REVIEW | Soil and 'Pimp' Sessions
CONCERT
Soil and “Pimp” Sessions ★★★½
Chevron Festival Gardens | Review by Matthew Hogan
Music from Japan conjures up thoughts of doom metal bands, rockabilly throwbacks and 25-piece J-pop boy groups, but if musicians from the land of the rising sun are known for being committed to a certain style, then Soil and “Pimp” Sessions are going against the grain.
Playing without a support act on the third last night of Festival Gardens season, Ennio Morricone’s Ecstasy of Gold blasted from the speakers to build the anticipation. Motoharu was first to emerge on the stage showing off his mastery of the soprano saxophone, while wearing a get-up that included a spiked hat, shiny pink sneakers and a black vest covered in bones.
Soon the remainder of the musicians joined him - Tabu Zombie, the trumpet player in leopard print pajamas, Josei, the nimble fingered pianist with constantly windswept hair, and double bass man Akita Goldman.
If the drummer looked a little out of place, that’s because he was a ring-in from Sydney, but even his brown tie and paisley shirt combo couldn’t stop him from keeping up with the high energy display of death jazz that was building around him.
At the finale of their 20-minute bullet train of an opener, president of the band, Shacho, leapt on stage as if he was up for a night on the tiles in the clubs of Shinjuku, dressed in wide brim hat, bathrobe, pantaloons, Cuban heels and skinny tie.
He did his job of hyping up the band behind him, as if the atmosphere wasn’t already electric enough, before taking the microphone and declaring the party started.
Shacho didn’t go near an instrument for the night but he did give us a brief example of his scatting ability as the band traversed from Miles Davis-like mellow soul to their trademark bebop jazz delivered with punk rock stage moves.
Their ability to keep the energy up for nearly 90 minutes is a testament to Japanese craftsmanship.
