Monday Michiru Corner

[jlhoots]

Hiroshi@earlymusic.com

As many will attest, he has been a great source for jazz CDs from Japan.

I would think he'd be able to get this too. No idea what the price would be.

[David Williams]

New copies of 4 Seasons available from UK and German Amazon UK Marketplace sellers here: ping! , for under £5.

[HolyStitt]

New copies of 4 Seasons available from UK and German Amazon UK Marketplace sellers here: ping! , for under £5.

Thank you for finding this for me!

I ordered one through the link.

[HolyStitt]

That's because I gave you the wrong address.

It's Hiroshi@earlyrecords.com

Sorry.

No problem, jlhoots. I appreciate everything you have done.

[jlhoots]

New copies of 4 Seasons available from UK and German Amazon UK Marketplace sellers here: ping! , for under £5.

Thank you for finding this for me!

I ordered one through the link.

Thanks for that link.

Bought a copy of Optimista which I couldn't find elsewhere.

Be aware that you purchased the 1 CD version of what is a 2 CD set in the incarnation that I have. 8 fewer tracks.

Still a great deal.

Edited April 25, 2006 by jlhoots

[HolyStitt]

New copies of 4 Seasons available from UK and German Amazon UK Marketplace sellers here: ping! , for under £5.

Thank you for finding this for me!

I ordered one through the link.

Thanks for that link.

Bought a copy of Optimista which I couldn't find elsewhere.

Be aware that you purchased the 1 CD version of what is a 2 CD set in the incarnation that I have. 8 fewer tracks.

Still a great deal.

Oops...

Well, on a positive note, I will have the chance to hear her music.

Edited April 25, 2006 by HolyStitt

[JSngry]

HEY KIDS!!!!

Free (full-length) streaming audio clips of Routes (as well as per-song mp3 purchase options, full lyrics/production/recording/personnel data, and a nice, basic bio) available here:

http://iacmusic.com/artist.aspx?ID=23232

The stylistic labels this site gives each song crack me up, but then again, if that's how the core of the existing audience relates to these things, then that's how you target them. They call "Touch The Sky" "nu-fusion". I call it "a dazzling blend of Weather Report harmonies, house beats filtered through Africa (or vice-versa), and Carl Wilson-produced-era Beach Boys layered vocals carried into infinity". Same thing, I suppose, and "nu-fusion" is a helluva lot easier to remember.

A lot of musical ground/styles covered here, and the only songs that I myself can't get too excited over are "Be Who You Are", "Remember" & "Dig Deep" (they don't suck by any means, but they're less to my liking than the rest). "The Right Time" I've already discussed above, but "Don't" is another impressive work in the arc that it takes from beginning to end. Another excellent Sipiagin horn arrangement here as well - one that goes from Gil Evans to Woody Shaw/M-Base without as much as a blink. But then again, I think they're all "above and beyond" contemporary pop music artifacts. Songwriting, arranging, production, everything. There is no better pop music being made today, imo. And when pop is this good, yes - it matters!

Check it out - an indie artist (outside of Japan, where apparently she's still a BIG star and is still contracted to some arm of Universal) with a global following offering free streams of the complete album (American version), online per-song mp3 purchases, and full album credits online. Surely this is the future of the record business!

Now, Ron Goldstein (allegedly) had the chance to get her stuff out in America and took a pass. Routes probably could have been released in America on Verve (much to the cries of "jazz purists", but ain't nuthin I can do 'bout that). Tell me again why this guy's not an idiot?

[Joe G]

Give us a link! And thanks!!

(Sorry if there's a link in your sig; I have them turned off.)

[JSngry]

You rule Rod!

IMO, Monday's the best thing going in popular music right now. Not just in musical/technical terms, but in terms of having a healthy grasp of how to use the past (and the world) to create a present that lays the groundwork for the future. On the whole, Routes is the most stimulating, uplifiting and visionary popular music I've heard since the vintage Stevie Wonder albums of the early-mid 1970s.

I realize that's a bold statement, but I've been listening to a lot of her stuff over the last month, and I speak from the heart and, hopefully, the mind. This woman does have it going on, and in a big way. I doubt that her music can change the world , but like those great Stevie sides, it can give a sense of hope and excitement about what the future holds in store, not just for a select group of connoiseurs, but for everyday people.

Problem is, you gotta hear it first, and you gotta hear it with fresh, unjaded ears that are willing to believe. And you gotta be as unafraid of technology as you are unafraid of popular music as you are of hope.

The rodcast is here. Let those who have ears to hear hear!

Edited May 4, 2006 by JSngry

[JSngry]

The rodcast is here. Let those who have ears to hear hear!

With Rod's full permission, here's his comments on Monday from a recent e-mail exchange. This just about says it all, I think:

I'm a big fan of eclectic goodies!

I don't want her to be solely a jazz artist,

but more of a soul-ly creative artist.

She brings jazz sensibilities into a pop context

without sacrificing her creative evolution.

It's as if as soon as you "get the point" of the eclectic element -

"Oh, this is kind of a jazzy nu-soul type thang" - it's turned around

*intelligently* into some kind of ethnic rhythm stew.

Her stuff is definitely worthy of deep listening 'cause how does

someone create a song that has "world music" elements, but doesn't

sound like

something you'd hear at a hipper-than-thou Starbucks.

Also, there's so many irritating things about newer soul/jazz vocalists

(and I'm talking about the last couple of decades of Aretha wannabes

that don't really *understand* her gospel elements)

that I find practically RESOLVED right here in each of these CDs of

hers.

Norah Jones says that she doesn't wanna be recognized just as a jazz

vocalist?

Don't worry honey...Most of us never thought Ricky Lee Jones was either,

so I'm sure you don't have to worry.

Maybe the big labels don't sign her because she's not simply

an "up-front" kinda singer? ...that she actually works within and around

her musicians...that she has no fear of introducing a sound for the

thinking person?

hell, I don't know...all we can do is listen and spread the word when

folks ask

what we're listening to.

On last thing about singers saying they're trying "new" things:

It always reminds me of the guy who tells me how eclectic his music

tastes are

and it just turns out that he likes a half dozen different styles of

rock 'n' roll!

Bad folk singers saying they've changed their style drastically just

means

that they've switched to a *twelve* string guitar for the new album.

Not so with this girl...and I don't see it stoppin -

well, maybe in a decade or so due to age and comfort,

but you never know...

Rod, I owe you a BIG debt for giving me the hookup to a lot of these sides. Now, several hundred dollars later, I've got my own. And a few more.

Life is good!

[Indestructible!]

Aaaargh!

Damnit Rod... you just had to podcast this stuff, didn't you? I figured most of this stuff was just too expensive to take a flyer on buying a disc or two... so, if I never listen to Monday, I'll never be missing nothin', right? And that'll mean my wallet won't take a hit, right?

But nooooo... Jim keeps hypin' her, and then Rod throws something on the air for me to check out...

DAMN! This woman is G-G-G-GOOOOOOD!!!

THANK YOU Rod for putting this on the air, and THANK YOU Jim for letting me know about Monday!!!

*Sigh* I can hear my credit card gently wimpering... it knows it's gonna get a smack down in the next few hours!

Cheers,

Shane

[Dave James]

I just ordered two Michiru CD's (4 Seasons & Routes), Nathan Davis' London by Night and Sonny Clark's Leapin' and Lopin' (all Japanese versions) for a total of $107.00 from HMV in Japan. My computer is misbehaving tonight, but try entering HMV.co.jp or do a search and click on the HMV Japan-Homepage. I've ordered from them before (Horace Tapscott's "In New York"). Service was excellent. Highly recommended website with fair prices. One that I don't recall seeing discussed on this board before.

Up over and out.

Edited May 5, 2006 by Dave James

[JSngry]

Looks like Dusty Groove' put up a bunch of Monday listings. http://www.dustygroove.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap...ru&issearch=yes

Most of it's already out of stock (hit the 'Send Request' button! ), but Selections '97-'00 isn't, and it is about as good as an "introductory sampler" (although by necessity it's incomplete - the woman's made so much music of so many different "genres" that a truly representative sampler would have to be a multi-disc set) of her more mature work as you're going to find, and this is about as good of a price as you're going to get on it.

For those who might be interested, you might wanna carpe diem.

[jazzbo]

Looks like Dusty Groove' put up a bunch of Monday listings. http://www.dustygroove.com/cgi-sys/cgiwrap...ru&issearch=yes

Most of it's already out of stock (hit the 'Send Request' button! ), but Selections '97-'00 isn't, and it is about as good as an "introductory sampler" (although by necessity it's incomplete - the woman's made so much music of so many different "genres" that a truly representative sampler would have to be a multi-disc set) of her more mature work as you're going to find, and this is about as good of a price as you're going to get on it.

For those who might be interested, you might wanna carpe diem.

Various -- Shibuya Jazz Classics -- Monday Michiru Collection (Toshiko Akioshi) --Looks interesterating.

[JSngry]

That one's a collection of Toshiko material, mostly big band stuff from the 70s. But not all. There's one cut where a teenaged Monday plays flute. She was good! And yeah, it's an interesting enough compilation, although I don't know how much of it's really "rare" if you were keeping up w/Toshiko back in the 70s/early 80s. GREAT trio version of "Long Yellow Road", btw.

The liner notes are entirely in Japanese, I'm told, although Monday's put up a translated version on her website.

Love that cover, though!

Edited May 6, 2006 by JSngry

[jazzbo]

That one's a collection of Toshiko material, mostly big band stuff from the 70s. But not all. There's one cut where a teenaged Monday plays flute. She was good! And yeah, it's an interesting enough compilation, although I don't know how much of it's really "rare" if you were keeping up w/Toshiko back in the 70s/early 80s. GREAT trio version of "Long Yellow Road", btw.

The liner notes are entirely in Japanese, I'm told, although Monday's put up a translated version on her website.

Love that cover, though!

Yeah, I think I have a lot of that stuff. Just thought it was an intriguing idea for a compilation and I bet it's a nice liten.

[JSngry]

Not sure if anybody cares, but...

I've done a complete 180 on her lyrics. She believes in life, and so do I. Life's too short to let years of accumulated crust bury belief in life, even if it's a belief that begs to be crushed by "reality". So be it.

And I've done a complete 175 on Delicious Poison after repeated headphone listening. It's not just Really Good Pop Music, it's DAMN Good Pop Music, with a lot of sonic detail and vocal nuances that I missed on previous, semi-casual listening.

Also just got Epsiodes In Color, a flawed but ultimately touching record of intimacy with all the flaws intact. Some of the best Dave Kikoski on record here btw, that I've heard anyway. Makes you wonder what would happen if more jazz players and more pop artists would think for themselves, stop being afraid of just playing music, and stop being such damn tools of their own stupid notions of what they "ought" to be doing.

[ValerieB]

has anyone here seen the latest downbeat re monday? i haven't as yet but heard something about it. so glad she's getting some of the recognition she definitely deserves!

[JSngry]

Valerie, have you caught any of her recent NYC gigs?

[RDK]

I'm confused. So how exactly is she related to Ravi Shankar?

-_-

[ValerieB]

Valerie, have you caught any of her recent NYC gigs?

unfortunately, no, since i'm 3,000 miles away and during my recent nyc visits, she sadly wasn't appearing locally. i can't wait for the opportunity to present itself!

[jazzbo]

Not sure if anybody cares, but...

Just for the record, I care. Been distracted lately, but I care.

And you may have saved me a half a spin!

[JSngry]

Hey Free For All Paul - you've got both Optimista and Harry Whitaker's Black Renaissance, right? Listen to "Magic Ritual" off the latter and "Oasis" off the former and tell me if you think there's a little bit (or more) of harmonic similarity. This just hit me last night while listening to "Magic Ritual".

Considering that the acid-jazz "legend" of Black Renaissance began in Japan years before it did anywhere else, and considering that Monday was a pioneer of the Japanese acid-jazz scene (she was a club DJ before she started recording, I think, routinely dropping in jazz sides for dancers), I don't think it would be too much of a stretch for the similarity between tunes to be intentional.

[Free For All]

Hey Free For All Paul - you've got both Optimista and Harry Whitaker's Black Renaissance, right? Listen to "Magic Ritual" off the latter and "Oasis" off the former and tell me if you think there's a little bit (or more) of harmonic similarity. This just hit me last night while listening to "Magic Ritual".

I'll check it out and get back to you.

[Aggie87]

has anyone here seen the latest downbeat re monday? i haven't as yet but heard something about it. so glad she's getting some of the recognition she definitely deserves!

There's a nice half page article about Monday in the current issue (w/Allen Toussaint & Elvis Costello on the cover).