's the tracklisting:
GP’s JapJazz Mix
Isao Suzuki – ‘Goodbye Pork Pie Hat’ (UFO Remix) (CS)
Ngoma – ‘Heretical Flower (Sonimage Lab)
Indigo Jam Unit – ‘Gekko’ (Basis)
Soil and Pimp Sessions – ‘A.I.E’ (Victor)
Sleepwalker Ft. Yukimi Nagano – ‘Wind’ (Village Again)
Jabberloop – ‘6th Continent’ (Makatsku)
Sunaga t Experience – ‘Metropoli’ (Flower)
Bobby Hutcherson – ‘NTU’ (Blue Note) (imo, best track in the whole mix, even though it doesn't seem to be Japanese...hm.)
Robert Glasper – ‘Maiden Voyage / Everything In It’s Right Place’ (Blue Note)
Tawaih – ‘Watch Out’ (White) Mark Ronson - 'God Put UponYour Face' (Sony/bmg)

Try it out. :)

Oh btw, this will only be up until next Thursday GMT 2am (that's when his new show starts), so don't take your time. :)

The dude that doesn't play an instrument has the biggest paycheck.

Because he's the pimp.

Damn, the soils come to germany. Too bad that it's in Berlin, which is on the opposite end of Germany for me :(

Amsterdam would actually be nearer than Berlin^^

Ahh, that really sucks. T_T I bet their lives are a lot of fun to attend...

I wonder how they get to tour internationally so much since they're not that popular. o_o

i love these guys...thank you shena ringo
i bought their album and it's very uplifting and good for when you're running late and going really fast on your car...or for me, you have to hurry up so you can jump on the ambulance.

Actually I think SAPS are pretty well known in the jazz scene, thanks to Gilles Peterson. They've performed at a few international jazz festivals...

I already knew them way before the SR connection, because they often appear in specialised magazines like Straight No Chaser and the like. I really like their music, especially Waltz For Goddess.

So, I found out that SAPS were at The Electric Proms 07 with Jamie Cullum.

Whisper! You didn't know about this? You could have caught them live!

edit:
SAPS's performance is featured on GP's Radio1 show. It's in the 2nd hour though. But don't worry, the first hour is full of amaaaazing music.

JUST TO LET YOU, especially those in SINGAPORE, know that Soil and Pimp Session will be around in this tiny island during MOSAIC festival in March...

Ticket price is reasonable...twice as cheap as TSPO one. I wonder why.

I'll definitely be there. :D

Ooh, Jamie Cullum. I saw him over the summer at the Hollywood Bowl, he was really good, very jazzy. That's so cool that he performed with SAPS!

SAPS in SG

I wonder why the live is 18+...
I guess they're afraid of adults bringing babies in and risk permanent ear damage from the loud death jazz.

But damn it. Everything exciting happens in SG when I'm not living there anymore.

So you move to another little red dot?

I think because the offer alcohol during the show....@_@. I wanna go but the problem is my music-mate does not stay in Singapore anymore, so either I'd have to go alone, or find a new music-mate, those I can go to concert with, without being shy about my head-banging

Trust me to only start getting into them now. Still, I couldn't have got down to see them anyway. I did catch them on TV on a really big UK show called 'Later With Jools Holland' a few months back, which surprised and pleased me. The show has introduced me to a lot of good talent. It's the only show in the UK that will even give world music a chance.

Soil & "Pimp" Sessions - A.I.E Live on Later With Jools Holland

If you're still interested...

Gilles Peterson Worldwide 01-11-2007
SAPS & Jamie Cullum at BBC Electric Proms
Listen here

So Whisper, what world music gems have you discovered from that "Later" show?

Oh gosh, too many too name. I've been watching the show for years (It's been going since the 80's, I believe) but only in the last year or two have I had the ability to immediately check out the artists I've enjoyed on the internet.

It's not just world artists, even smaller unknown western artists that would never usually be given the time of day on British TV. The likes of Nellie McKay, Tinariwen, Richard Bona, Duffy, Soil & "PIMP" (Of course I was aware of them prior due to their involvement with Shiina, but it was their performance on this show which made me sit up and pay attention), Cat Power, Seasick Steve... quite a few more! Even if I don't check an artist out, it's still great to watch them perform and I love Jools' appreciation for ALL music and the fact that all of the artists on the show must stay on their stage throughout the show and watch the other musicians. It's fun to see people like Thom Yorke nodding his head and smiling while listening to someone like Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Even artists I love now I've watched previously on the show without looking into them, such as Sigur Ros.

You should, if possible, definitely check the show out. It's by far the best music show I've ever seen.

Seems like the PIMPS are going to have a little Europe tour in the summer.

UK, Austria, Amsterdam, Spain and Belgium.
If you happen to be in the area be sure to catch them!

Holding 'A' totally helps!

"SAPS & Jamie Cullum, BBC Electric Proms Rehearsal

"You don't need to know our songs...(points to Shacho) he will agitate you!"

PLANET PIMP by SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS
 

Has anyone listened to the new album yet?

I managed to grab some 192-rips and listened to the whole album last night. It's 14tracks, 1 hour. Pretty long album.

The first few tracks are old school SAPS Death Jazz, as exemplified by their single STORM (youtube link) - it's busy, loud, and explosive.

The rest of the album is actually less busy than what I'm usually used to from SAPS. Some songs sound almost like they came from Sunaga t Experience - it's that loungey. I'd say PLANET PIMP sounds most like their first album PIMPIN', which features a more relaxed, loungey sound than their subsequent albums. Planet Pimp also has some afro-cuban jazz sounds, especially in the track Sea of Tranquility.

I think the album gets progressively better after every song, but a few tracks standout:
STORM, this one has the unmistakable SAPS sound.
Khamasin, I like this because the first half of the song is surprisingly minimalist for SAPS

This album actually ends with a ballad. I would never have imagined them writing a ballad. While not my favourite song on the whole album, it does tie everything in a neat little bow.

I'm gonna have to buy this CD.

They're going to be at Fuji Rock Festival this year (wasn't it obvious~). Kenichi Asai will be there too. How cool would it be to have Ringo guest star in both of the shows, or perhaps a solo show! She's gonna have to promote the new album somehow...

Ua:wub:

So finally the post about the greatest PIMP gig of all times (:))

On Friday justriiingo and me went to their gig in Düsseldorf and we were already excited.
Then we went into the hall and were really surprised when we looked at our randomly given seatnumbers.
We got first row exact middle seats. Now in that place "first row" ment basically, that the stage was like 1 m away from our seats.
Of course their sound is nothing to listen to sitting, so after 2 songs Shacho made (almost) everyone stand up and dance, so then we were like half a meter away from the stage, and the pimps went to the front as well, so Moto was basically playing the sax in front of my face from time to time, so that I even had to take a step backwards because I didn't want my nose to be hit.
Justriiingo was like half a meter away from Shacho, I don't think it was any different to just standing inbetween the band, we didn't even need any speakers.

Some of their live versions require the audience to sing along, not just with the pimps, but for the pimps, so that they have another melody line in the song they don't have to play.
(One example can be seen here:) @ 02:20)

The Pimps @ North Sea Jazz Festival (Rotterdam)

All live version included long and awesome solos, wild agitating by Shacho and an unbelievable amount of sweat by Moto.
In the middle they even let the "J.A.M." part of Soil & "PIMP" Sessions even perform one of their songs, which was quite unexpected and simple awesome.
After their "last tune" the crowd kept singing the melody line of one of the previously played songs, clapping the rythm until they came back for encore.
At the end, the awesomeness was topped with a nice icing, when Moto handed me his onstage oxygentank, so now I even have a souvenire.

Just one handshake away from the PIMPS. simply amazing. I guess I'll go whenever I can reach them from now on :)

:o

That sounds unbelievable Golem (and justriingo!) I'd love to see them live as close as you two did, I'm waaaay jealous! :P

Since SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS keep revisiting Europe so much that they probably have vacation homes there by now, I don't think I'll ever get the chance to see them in-person while I'm stuck in the states.

I am however, probably the only member of this community who bought and watched their first (and so far their only) real concert DVD. I have the now-sold-out limited version, but honestly I don't know what the benefit over unlimited is supposed to be. Anyway, it's one of the better concert DVDs I own. I'd rank it alongside Dynamite Out and Johnny Heaven. None of these concerts have the best setlists, but they have the best performances.

It's just as well that I was not in the front row with the saxophone in my face. As someone who at least has an alto saxophone somewhere in their closet, sometimes I want to choke the guy for sweating up a storm and nearly running out of breath in his futile quest to make an alto saxophone sound more sassy like a tenor. Just get a damn tenor saxophone and save yourself the stamina from trying to artificially achieve that kind of sound.

I would like to see a concert with some Planet Pimp songs included, which I'm sure is what you saw, golem. Any chance you could wing up a setlist of what they played?

By the way, did they ever use a keytar? That's something you never see/hear with J.A.M. or a collaboration.

I think justriiingo wanted to post the setlist.

And Moto had I think two different saxophones on stage, no clue which was which

I keep missing these dudes when they come to London! They were here a few weeks ago :(

You can most easily distinguish between alto and tenor saxophones, by looking at the neck.

Alto:


Tenor:


I didn't know anything about the differences between the subtypes of saxophone, until after I went through band class. Half the class wanted to play saxophone before they knew anything about it, so what the band teacher did was required aspiring saxophone players to start off with clarinets, then the best clarinet players could qualify for playing saxophone in the class. I was always the second best at whichever instrument I played, and I never practiced - while the first and third best people practiced their asses off.

After I qualified, I chose the alto sax, and I regret it. Alto saxophone is not by any means the most hardcore or expressive jazz horn you can get your hands on. Tenor saxophone is so much sassier and more textured, and it can hit slightly lower notes at the cost of not being able to go quite as high as the alto, but in jazz you rarely or never want to go as high as the alto can go (unless you're Moto), and especially not with the natural smoothness of the alto when you are pushing a normal amount of air into it. The alto saxophone is more like a soprano sax than a tenor, and it's all because of the attitude. The soprano sax is best left to new age music like Kenny G, because as far as I'm concerned the soprano has no suitable role anywhere else, and the alto is almost as bad.

Moto must have had a real tenor saxophone for when he didn't have anymore stamina to continue pretending that his alto saxophone was a tenor. You don't have to breath so hard into a tenor or squeeze your lips so tightly on the mouthpiece, to get the kind of sound that Moto wants out of an alto saxophone. I think what he wants is to go higher than a tenor can go, but you can't fake any higher notes on that, so he fakes the texture of a tenor on his alto and tries to get the best of both worlds (if he rarely/never wants to go as low as a tenor can) while he wears himself out.

There's nothing wrong with including an alto saxophone in big band jazz among other saxophones, but when it's the only saxophone a smaller band has, something is very wrong. It parallels with having a back-up style guitarist such as Ukigumo, as your only guitarist. Some people think it's all cool and unique, but I think it's futile. At least Moto has stage presence though.

And the music sound awesome, so I don't care what or how he does it :)

Setlist in Dusseldorf had some slow songs in it... like Waltz for Goddess and Wheel Within a Wheel. They also played AIE, Summer Goddess, Fantastic Planet, Quiet Fire (J.A.M), JDF *i think*, Suffocation *YESSSSS!* I remember reading the set list printed out and stuck to the stage floor (yes we were that close) and thinking, wow this set list sure is short; h/w, they did a whole bunch of improvisation in there so every 3 minute song basically became 6-8 minutes in the live. Moto was really giving it his all with the solos, he played most of them and for maybe 2-3 minutes everytime until he got super sweaty and out of breath that he can to take some oxygen. Tabu Zombie seemed a little more distant in the Dusseldorf gig he kept standing at the back of the stage and not really doing anything at all. Must have been bored or something.

At the jazz festival in Rotterdam they played ALL their high energy fast songs, no slow stuff at all, which is why I am glad I went to their Dusseldorf gig as well so I could really hear them play some delicate music. Plus we were soooooo close to the performers I could actually see Moto's underwear.

The crowd in Rotterdam was quite different from that in Dusseldorf of course. At Rotterdam it was a jazz festival and from talking to one of the locals I heard that the Japanese jazz bands (Quasimode, Kyoto Jazz Massive, SAPS) had pretty good publicity so many people were excited to see what they had to offer. The stage was also really cool, medium sized and all standing room, and by the middle of the concert most people at the front half of the hall were realllly into the music. The standing room was good cuz it made the crowd more fluid; some people didn't like the music and left after 2 songs, which just made it all the better for me to ninja my way to the front. But most of the people in Rotterdam seemed to know what they were getting into.

Quite a different story in Dusseldorf though. golem09 tells me that Dusseldorf has the biggest Japanese population in Germany, and for sure a lot of Japanese people showed up, obviously knowing what to expect. However, a bunch of older people showed up as well and they looked like they had completely no idea of what they were going to see in the next 2 hours. The worst thing was that, they were sitting next to golem09 and I in the front row, and obviously they weren't willing to give up the awesomemest seats in the house, so I think that kindaaa killed the energy a little. BUT, there was this guy who seemed to be on *something*, cuz he was doing rave dance moves to SAPS songs.

It was a brilliant performance really. It suddenly makes you think why the PIMP is even there in the first place. On recordings in MVs he doesn't really seem to do anything, but in live performances, he is DA MAN. He basically plays the audience, gets them excited, makes them anticipate stuff, make them sing stuff... he's like the spiritual leader of the band. Quite amazing really. I would really LOOOOVE to see them again!!

Yes... If anyone else gets a chance to see them live, you actually wish that saxophone and trumpet to sound as raw and as nasty as possible!

It's cool that you two got so close to the band in Dusseldorf *envious* and remembered the musical details. I just remember one hell of a musical high and jumping up and down going Music! Has! No! Borders! just as in the clip! My friend who accompanied me to the London gig (at Koko, a couple of weeks ago) came along without knowing who they were but within seconds of the first song starting turned to me and said, this is fantastic...! :)

:(

They'll be back! ;) We're lucky to live in London. I've signed up to the Brownswood mailing list, Gilles Peterson's / SAPS label in the UK (I like Gilles' music in general, especially José James) ... That looks the best way of being informed of next time they're over. Hopefully we'll all post tour dates here and SAPS will travel more widely.

Thanks, so cold. I just signed up, too. They sound exciting live from the above impressions.

If he has to tire himself out to get a sound that's not natural for the instrument he is playing, he should be playing an instrument that naturally sounds more like what he has been unnaturally trying to achieve.

If tenor saxophone doesn't have the range+texture that Moto wants, then he needs a custom or non-standard saxophone. That would be cooler than what he's been doing, because then he wouldn't have to retire so quickly when he starts to get old.

In some of the performances I've seen, the pimp sometimes contributes toward the actual melody rather than crowd control. If the main keyboardist picks up a keytar, the pimp is on backup keyboard. Sometimes the pimp generates electronic melody from a touchpad, too. I dunno if he has done any of that in Europe, or if it's Japan only.

That's what baritone saxophones are for. I love their crunchy sound. Baritone saxophones have noticeably more RAWR factor than any of the particular horns in SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS are capable of from any amount of performer exhaustion.

Whenever you watch the Simpsons, you ever notice Lisa Simpson's awesome saxophone solos in the intro? That's totally a baritone sax in most of the Simpson intros - if not all of them. I have suspicions that occasionally they switch it up with a tenor (not every Simpsons intro has the same solo), but never ever has Lisa Simpson played an alto sax. I haven't looked this up anywhere on the web - I'm just saying that based on what my ears are telling me. You listen to some baritone saxophone solos in Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, and you'll say to yourself "Yep, that's definitely the Lisa Simpson saxophone". It's such a badass sound.

I guess he has already spent some time on playing the sax, so he must have SOME reason for why he chooses the instrument he does use.

Maybe he wants to develop the healthiest set of lungs in Japan without having to do any running or swimming.

Maybe :)
Maybe it's easier to play on these with a certain speed/volume while having the sound

True that. In recordings the sax almost sounds painful, it's hard for me to listen to a whole album with the brasses blaring all the time. However, it's quite a different story live! The sax & trumpet are basically like the power guitarists, and you really want them to go mad with the distortion cuz it really does convey a certain energy to the crowd!

Saw some guys filming the crowd, will probably buy their next dvd to see if I can find myself and golem in it. LOL.

There's a new album, and for once it doesn't have PIMP anywhere in the name.
I don't know if it's a real album then, or maybe it's a RealAlbum, like RealProducts from RealNetworks.

Oh, so that was what the camera guy was there for:
A tour diary

http://www.youtube.com/user/soilpimp.../2/XlruzbK0sLg

Damn I didn't get interviewed! :(
Is that a private jet?

Dare I say S&PS kicks PE'Z in the behind live? their music is really visceral and exciting. The bebop soloing makes any particular song sound fresh every show.

i'm envious of you guys who got to really see them live. i have to rely on vids.

oh yeah the PIMPS are fun funky energetic brilliant fantastic. They understand that jazz is not a genre of music, it's an attitude! they understand dance music, and they understand that their fans can still take in all the aural details of their highly textured music in various states of inebriation while pumping their fists in the air. Their music is brilliant already but they really *know* how to work the crowd and put them in the right mood for songs.

It doesn't matter that after 5 albums, their studio sound is still pretty much the same, because they're not a studio band. Their music is supposed to be appreciated live, like a giant party, in a medium-sized venue, but they're almost getting too famous for that.

The best thing about SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS? They're getting younger people into Jazz music. Jazz greats die off eventually, but their ideas live on to be transformed by a newer generation.

Long live SOIL&"PIMPS"! I can't wait for the next time I get to see them live.

They have huge stage presence. And very nice to fan too :D

Just discovered that Shacho has a blog!!

He posted the setlist for North Sea Jazz, if anyone's interested:

There are some beautiful photos from their European tour... I can't read Japanese but it seems like Shacho took them since he's missing from most of the photos.

*post 2222!

Some stuff from Shacho's blog, I would really appreciate a rough translation :)

Yup. Tabu has one too. Just go google and type in Tabu Zombie blog. The staff of the band are also running another blog that could be found in the band's official Japanese webpage.

But Sacho has the coolest one with lots of stupid photo....These guys act so cool onstage but Sacho does provide another side of these funny guys. Especially Tabu :D

[Düsseldorf]
Live at a theater. Of course there were chairs.
But it have nothing to do with.
Peoples were dancing on and on.
Good sound despite little speaker.

---------

It was our 3rd time appearence on NorthSea.
There were fantastic musicans as before.
Our appearance was on YUKON stage.
It was written as not JAP JAZZ NIGHT but JAPAN CLUB JAZZ on timetable.
Apparently due to mistake from a person who told me.
Quasi, KJM, Matsuura-san.
After all, we could relax due to be able to talk with familiar companies.

As I wrote before, audience in NorthSea is really hard.
If someone plays a bit unexciting, they immidiately go out from venue.
Futhermore during the same time with our performance, Duffy played at main stage.
But it was an idle fear. The venue had great feverish excitement.

And that was miracle happend at last phase, we intended Midorin's drum solo to SAHARA.

One of audience began to sing phrase of Fantastic Planet,
and as if infection of virus, that singing voice went to fill venue.
Our seeds in European tour, has certainly produced a result.
To tell the truth, just before the performance,
we took off Fantastic Planet from set list, but as things stand,
there were no reason not to play it.
Needless to say, it was best moment.

Exactly, it was live performance produced with audience.

Thank you.

10/07/09 North Sea Jazz
1. Fuller Love
2. Sabotage
3. Flashing Edge
4. Suffocation
5. Pop Korn
6. Pimpnosis
7. We Want More!!!!!!
8. Pig bag
9. Fantastic Planet
10. Summer Goddess
11. Massacre
encore
12. The Party
13. A hand

The large bus return to hotel from venue, was shared with SOIL, Quasi and KJM.
I had somewhat strong feelings. While we had several interviews,
they always asked like "Recently good bands are born in Japan,
How is Japanese scene ?"
To the extent, Japanese music scene is watched.
I was obediently glad.

Thank you so much for translating!

That's really true. With so many good performances happening at the same time.. especially on the third day, I found myself staying only 20mins before running off to check out other performers. First day was not a problem since I was basically camping in the Yukon tent for Quasimode, Kyoto Jazz Massive and SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS!

Great story about Fantastic Planet, I thought that was the theme song of their European tour! SAPS really gave it their all at North Sea; it was a special special night :wub:

:o :o :o :o

out 9/16/2009

Jamie Cullum & SAPS did something before during the BBC Electric Proms... it was a remake of this Herbie Hancock song and it was quite amazing. I wonder if it'll be just that or something more?

I'm bored of SR. Let's not mention her name in this thread.

Why, let's not mention her name on these forums...

just announced Soil and Pimp will be featured on Monobrights new single, JOYJOY EXPERIENCE, they are borrowing saxophone and trumpet. this should be quite interesting...

SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS - Pop Korn"

New video on their yt channel.

what are the chances of ringo coming out at a soil and pimp show in december. I'm considering going but even second hand tickets at half price are expensive and that could make my decision a little easier.

Shiina Ringo has made guest appearances in the concerts of other artist(s) before, but it's rare. I don't think it's ever been a touring occurrence, but more like a 1-day/1-venue occurrence, per artist. Unless you know that the show you're going to is somehow more special than just being one leg of a tour, I wouldn't get your hopes up about seeing Shiina Ringo there, if I were you.

However, I would still go to the concert anyway, because several EMF members who have witnessed SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS in-person, will tell you that you won't regret it. Now I haven't actually been at any of the concerts, but I do have a DVD of theirs which I would rank among the best of the concert DVDs I own.

can any of those members tell me if they got tickets for less than 80 a piece. I can get them for 40 this time but I'm broke now and even 40 is a bit expensive (I know, its japan...concerts cost organs) but 30 would be fine.

i have no idea if its a tour or not and im at work so i cant go to any website with pictures that stand out and look like im not working from far away

If you have a chance to go to a SAPS gig, just GO. They're worth every cent of your money. Motoharu always gives his 130% and the Pimp is a sight to behold.

Seriously. They're amazing.

Btw both times I saw SAPS were in Europe, so I can't comment on how to get tickets for cheap.

http://www.jvcmusic.co.jp/soilpimp/l...hp?language=ja

Assuming your unit is $, Dec 1 Tokyo ticket price is 4,000/89.68 = 44.6

Only Dec 11 Okinawa is cheaper 3,300/89.68 = 36.8

Another Soil & "Pimp" Sessions tour is coming up very shortly indeed! It's announced on their myspace.

Also 6 is coming out over here on 19 April on CD and digital download.
It of course features the Shiina Ringo collaboration MY FOOLISH HEART ～crazy on earth～ (source)

...

1 Apr 2010 20:00 - Cape Town International Jazz Festival Cape Town

3 Apr 2010 20:00 - Cape Town International Jazz Festival Cape Town

6 Apr 2010 20:00 - The Garage London, London and South East

7 Apr 2010 20:00 - De Kreun Kortrijk

9 Apr 2010 20:00 - Melkweg Amsterdam

10 Apr 2010 20:00 - Motel Mozaique Festival Rotterdam

15 Apr 2010 20:00 - Blue Note Milan

17 Apr 2010 20:00 - Theatre Trieste, Trieste

WHY WHY WHY WHY AM I NOT IN MILAN THIS YEAR WHY WHY WHY.

Oh yes. Just got back from their London show. Simply amazing. One of those concerts that reminds you what music is. Enough said...

...The only annoying thing is that there were a bunch of people in the front row trying too hard to 'interact' with the band, and behaving like they were in a metal concert or summat. Unfortuantely for them, they didn't directly interact with the crowd too much, but Motoharu climbed over a few times (And had to be pulled back by security XD Tabu Zombie too) and rested his midriff on my face -- so my head and face was totally drenched with his sweat. It's all good though, I haven't showered yet so I'm gonna wipe it off into a container and keep it there as a souvenir for such a fantastic show. I'm officially a SOIL&"HO"

Amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing

Okay, J.A.M came out with a new album 3 months ago, and I didn't even notice until now. I must really be slipping.

is Jose James a guest again on this new album? i hope!

He is... a song called L.O.V.E.J.A.M (preview of track and review behind link). It's more mellow than Jazzy Joint though ...

Have you heard Jose James' first two albums? The first is more straight jazzy (supported by a really excellent pianist it needs to be said), and the second is more diverse with more overt hip-hop / electronic elements to it - some productions from DJ Mitsu and Flying Lotus for example. I've seen him live and he is one of the best singers I've heard.

I'm not a shill for these guys' record company I promise.

I love how Jose James just gets the right spot all the time... L.O.V.E.J.A.M (that was difficult to type) is so sublime...

The Pimps released a covers album in Dec 2010 which completely escaped my radar...

Anyone listened to it yet? I'm wondering what their cover of MJ's Beat it and John Lennon's Imagine would sound like....

Notes from the official website:
SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONSプレゼンツのカバー企画盤！
全体をラジオ・ショーに見立て、外国語によるDJナレーション、短いスキット（寸劇）、ジングルを間に挟んで構成。カバーネタは古今東西の有名楽曲から誰もが知っている映画音楽、掘り出し物のレア・グルーブまで。アレンジもレゲエあり、ソカあり、スカあり、ジャズありと、SOILのオリジナルとはひと味違う新風味。海賊版？ミックス・テープ感覚CD。
◆声の出演
ラファエル・セバーグ(United Future Organization)、
ジャイルス・ピーターソン(BBC WORLDWIDE)、
ロブ・ギャラガー(TWO BANKS OF FOUR)ほか

Google translate:
SOIL & "PIMP" SESSIONS Presents CD cover project!
Likened the whole radio show, foreign language narration DJ, a short skit (a skit), composed jingles sandwiched between. The cover story that everyone knows music from the film's famous songs all ages, to find rare groove. Arrangement in reggae, soca has, in ska, and jazz has, SOIL new flavors, Original and Quirky. Piracy? Sense mixtape CD.
◆ Voice Actor
Rafael Seberg (United Future Organization),
Gilles Peterson (BBC WORLDWIDE),
Rob Gallagher (TWO BANKS OF FOUR) Other

Tracklist:

1. INTRODUCTION
2. Walkie Talkie Man
3. Mr.MAMBO IS MY NAME
4. Beat It
5. I Believe In Miracles
6. STONED PIRATES RADIO ID01
7. Boogie Stop Shuffle
8. I’ll Close My Eyes
9. BREAKING NEWS 01
10. One Step Beyond
11. JAZZ JUICE
12. Shaft In Africa
13. Love Theme (The Godfather)
14. STONED PIRATES RADIO ID02
15. DEATH JAZZ DELIVERY SERVICE
16. Mack The Knife
17. BREAKING NEWS 02
18. Psycho Therapy
19. STONED PIRATES RADIO ID03
20. Imagine


A little video of the opening track:

SAPS - Walkie Talkie Man

It wasn't bad, actually. A lot of the tracks are pretty short.

Can I just say how much I like Motoharu (sax)? He just tries extra hard!

So I gave it a listen.
I think in this album they get a little more playful than usual... it's the year 2036. The ice caps have stopped melting and the earth's atmosphere has returned to "normal". So obviously this is not an album to be taken seriously. Interestingly there's a lot more reggae on this album than their previous albums, but the pimps did not scrimp on the death jazz. I think I believe in miracles has been given a proper SAPS treatment, with Motoharu going Pharoah Sanders nasty on his sax.

Some of the skits are actually quite funny. I'd like a Death Jazz Delivery Service! Anytime. And Jazz Juice being actually a type of juice you can suck up through a straw... makes me wanna make a cocktail of it.

Anyway, I think it's pretty okay album. A fun little side project to fill in a year w/o new SAPS tunes.

I pre-ordered STONED PIRATES RADIO, and got a mini-poster with it back in December. Problem is, I've had trouble ripping the damn thing, even though it's new and technically not copy-protected. It wouldn't be the first defective SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS CD I've got my hands on. But with the other one, at least I was able to slow down to do the rip properly. Slowing down on STONED PIRATES RADIO doesn't seem to help enough. I still get "Suspicious Positions" and inconsistent CRCs from each ripping attempt. I may have to try some other drive(s) which aren't my first or second choice.

Yes Glath but what do you think of the music?

I had already sworn off playing audio CDs on-the-fly by the time I finally got chickenpox (around age 19). I always rip my CDs first, then those rips become the exclusive medium for my listening.

Now since:
1.) I've had physical possession of the CD before anyone's rips started to circulate online.
2.) I refuse to download anyone else's rip of any CD I have on-hand.
3.) I haven't (yet) been able to produce a STONED PIRATES RADIO rip worth keeping.

Outcome:
I haven't (yet) listened to the album.

Oh Glath.

SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS - MOVIN' (new single)
mine is serial number 3702 btw.

SAPS - Movin

Movin' (feat. Maia Hirasawa on vocals) is FANTASTIC!
It sounds like it could make some headway into the mainstream charts / mainstream listeners... it's such a nice lively tune and yet simple and easy to digest. This is party music! What SAPS are best at doing. Superb energetic happy party music. And again they've delivered! BIG LOVE to Shacho for writing this tune, and Maia for doing such a good job on the vocals (not sure if I really like that it's so forward in the mix though...)

Not feeling the b-side "Armageddon" so much... I think it's a cover version? It's written by Wayne Shorter.

The c-side however, is great too. It's got the latin thing going on and all the SAPS signatures are strong and present in this one. This tune gets better as you go along...

I think it's really cool how SAPS have refined their sound over the years and yet kept their focus as a live band that makes the best party music in the world with a jazz signature.

Great work on this :) Loving it.
And onward to the DVD...

Okay. THIS DVD is really really good.
There's a section in GO NEXT! which almost sounds like prog rock because Josei gets up and plays the keytar!

He can also be seen doing that in U WANT MORE, but the new DVD is already much more rare. I wonder what the number on mine is.

I won't have my copy until two weeks from now, and the DVD will probably never get uploaded at any of the big Japanese music-sharing communities. Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra's next album is holding it up.

have u listened to the single yet?

New SAPS album to be expected soon...
Just heard a tune called "Sexual Hungry" from BBC Radio 1...

It is very different from what they've previously done. This is still a jazz tune of epic proportions and it's got quite number of the SAPS signatures... but this one sounds like... procession music for an Indian emperor or something. Quite cool...

Excited about upcoming album!

Magnetic Soil is not bad. Really love Freedom Time

Latest album 'DAPPER' just dropped.

Features quite a few guests

Tracklist:
01.A New Day
02.Heaven on Earth (feat. Awich)
03.Explorer
04.comrade (feat. 三浦大知)
05.Deform Reform
06.Bond
07.Interlude
08.ユメマカセ (feat. Yojiro Noda)
09.Drivin’ (feat. Nao Kawamura)
10.Dusk
11.Glitch (feat. Shun Ikegai & Kiala Ogawa)
12.Pride Fish Ball
13.Method
14.drifter (feat. EGO-WRAPPIN')

I am about to delve into it now, will report back with an opinion.

interesting!!!