00:00:00: Hi there, my name's Usheen Loney and welcome to Audio Talks presented you by Harman.
00:00:05: This is the podcast where we explore how sound shapes culture And this entire series is a JBL takeover.
00:00:11: My friends that's right!
00:00:13: JBL is celebrating eighty years of audio excellence... ...and this series of audio talks Is going be looking back at eight decades of powering voices across studios stages cinemas and providing The soundtrack to our everyday lives.
00:00:27: Of course, going to be looking forward at what's next in immersive audio innovation.
00:00:31: And today we are gonna be hitting the right note... ...in Tokyo's kisser bars and embarking on a journey into one of the world most unique & interesting listening cultures!
00:00:42: So Tokyo Jazz Kisser Bars are legendary.
00:00:45: these are spaces where music isn't just played it is experienced.. ..and at heart that experience very often powerful particularly tuned JBL sound systems.
00:00:58: And today, we're going to be exploring Kisa Culture through the eyes of two people who've lived and documented it deeply!
00:01:04: Welcome to The Podcast Mark DeClyde Lowe Tokyo-based composer, performer & sonic innovator.
00:01:12: Thanks for having me!
00:01:13: And welcome to the podcast filmmaker Nick Dwyer.
00:01:16: his new amazing film A Century in Sound explores the heart of Kisa culture.
00:01:21: Thank
00:01:21: you Hesheen.
00:01:22: It's a pleasure.
00:01:23: Let's
00:01:23: dive right in, let's get ready to explore sound space and the art of truly listening.
00:01:29: So Nick your brand new film which is recently premiered and sold at The Barbican in London many times a lot people are saying it really captures the entire spirit of kisser culture.
00:01:44: talk us about what first drew you into this world?
00:01:47: Yeah so yeah I'm very happy.
00:01:50: Twelve years in the making now.
00:01:52: It's been a long, long journey for basically I'm from New Zealand like Mark as well and my whole kind of career life and career i'd been involved with music In some way...I worked on radio, I've worked Music television Worked in record stores..i was a DJ.
00:02:06: I traveled the world Making a TV program about music culture around The World.
00:02:10: Somewhere along the Way in the two thousands um Two thousand and ten especially I started to feel Like My relationship With music had changed.
00:02:18: Couldn't quite put my finger On what it Was But it was different.
00:02:21: You know, I moved to Japan for a number of reasons but one the main ones was to fall in love with music again.
00:02:26: I missed records and I missed analogue culture.
00:02:29: And you know all my travels to japan since early two thousands.
00:02:34: Shibuya back then seemed like on every corner.
00:02:37: Was it record store?
00:02:38: There were hundreds of record stores in shibuya alone No matter what genre of music your into there is a record store For this.
00:02:44: at time when record stores are closing around the world Everywhere around the World DJs are playing sudden play MP-III and just playing off USB sticks.
00:02:53: but you know there were all these amazing small clubs, small bars with great sound systems where all the DJs played vinyl.
00:02:59: But what happened is I'd kind of started stumbling into I guess the modern variant, that kind of modern listening bar without realizing what it stumbled into.
00:03:10: On all my journeys in the two thousands here and there a late night you stumble into a bar.
00:03:14: beautiful speakers maybe techniques twelve hundreds but they have an incredible record collection.
00:03:20: basically at the end of twenty fourteen i stepped into one hundred year old classical music cafe called Cafe Lion And It Changed My Life.
00:03:28: What was so exceptional about this place is for start walking through You know, this incredible giant wooden sound system that was built by Pioneer in the early fifties and all of its each face.
00:03:42: The speakers.
00:03:43: you had to be silent And it was one of the first times I stepped into a place where you were forced to be silenced.
00:03:48: if he talked could get shushed But most importantly the staff they would make an announcement.
00:03:53: They'd put a record on and everyone with listening silence for the whole side at a record.
00:03:57: and in that moment i had This.
00:04:00: uh...this moment Where?
00:04:01: I realized shockingly.
00:04:03: I realized that i'd forgotten how to listen.
00:04:05: In the way, that I used to engage with music when I was really young.
00:04:09: save up my money buy a cassette listened To you know The whole side from start to finish...I'd stop doing That and It shocked me and I felt like there was something really special here that the world needed to know about.
00:04:20: Yeah, i dived head first into the culture... ...into all of the variants All the twist-and-turned kind of different range Of Ongaku Kisa Be it The Jazz Kisa or The Rock Kisa.
00:04:32: Over the last ten years Really dived in with the whole thing.
00:04:34: And then out of that has come a series called A Century In Sound.
00:04:37: Sorry That Was A Really Long
00:04:40: Answer!
00:04:41: the edge of my seat in that kisser bar, in a classical kisserbar.
00:04:44: That's so compelling and it is real kind of you know.
00:04:47: road to Damascus.
00:04:48: moment its like your salvation Your reconnection with music With these other people In this unique space.
00:04:54: Say You
00:04:55: just met somebody
00:04:55: on the street And they had never even heard Of what A Kisser Bar Is How would you explain It?
00:05:02: Well, I mean it's really interesting.
00:05:03: The word kisa has been this word that's kind of travelled globally.
00:05:07: so a lot people are now calling these places KISA bars.
00:05:10: but really KISA is short for KISATEN which means literally tea house and coffeehouse.
00:05:16: These teahouses started popping up in the beginning to the twentieth century And they were places where Japanese people could go and interact with all of its new western culture.
00:05:25: Which was new!
00:05:26: That was music...that was art..that was furniture.
00:05:30: because Japan was closed off for two hundred and fifty years, a new strain of them started to emerge at the very beginning in The Showa Era called Ongaku Kisa which were places where you'd go listen music.
00:05:40: Back then it was era of the gramophone, the Victorola And people would go to listen to Seventy-Eights played over these gramophones.
00:05:50: So yeah...the culture kind of started during the nineteen thirties as Japan became more militaristic.
00:05:57: Western music was prohibited, so a lot of the Kisa were shut down by military police records confiscating thrown out.
00:06:03: So Ongaku means Music Kisa short for Kisa-Ten.
00:06:06: It Was Everything Really and The New Kind Of Strain And Jazz Kisa Would Fall Under That What?
00:06:10: Ongaka Kisa did survive the kind of military police raids were all kind of bombed during World War Two.
00:06:16: But then in the nineteen fifties, you know this stage was set and a perfect set of conditions for the proliferation Of what became known as The Jazz Kisa which is very much reverberating around the world today?
00:06:28: The best way to describe To someone What these places are I feel Is they're movie theaters For music.
00:06:35: so In the same Way that Japanese people we go to a Movie theater to watch A movie maybe go to a library or quiet place, to dive into the book.
00:06:44: Japanese men and women have been for one hundred years going through these Ongaku Kisa to listen to music where it was meant to be
00:06:50: heard.".
00:06:51: Well said!
00:06:52: I love that.
00:06:53: thank you.
00:06:54: we're making a few converts on this podcast now.
00:06:56: i can feel it happening as you speak.
00:06:58: so mark coming over here good stuff there.
00:07:00: listen lot of people will know your work already.
00:07:03: i've been luxuriating in their back catalog recently.
00:07:06: its absolutely beautiful.
00:07:11: You've got a really unique perspective on this.
00:07:13: What struck you the first time... ...you experienced Akisa in Japan?
00:07:18: Wow, yeah!
00:07:20: The first time I experience Akisa was when i was here at high school.
00:07:23: actually Yeah..I'd been coming all my life and half Japanese so have deep roots connections.
00:07:29: but When I was here for High School My older brother told me about a place In Shibuya area of Tokyo Nick was alluding to it earlier, but an area which was just Hubbardon record stores.
00:07:41: And there's one particular hill... ...which we both know well.
00:07:45: that where these records stores were and tucked in the corner of all these stores In this dingy little room Was a jazz quissa called Swing and swing was unique because they didn't play records.
00:07:57: They played videos on their NDVDs.
00:08:00: So here I am like seventeen years old and I'd go into this dark room, low ceiling.
00:08:05: And i could have one coffee and sit there all day watching DVDs in videos of...I mean they had everything from historic Ama Jamal Trio footage through every single Fuji Jazz Festival ever like whether it'll broadcast or not-they had them all!
00:08:22: So I was experiencing all this music that Well, some of which I'd heard but never seen.
00:08:27: So i was seeing these things for the first time like seeing that Ahmad Jamal trio play with Count Basie leaning over the piano.
00:08:33: listening to them Was amazing To me.
00:08:36: and then people would request different DVDs And videos.
00:08:39: so I was exposed to Keith Jarrett trio For The First Time watching the standards live concert film.
00:08:45: so Things Like That and for me at seventeen to be exposed to that in an audiovisual sense.
00:08:52: That was life-changing.
00:08:53: I would leave there and go buy a Keith Jarrett Fio CD, And my point of reference is that i just listened to it happen.
00:09:01: kind of thing.
00:09:02: The beauty the environment isn't so focused.
00:09:04: It's like...I mean its different as when you got live show where your in an auditorium everyone focus on listening no one on their phones No one's distracted.
00:09:14: They're all there for the performance versus we are at a concert where everyone has got their phones out and they talking, whatever it might be.
00:09:21: is that difference?
00:09:22: It really palpable Where people in this room usually by themselves like its very rare someone would come with someone else or never in group And then sitting here just soaking into experience.
00:09:35: So you can imagine from me at age of seventeen At time I was young aspiring jazz piano player.
00:09:41: You know i get to see my hear and see many of my idols, people I'd listened to in love.
00:09:47: And people that didn't even have heard of... ...I got to see these performances and hear them!
00:09:53: That was something which is so inspiring for me.... ...that i could leave with and definitely informed by inspiration from their own.
00:10:01: Wow!
00:10:01: My
00:10:02: goodness!!
00:10:02: That's a very cool origin story.
00:10:05: you can really see your seventeen year old self in that kisser.
00:10:09: It was
00:10:09: special!!!
00:10:10: I mean, and i'd go there every time.
00:10:12: Go back to Japan after high school?
00:10:15: I'd go to swing.
00:10:16: And then one year I went There and this is really old guy who ran it.
00:10:20: and often these places are Often run by an elderly man or woman.
00:10:24: Who this Is their labor of love in life's passion on life's work.
00:10:27: he was very elderly.
00:10:29: his daughter ran It.
00:10:30: she Was probably in her forties at that point I imagine and I Went One Time and it was gone and there was This Really kind Of bright light neon sign ramen bar where it used to be.
00:10:42: I was just heartbroken but i'm glad i got to experience it.
00:10:48: yeah and what a kind of formative time in your life to experience
00:10:51: that like
00:10:52: high-end appreciation, the church of sound.
00:10:55: Like you're both saying another idea is going into place by yourself maybe having Japanese whiskey or a coffee, whatever.
00:11:02: And just diving in swimming and sounds.
00:11:05: you know it really is the art of listening.
00:11:06: I love that so much.
00:11:08: but Mark staying with yourself do you have take because your been going to Japan all your life as you say why did think this took off?
00:11:16: This culture took root so strongly from japan's perspective.
00:11:21: i mean at the route of jazz kisza post-war Japan where no one had anything.
00:11:28: You don't own records, you're on a turntable or speakers.
00:11:31: Or you don't know anything.
00:11:32: and so they became places to congregate to experience this culture that was at the time blossoming in The States.
00:11:39: I mean...you think of like the mid-forties?
00:11:42: You got Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie putting out new records with music That had never been heard before either.
00:11:47: amazing experience.
00:11:48: talking To one kisser owner about the first Time his Senpai has his senior guy he apprenticed under The first time he played a love supreme, it had just come out.
00:12:00: No one knew what they're about to hear.
00:12:02: the guy who put on the turntable He'd never heard it.
00:12:05: and so you have this room of people Who experience?
00:12:09: I love Supreme together in holy silence Just focused in on us honest music.
00:12:16: So that but the power of that is undeniable.
00:12:18: And i think there's something really unique To japanese culture where
00:12:24: It
00:12:25: It's a pretty introverted culture.
00:12:27: And so for people to go and experience anything by themselves is not unusual, whether it's going to the dinner, going to cafe or into a movie doing any thing gonna concert where as in LA New York I got a restaurant by myself on everyone's looking you weird like my sister dining by himself.
00:12:45: So he had this culture of being able enjoy The solar experience without needing to kind of be sharing it as a social experience.
00:12:57: And I think that really ties back to these Omgakisa, where you might go like Nick and I would go somewhere but we'll both be listening to the music.
00:13:04: so they're individually put together.
00:13:08: Mark?
00:13:08: That's just fantastic my goodness!
00:13:09: So i'm getting goosebumps imagining hearing A Love Supreme for the first time on a sound system at this point in time.
00:13:16: what a mind-blowing life changing brings me on to this wonderful quote recently from a dear friend of JBL, a gentleman called Iwan Arjanto.
00:13:28: And he recently said in a special magazine celebrating the eight years at JBL that kisser bars are about intention.
00:13:35: music is played with care and systems built to reveal its full emotional weight.
00:13:41: Every track is chosen for that moment in that space, For those listeners and I love that quote.
00:13:48: And it really feels like this idea of intentionality Is very central To the whole Kiss It experience.
00:13:53: now Nick you have observed Kisser culture, you have interviewed people who make these experiences and make these bars so special.
00:14:02: Have you observed any kind of rituals or unspoken rules that people should know about about kisser spaces?
00:14:08: Well
00:14:09: I mean there's definitely rituals in this definitely unspoking rules.
00:14:12: they're definitely want to speak the intentional nature of these kisa, Ongaku Kisa because this is something that comes up a lot.
00:14:18: and especially you know I've been traveling a lot recently.
00:14:21: And the question that everyone asks us what do we think if they rise in rise?
00:14:25: Of these listening bars and high-five bars around the world?
00:14:28: then it's somewhat emulating What Is Happening In Japan.
00:14:32: You Just Cannot Emulate What Happens In Japan.
00:14:34: They're Completely Different Things.
00:14:35: That Okay There Not A Problem With That But All These Really beautiful, wonderful jazz chaser that have been around since this golden era of the nineteen sixties.
00:14:46: The nineteen seventies.
00:14:48: you just can't open a place and expect to have that kind of character, That kind of backstory.
00:14:53: It's just impossible!
00:14:55: And these Japanese jazz Kisa in particular you know A lot of them are run by husband-and-wife duo.
00:15:01: They've been running it non-stop for fifty years You know?
00:15:04: Its its Just so cost prohibitive In places like New York & London To Open a Place where...you can just open up tiny place Where you express yourself.
00:15:12: So thats why If u wanna taste the real thing U JUST gotta come to Tokyo because I've been to some amazing places around the world, but none of them come close.
00:15:19: They're trying to capture the true magic that you get in Japan and what it is?
00:15:24: In Japan as its community rather than commerce people are doing this not to make money.
00:15:30: no one has opening up a jazz kisser.
00:15:31: try and get rich.
00:15:33: they just extremely passionate individuals who want open a place and share with their community the music they love, an exchange.
00:15:40: You know like exchange ideas, exchange this passion for music.
00:15:44: that's what makes them so beautiful.
00:15:46: in terms of this idea of intention everything is intentional you know?
00:15:49: The second film In A Century In Sound Is one Of Mark & Al Favorite Places That We Go To Often Which Is Called Jazz Kisa.
00:15:55: Aga Khan I've Been Going There For Ten Years Now And Yoshida to step inside there as to step Inside His Brain.
00:16:02: Just Every Corner Of The Room.
00:16:05: posters and it might be, you know Japanese New Wave cinema posters from the nineteen sixties.
00:16:10: You know leaflets from The Student Movement of the sixties books he's collected signs that is collected over the years And his incredible hand-built system which includes some JBL speakers as well.
00:16:21: but everything Is intentional?
00:16:23: Everything has been thought about every record that he plays this thought about in every tweak and adjustment he's made to his sound system over fifty years has been thought about.
00:16:33: So yeah, the word intention is a very key word when you're talking.
00:16:58: I've had experiences, especially over the last couple of years if going into a jazz quissa and hearing a record that i know intimately well.
00:17:05: And I hear it in a completely different way on a pristine sound system... ...in a space which is designed for me to listen to this music Which is completely different from being on train listening to my phone or sitting at home listening while doing dishes Or whatever might be The idea giving you full attention to recording.
00:17:26: I think it's something that, sadly on the majority scale is lost in todays culture.
00:17:33: You know we live a culture where its all about multitasking.
00:17:36: how many things can i do at once and...I might have this music on but first notification ping hits me will take out of space listening to it And then I may not listen an album or track because thats what algorithm gave me.
00:17:50: You know, we go into these spaces and the people who run them.
00:17:54: They're putting on complete sides of a record.
00:17:57: you not hearing some greatest hits collection.
00:17:59: where it's like I'll let me play my favorite Miles Davis tune they're like.
00:18:03: no this is what i feel like playing And We're going to hear The Whole Side Of It Start To Finish.
00:18:07: So that means That You Have An Experience.
00:18:11: Its Like Reading Someone's Novel Not Going To Jump In.
00:18:14: Check Out Chapter Nine Right, so giving music the artists really.
00:18:19: The artist respects and assigning their value that they deserve I think is something which it's unique in todays culture And Something Which Is Much Needed When Music Is Largely Used To Sell Other Things For The Most Part Has Bare Little Currency to Itself you know, these kinds of places remind us and show us very viscerally that music has immense value.
00:18:46: And the whole point is what someone's created as they want to share it with us.
00:18:50: so in an effective sharing requires me to be an effective listener because my responsibility there now I think That really at a core of What The Culture Is Here It's Very Different To Other Than LA For A Very Long Time.
00:19:04: There Are Places There Which Japanese style vinyl listening bars where no one's listening.
00:19:10: and you know people say to me, what about this place or that place?
00:19:13: And I often say with a litmus test is are people listening.
00:19:16: Are they listening or are they socializing in drinking?
00:19:18: now those are different things and there are economic and commercial reasons why it's one of the other as well.
00:19:24: not just cultural, but at the core of it is that people have to be listening.
00:19:29: Well said well said you know getting that perspective from a musician like your good self is... It just brings it all home.
00:19:35: You know this is all about music being heard Being appreciated being respected as it was meant To
00:19:42: Be
00:19:42: and being heard As The Artist Would Like It To Be Heard.
00:19:45: And I think This Is Very Much At The Heart Of The Whole JBL Mission For The Past.
00:19:49: Eighty-odd
00:19:49: Years studio monitors, to the mastering suite.
00:19:54: To the stage...to the kisser bar.
00:19:56: it's like this is how music was meant to be heard!
00:19:59: This Is How The Musician Wants You To Hear It.
00:20:01: So Nick I know that you've obviously been to so many really unique kisser bars ...you gave a beautiful shout-out to one earlier that got JBL equipment in there.
00:20:11: Did you kind of come across JBL in many of the Kissabars?
00:20:14: Because I know there's a strong link between JBL, The History Of JBL and Kissabar.
00:20:19: Oh my God!
00:20:20: Yes what a question.
00:20:21: yeah absolutely i mean... You Know..I have now uh in doing the kind of research
00:20:27: for
00:20:29: a Centurion sound probably been to around four hundred of these places from the bottom of Tokyo, Japan at very top.
00:20:38: But you know for me I've got a book that is coming up soon as well and in this book i'm really quick There's many terms that are traveling around the world.
00:20:50: A lot of people know listening bar or Kisa, but I like to use wood on Gaku Kisa because really That's what they umbrella term was at the beginning of the culture.
00:20:59: What it is you know in Tokyo alone It's every twist and turn of modern music since nineteen twenty six.
00:21:05: The first ever Ongaka Kisa was Mekioka Kisa Lion, a classical music cafe in Shibuya that I was talking about earlier on.
00:21:12: That is actually the first film in a century and sound.
00:21:15: And then you've just got everything in between.
00:21:17: You know of course you've got jazz kisa and every flavor of jazz with all their own unique cut-off dates where the owner's like nut After sixty-three, after fifty eight you know jazz died for me.
00:21:30: You got all of that!
00:21:31: You've got Tango Kisa where they play nothing but Argentinian tango... ...you have French Chanson Kisa.. ..you have Dubbed Kisa and Hard Rock Kisa.
00:21:40: It's everything.
00:21:40: it is endless.
00:21:42: If your a music fan its just the most incredible culture to get swept up in.
00:21:47: And yes I been swept up into big way For more than decade now.
00:21:51: as i mentioned around three fifty, four hundred places I've visited and yes to answer your question a lot of.
00:21:59: And i'm not just saying this the most incredible music experiences as that have had been with JBL systems you know?
00:22:05: The first time.
00:22:06: it's kind of interesting actually because I kind of had this.
00:22:09: uh let's just say that I was on this quest like on my way picking up the holy grails...and one of my first Holy Grails experience.
00:22:17: really In Sapporo, there is a place called Jamaica and Jamaica was a jazz quissa.
00:22:24: Now it's run by an incredible mother-and daughter.
00:22:27: but once upon time you know... It was run by the husband who started in very early sixties.
00:22:33: And that what interesting.
00:22:35: A lot of these old quissa That you find especially in provinces.
00:22:38: The woman outlasts men and some cases Men passed away in the eighties or nineties and wives Of husbands still run to this day.
00:22:47: Their daughters take over.
00:22:48: But anyway, Sapporo.
00:22:50: Place called Jamaica a small room on the fourth floor and very busy kind of red light district of Sapporo, Sissukino And it's got JBL Paragon Sound System.
00:23:04: Basically you'd know dates but I believe that Paragon was created in the fifties or early sixties Very few ever made to market.
00:23:14: And you know, when Jamaica and Sapporo opened they were very proud of the fact that had a JBL sound system.
00:23:22: You've got to understand as well.
00:23:23: something else going on in Japan at this time is America stood for authenticity.
00:23:29: This was something apparent within Japanese.
00:23:34: jazz didn't consider Japanese jazz authentic, you know?
00:23:38: It was only American Jazz.
00:23:40: Was the real deal?
00:23:41: and just yeah... You know if you wanted to have The Real Jazz experience in a way that like Musicians themselves African-American musicians are playing it JBL is an American brand.
00:23:55: so had that kind of reputation but A Paragon Sound System.
00:24:00: there were very few of them around There at the time in the sixties Tokyo, there was one place called Funky that had a system and people would come from far and wide to experience JBL Paragon.
00:24:12: There was another amazing place called Half Note, which I experienced in the provinces of Japan.
00:24:18: I think that started in the seventies.
00:24:20: they had a Paragon as well.
00:24:21: when the owner passed basically The system went to one of the former Jordan the former regulars and now about forty five minutes out of Sendai there's A Place Called Paragonian And They've Got you know like Like an Altered.
00:24:33: They've got JBL Paragon.
00:24:35: so the experience That i Had with That System Just just the way it looks, you know that mid-century design.
00:24:42: It was perfectly tuned for that room and so warm and enveloping.
00:24:47: That's a really Holy Grail experience.
00:24:50: Another kind of Holy Grails system JBL System experience I had Was this woman who has become so close to me.
00:24:57: She is one my Jazz Kisa aunties.
00:24:59: she lives out in a place called Inage which is in Shiba which kinda great at Tokyo.
00:25:04: But she has a pair of JBL Ivaris DD-Sixty Sixth Thousands and Those, you know those speakers.
00:25:13: Oh my gosh I've had some incredible moments to those systems.
00:25:17: i took mark.
00:25:18: You know like she's one of these places that anytime My friends come over and they're like I really want to experience in jazz kisser One of my favorite things To do is take them out to visit Hayashi son Alan chiba or have actually just dropped a new film with A us producer grammy a woolbending producer called knowledge.
00:25:34: He's one half of a duo called no worries With Anderson pack And in that, I take him to Kandy.
00:25:40: So he got to have his JBL Everest experience.
00:25:43: but you know... You just sit on a chair facing those speakers.
00:25:47: it's essentially walking into her house.
00:25:49: she lives above.
00:25:50: But She has just curated the space and worked all her life searching for like her own perfect sound because for everyone their idea of Perfect Sound is different.
00:26:00: Yeah, hearing things on that system you know?
00:26:03: Hearing things like Portraits Of Tracy, Jaco Pastorius any Jacopasturias bass sign there it's gonna blow your mind!
00:26:10: There are a couple of jacopastorious live in Tokyo records she plays often Like I'll go to hear the record again and another one where i will only ever listen.
00:26:24: Trio record came out in nineteen seventy three or four and it's the trio playing at Montreux Jazz Festival.
00:26:31: And they do a version of Alba Isla's ghost, and it so nasty.
00:26:35: It's like someone has opened a portal.
00:26:37: um.
00:26:38: And-and The depths of the underworld and just this release Of-of Like its a maelstrom is just unleashed and for nearly twenty minutes Its just unbridled crazy sonic energy.
00:26:53: any other place, I would just be like what is this?
00:26:55: i can't handle it but somehow on her system.
00:26:58: It's like being on the craziest roller coaster where...I've got to hold on for dear life.
00:27:03: so yeah there are certain records that will only listen in certain places.
00:27:08: and then finally one of my most profound experiences ever had listening music as at a place called Basie up in Ichinoseki about four times.
00:27:18: That Is The Holy Grail!
00:27:21: I don't know the exact specs of a system.
00:27:25: It's like very custom JBL, but it's an all-JBL system and you're not going to listen to records in.
00:27:33: there was...it was like I'd taken DMT!
00:27:36: I was completely sober But it was just..It was.... It was like guests for people when they watched Gone With The Wind.
00:27:42: They saw Technicolor For the first time went from black & white to technicolor.
00:27:46: It was my ears that went from Black&White To Technicolour.
00:27:49: That is how insane the difference was.
00:27:53: I was in a snow globe with these musicians, they're playing all around me.
00:27:57: i was listening to one of the records...I just sat there all afternoon and just record after record!
00:28:02: I had this crazy experience where Um, it was a record.
00:28:06: It was Birdland All-Stars at Carnegie Hall.
00:28:08: I forget who the emcee was but he was like oh ladies and gentlemen you know we're really lucky to have one of The Most Gifted Owl Sax Plays in the world joining us tonight.
00:28:15: give it up for Charlie Parker!
00:28:17: And you...you had that feeling where you were like oh how lucky am i That I get to listen to the great charlie parker?
00:28:24: It's the feeling Like You Know When You're At A Music Festival And You're Watching One Of Your Favorite Acts And Then They're Like Turns Out.
00:28:30: One of your other favorite acts is just in town and decides to get on stage.
00:28:34: You had this kind of oral hallucination where you feel like, oh wow!
00:28:38: I'm about to listen to Charlie
00:28:39: Parker.".
00:28:40: That's how intense it was And that's what the system at Basie was Like nothing else i've ever experienced.
00:28:46: Uh...and-and i'm sure Mark can back me up On This.
00:28:49: Oh my god, Basie Was..I went to Basie one time Only once unfortunately But The whole premise Is It They Want You To Experience The Record As If The Musicians Are In Their Room With You.
00:29:00: And so for me, when I was there he played Miles Davis' Forum War which is a live record that i know really well.
00:29:07: But it was almost painfully loud in a very good way!
00:29:13: It was too loud and I loved it...and it felt like the whole band is right there.
00:29:20: The stereo imaging is so true to stage..it's just magical....I feel very lucky gotten to go there at all, it's a magical place.
00:29:30: I just want to add one thing that is the power of these places and again not to discredit anyone doing their thing overseas, because I think it's wonderful that this culture is spreading around the world.
00:29:42: You know?
00:29:42: It just came back from London.
00:29:43: every experience that i had places in spirit land place called jazoo and depth fed place called jumby all of them in their own way were just really exceptional experiences.
00:29:52: but um you know a lot of people are going to these places and they're listening!
00:29:56: But there also socializing whereas...you go to Basie And its so deep man Its just deep listening.
00:30:03: your IN THAT RECORD NO ONE IS SOCIALIZING EVERYONE IS JUST in that record.
00:30:08: and occasionally like I've had moments where i've been at some of these places in the countryside we're like yeah Keith Jarrett, Coln concert.
00:30:14: Where you just in that records just like goose bump after goose bump!
00:30:17: And you'll forget about time...you forgot everything..and I want to say stank face, but it's like you know like like Jarrett solo face and You kind of look up.
00:30:27: And then there's this guy that's local when he's in at two?
00:30:30: And you give each other a knowing Look.
00:30:32: It is just so powerful i can't even begin To tell ya... happening like this around the world.
00:30:39: So I just, want everyone to come here and i Just wanna echo what Mark said because he said it you have a feeling of gratitude when You leave these places.
00:30:48: Like how lucky was that?
00:30:50: That I got To experience music on that level!
00:30:53: That Level Of Realness A Purity of just like a sonic experience that Was so close to Replicating What It Felt like to be in that audience On that day felt five six decades ago.
00:31:06: It transports you there, like how lucky am I?
00:31:10: That's how you feel when you step out of these places.
00:31:27: rich, like unbelievable emotional experience.
00:31:29: Like a real new relationship with music is just like that whole New Experience.
00:31:33: and I wanted to bring in a quote from our good friends at Kendrick Sound.
00:31:37: And they actually design these elaborate systems.
00:31:40: They tune them so this is speakers amps crossovers acoustics and they talk about designing A complete listening environment To create something deeply immersive.
00:31:50: So my question to you whoever wants to jump in there Do we think that the level of care that goes in on this side, designing these listing environments?
00:32:01: Does it translate to full emotional weight
00:32:04: that Iwan
00:32:05: was talking about earlier.
00:32:06: What's a link between technology and engineering?
00:32:09: an emotion would you say?
00:32:10: I'll intro my answer next for me app to take over but sound quality is great and audio file everything as great.
00:32:18: But these places are really representations at people that run them.
00:32:23: And it's kind of akin to, you know one my favorite records growing up as a piano player was uh well is A Duke Ellington album called Money Jungle and so Charlie Mingus and Max Roach.
00:32:34: It's objectively mixed really badly and maybe recorded really badly but it sounds incredible!
00:32:41: If it was mixed and recorded perfectly would have sounded incredible?
00:32:44: I don't know.
00:32:45: So its wonderful when the sound quality.
00:32:51: These are these people's, like Nick said kind of going inside someone's head.
00:32:54: it is their personality and life work its there...its the mood that day.
00:33:00: thats what it is.
00:33:00: and yeah Nick?
00:33:01: Yes agree one hundred percent.
00:33:04: I mean look you know i think that this thing has been a little bit lost in translation especially as rise-and-rise culture has spread via imagery on social media and Pinterest mood boards, especially during the pandemic.
00:33:22: is what happens when a lot of people come to Japan.
00:33:25: And they visit these places.
00:33:27: If they don't have relationships with the owners... They say hey can I take some photos?
00:33:31: The owners inevitably are like sure but don't take any photos from my customers or me!
00:33:37: We get speakers.
00:33:38: everyone hones in on their speakers interior detail those images spread while they look beautiful and of course the fact that just this culture of listening, you know incredible in itself.
00:33:51: That's because...the message that spreading what people are forgetting.
00:33:55: The bit that is missing Is that?
00:33:57: This is such a human culture And it is as Mark said It so much about the men and women and often the couple that run these places, they're welcoming you in the love that they give.
00:34:11: You've got this whole spectrum of sound and even some of their super tweeters are so incredible.
00:34:18: there's things you can't hear but your getting it still... But!
00:34:22: In that frequency range when you step into those places Whole range which is love and it's this warmth, And its them.
00:34:33: It's just the care that you're getting in these places... ...and Its people!
00:34:37: Its' People Getting Together That Go to These Places.
00:34:39: Its The Regulars And Thats So Much Of What Makes These Placers Amazing!
00:34:43: Its Definitely Not An Old Japanese Jazz Fan Just Sitting Alone In His Kind of Old Kisser That You Know Maybe Gonna.
00:34:49: He Is Not Going To Be There Long And He Is Kind Of Reliving His Glory Days.
00:34:53: No There Like There Is Young People.
00:34:55: It'S For Everyone.
00:34:56: You Know One Of Our Local Place that we go to often is called Masako and it's in the neighborhood of Shimokitazawa.
00:35:03: What's amazing about Masako, to begin with ,is that its a former staff member.
00:35:08: her name Moeko.
00:35:10: she has taken over the place originally existed since nineteen fifty four.
00:35:16: It's mainly always been start by females.
00:35:18: you're seeing new generation young Kisa owner taking old spots opening their own spot former regulars, people that have been going there since the nineteen sixties alongside young girls in their twenties.
00:35:30: you know it's just this amazing mix.
00:35:32: This culture is alive with.
00:35:35: what you're also getting, that's part of the sonic experience.
00:35:40: The whole sponic experience is all of it as well... ...is the human side and we've got a book coming out too!
00:35:49: I just want to show really quickly but this is one photo taken from it which sums up the whole thing.
00:35:58: It's people like that who have dedicated their lives to this culture and yeah when you step into these places, you step in their world.
00:36:07: And they're so glad that you came here!
00:36:11: I don't know if we answered your question at all or
00:36:15: something about technology?
00:36:17: No no you totally did.
00:36:18: it's like... You can have the technology and spatial design etc.
00:36:21: but what is really all of it?
00:36:24: Music is love And it's a better look.
00:36:26: Yeah,
00:36:26: yeah I mean you know as we've seen as well As the rise of listening bars there is definitely another in parallel something that happening with culture Is sound as fashion right and speakers fashion.
00:36:44: We know that a lot of fashion brands are now building listening rooms and there are certain people you're going to find like collaborations with fashion designers, all this kind of thing... Look!
00:36:55: All of these is the win for listening intentional listening.
00:36:59: And ALL OF THIS IS A WIN FOR PEOPLE FINALLY BEING ABLE TO HEAR MUSIC THE WAY YOU KNOW CLOSER TO HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.
00:37:05: But what I gotta say?
00:37:07: The culture in Japan is very, very different.
00:37:09: It's for everybody and it such a human...human culture.
00:37:13: Yeah!
00:37:14: Its not about status I've got this.
00:37:16: its' not about money.
00:37:18: You know someone like the photo i showed you.
00:37:20: He was my hero Masahiro Yoshida.
00:37:22: he had no money but he built everything himself ya know?
00:37:25: I love these Japanese men & women who have just from their ground up.
00:37:28: They build their sound systems over time And they wanna share with everyone.
00:37:32: Everybody is welcome to his culture.
00:37:34: It interesting cause there nothing remotely pretentious about it.
00:37:39: But there are situations where you try and replicate this in some parts of the world, whereas like yeah You can't talk And you've got to listen to music.
00:37:46: Can we have twenty five dollar cocktails?
00:37:48: It could get a little elitist or pretentuous.
00:37:51: That's just not what is here Like...you order A two-dollar coffee and sit there all day.
00:37:57: All good!
00:37:58: Everyone's welcome No one judging anyone.
00:38:03: If anything its'a Good judgement.
00:38:05: Oh yea..You know too.
00:38:06: Right,
00:38:07: absolutely man.
00:38:09: By the way just like this conversation I'm definitely going to hit up Mark after this and i'm gonna be like yo.
00:38:13: what are you up to in a couple of hours?
00:38:15: shall we meet?
00:38:16: Send me photographs!
00:38:17: I need the phone word.
00:38:18: my life really... This is my motivation.
00:38:21: Just to go back on one of the key points.
00:38:23: There's many, many reasons why this culture only existed in Japan and nowhere else And obviously there is like historical social cultural factors To take into account these also you know?
00:38:34: I don't want to single out Japanese and make gross generalizations about their respect and reverence that Japanese people Of course lots of people have respect for things they love but Japanese particularly when when they're into something, there.
00:38:49: They all in man and just yeah the respect and reverence that they have for things that love it's like want to hear.
00:38:55: at best way I think as well.
00:39:00: you know not many people talk about this sort of fact.
00:39:04: it's okay to be a solitary gourmet, a solitary experiencer.
00:39:09: That is... that's really big deal you know?
00:39:11: The fact people just go out and experience things on their own And thats cool!
00:39:16: It´s a really really part of what makes the culture unique.
00:39:19: How its been so that um..you know People don't speak and-and Thats ok!
00:39:24: Its like people are like
00:39:25: Really?!
00:39:25: People dont speak there in Japan?
00:39:26: Its like No!
00:39:27: Everyone just gets it!
00:39:28: Everyone wants to... everyone is there for same reason.
00:39:30: If you wanna chat my god there are thousands of bars in tokyo where you can chat and really cool bars but these are the places where It's a different thing.
00:39:41: I love it, now speaking of respect and reverence Nikki just reminded me the work your good friend over there Katsumasa Kusnos who is this incredible author photographer really capturing that soul of the Kisa culture.
00:39:57: like yourself Do you want to talk about figures such as him in shaping Japan's listening culture?
00:40:04: How important are folks like these curators chroniclers of the culture over there.
00:40:11: Yeah, I mean he's the best because not his son is a legend.
00:40:14: I love him.
00:40:15: I love what he's done when i was on my kind of journey his instagram account as books.
00:40:20: you know they've played such a massive part in my research materials and Asi got to know more, um You know we've hung out me him and mark.
00:40:27: We've had japanese curries together.
00:40:29: I actually have a packet Of signed sunny rollins matches which need To give back to them.
00:40:34: so kusumasa son if your watching this Um...I need get those matches Back to you.
00:40:38: but yeah He is great!
00:40:39: What Is So Important About The Work That He Does?
00:40:41: It Not Only Just the cataloging that of places in the provinces, but you know a lot of these places disappear and the fact that he's kind of immortalized them forever which I think is just so wonderful.
00:40:53: So yeah full credit to him!
00:40:55: And y'know?
00:40:55: A lot people around the world have gotten onto his magazines And people come to Japan now, To do jazz-kisser tours.
00:41:04: I just think that it's the most incredible thing.
00:41:06: People will come specifically for two or three weeks.
00:41:09: They'll make their selves an itinerary they get on the Shinkansen Get on night buses and thats exactly what i was doing ten years ago.
00:41:17: For me its just the coolest way to explore japan.
00:41:20: Mark did very recently with a National Geographic shoot which is out at the moment But it's just, really cool.
00:41:27: He has had a profound impact not only in Japan but around the world.
00:41:30: so yeah... So much respect for that man.
00:41:32: Big love to Katsumasa-san.
00:41:34: Thank you!
00:41:35: For everything you do.
00:41:36: You've elevated this culture on a global stage And preserving your love and respect of music.
00:41:42: The people behind the kisser spaces is fantastic.
00:41:46: Mark I have one question What does someone feel like?
00:41:51: The first time they go into a jazz kisser, or listening bar and really listen.
00:41:57: More than what I hope... What i've witnessed so many times is that people can't believe this is real.
00:42:04: like as if you haven't experienced it before.
00:42:07: As a fan of music And someone who's most people coming to Japan It might be their first time?
00:42:12: Or maybe the fourth time but they still don't know that deeply They're getting exposed for something That almost your wildest dream comes true Like here's space where are listening to music.
00:42:25: And it's just that sense of wonderment and disbelief, most people like oh my god how can I do this in my hometown?
00:42:35: They want to take at home with them.
00:42:37: but i think if more than anything is the hope that people listen they spend time intentionally invested into their process.
00:42:49: these days you could sit on a jazz keystone be on your phone all day scrolling But it's like, you could put the phone down and just listen.
00:42:56: And I mean...I'm guilty of it but i'll be shazamming.
00:42:59: is what l'l be doing as l'de be like wait ohh!
00:43:00: I don't know wot this record is?
00:43:01: I need to know what
00:43:02: tis?!
00:43:02: And then sometimes that won''t even come up because its some Japanese private press thing or like..you never know It´s jus-the hope.
00:43:10: people deep in their love for music and understand this is an opportunity to experience a very unique perspective of
00:43:18: it.
00:43:18: I just want to jump in if that's all right, speaking of Shazamming you know one thing we need really make mention of the modern landscape for Jazzkisser and Listing Bars.
00:43:29: It's really vibrant especially with the Jazzkisser.
00:43:31: All my favourite places.
00:43:33: well some of my favorite favourite places that i go to regularly are these new generation owners who grew up loving Jazzkissa Some working at Jazzkisse.
00:43:42: there was place Mark & I a lot called Tonlist, Yuyya who runs it.
00:43:48: You know during the week he's one of top designers in cars for Nissan but on weekend He opens up his little Jazzkisser to share his twin loves of Icelandic style hot dogs.
00:43:59: and you know good sound with customers.
00:44:01: I made film with UK jazz drummer Yusuf Dayes which came out last year.
00:44:05: In that film i took him to Tonlist And he experienced this sound was blown away.
00:44:10: But what is really incredible about the new generation, is that they play new releases.
00:44:17: So what Mark was saying before of how crazy.
00:44:20: would it have been in real time?
00:44:22: In the sixties when you think about just every new record by John Coltrane, Miles Davis Mingus or Nick Coleman as like A Taste Of The Future... You're getting that in real-time!
00:44:33: What's amazing.
00:44:35: just new releases, hearing them for the first time in that place.
00:44:38: I had a crazy experience about a month ago and was with a friend.
00:44:41: we were sitting on Tonlist And he put it on record.
00:44:44: My friend is musician of very notable French band.
00:44:49: He was like, what the hell is this record?
00:44:50: And I said What The Hell Is This Record.
00:44:51: It Was Amazing!
00:44:52: and i asked you Yeah You Know Can We Look At?
00:44:54: The Jacket Turns out it's a friend of mine A guy called James Zhu A Guy Called Mitchell An Amazing Musician and he sent me that record.
00:45:02: He Sent Me A Digital File Unlistened to.
00:45:05: Of Course No Disrespect To Mitchell Just Didn't Hit Me On That System.
00:45:11: In That Moment It Like Knocks Me For Six.
00:45:13: So That Was Crazy.
00:45:14: Anyway Next Record Goes on And all of a sudden, we're both me and my friend.
00:45:18: I'm like what the hell is this?
00:45:19: It's incredible!
00:45:20: Mind blowing the bass to drums... ...and he passed me the record again.
00:45:24: it was a friend of mine as a guy called Peter Eld who's a Swedish double-like bass player whose based in Berlin i'd filmed with peter only last year.. ..and again it wasn't that thing if you listen to it on Spotify or in the background just didn't do anything to me.
00:45:37: On that system, it was mind-blowing.
00:45:40: and that's the thing on these systems ordinary records become extraordinary.
00:45:44: an extraordinary record becomes transcendent And makes feel sorry for all of people artists musicians who made killer records But no one got to hear how killer it was because No One Got To Hear It On A Good Sound System.
00:45:59: That's just the best argument I've ever heard for like having good listening equipment wherever you are, but particularly being able to go through these altars of pristine audio and listen great music become transcendent as you say.
00:46:13: that is just utterly beautiful!
00:46:15: Thank You!
00:46:15: Listen i'm getting goosebumps just listening to your both speak.
00:46:18: this is incredible...but what's coming though?
00:46:20: Loud & Clear?
00:46:21: It's like everything is connected.
00:46:23: You've got the systems, you've got these epic kind of JBL cabinets and vintage components spaces that people The technology but most of all the love Everything has connected there to make this incredible intentional magical listening experiences.
00:46:39: What do you think?
00:46:40: Question for both of ya.
00:46:40: I don't know who wants jump in first.
00:46:42: But what do you thing rest of world can learn from the intentional listening culture Of these kisser spaces
00:46:51: these spaces, that it's okay to be quiet.
00:46:54: It's OK to shut up and listen like we spend so much time talking to hear our own voices or just speak for the sake of speaking... And very little time being quiet in order to listen not only music but each other sometimes even?
00:47:09: So I think that is a takeaway.
00:47:12: The world isn't an interesting space right now and dare i say there are people who have high positions at power if they knew how intentionally listened.
00:47:21: So yeah, I
00:47:21: strongly agree.
00:47:23: What say you Nick?
00:47:24: I mean that's it!
00:47:24: You know i keep saying the same thing to everyone which is come just Come here and experience it.
00:47:30: experience how It really Is.
00:47:31: I mean its changed my life in many ways And I Know Its Changed The Lives of Others.
00:47:37: You Know It Really Has My Relationship With Music.
00:47:39: Now You Know To Be Honest with You.
00:47:41: I Don't Really Have A Big Decent Set Up At Home.
00:47:44: I Do All Of My Listening In These Places.
00:47:46: And what's Wonderful About This Culture?
00:47:48: No matter where I am, if i'm going out and about through Tokyo... ...I just pop into these places.
00:47:53: I pop in you know have quick coffee listen to a side.
00:47:57: maybe it'll get another side Maybe I'll give them the other side then they will leave.
00:48:00: but its part of my day now You know no matter where are we're in this city?
00:48:05: I got.
00:48:05: you know I pop into place's.. ..I've got my jazz kisser aunties.. ..i've got my Jazz Kisser.
00:48:08: grandmas!
00:48:09: You Know make sure that I pop.
00:48:10: see all of them And Give Them Love.
00:48:12: If your are music fan you gotta get here because while recently, like I'm hearing great sound.
00:48:21: I am being in cool venues and you know some of these listening bars around the world they're wicked!
00:48:25: They are wicked places And Like i said The past kind two weeks that london just recently was incredible but it's a different experience.
00:48:35: It is very beautiful, an emotional experience here and I just want everyone to be able to experience that.
00:48:40: TLDR we all have to go into Tokyo!
00:48:42: That's it, its settled brilliant, brilliant, listen.
00:48:45: now i've got one more important question for you... Its the one where we ask all of our VIP guests from Carl Cox to AR Raman to Suzanne Cianni And THAT IS TO CHOOSE A TRACK FOR OUR TITLE PLAYLIST but im gonna phrase this bit differently in this episode.
00:48:59: so if there was ONE record a Angaku kisser space and stick on the turntable, play for our listeners.
00:49:08: What would that be?
00:49:09: I've been very lucky to get hear my own music in these spaces And... That's quite bizarre experience because i know this records inside out backwards but hearing music created an intentional listening space.
00:49:25: it just is different.
00:49:27: So if I may be so bold as to offer one of my own tracks,
00:49:30: definitely very much.
00:49:32: It's the opening cut of my album Heritage which is my first kind of deep dive into my Japanese roots through music.
00:49:38: it's a track called The Offering and um...it's a special little journey.
00:49:41: so i'd love to share that with people.
00:49:44: well..I
00:49:44: can just say that I've had some really hilarious moments Where I know Mark's catalog very well, you know.
00:49:51: I was in radio in New Zealand of the nineties.
00:49:54: I used to play marks records on the radio ice work at a record store.
00:49:56: mark used come and so i Know mark music really?
00:49:59: Really Well.
00:50:00: i've had moments In these kisser over The last couple years where like they'll be playing A record And i'm Like damn what the hell is this.
00:50:07: and i go up and look At the record and it's mark's record.
00:50:10: So that actually happened with me With heritage in This place tonless That we're talking about.
00:50:16: so yeah You'll hear music and you'll hear your favorite music in ways.
00:50:23: You've never ever heard it before.
00:50:25: That's just.
00:50:25: that's how it goes, ya know?
00:50:27: Yeah I definitely would put a vote for Heritage but i can't choose Mark's record because he has already chosen it.
00:50:32: Funnily enough was gonna say Money Jungle.
00:50:35: But Mark really talks about that.
00:50:36: There is something like a Mingus bass on the Record And famously on Money Jungle It's Max Roach It's Mingus and it's Duke Ellington, so you kind of got three generations on one record.
00:50:47: And the story goes that there was mad, mad tension between Duke Elington and Charles Mingus... ...and YOU hear it on that record!
00:50:54: You hear it money jungle?
00:50:56: There is another track in this picture- I might be caravan actually where its.
00:51:00: just like.
00:51:01: You know, every time like Mingus is angry and you just hear it.
00:51:05: And on those JBL systems... ...you feel that low end.
00:51:09: It's kicking you!
00:51:10: Like someone kicking in the shins with some Dokman steelcats.
00:51:14: But funnily enough my memory of Money Jungle hearing about a proper system comes from A really beautiful place.
00:51:21: Jazz Kissy there used to frequent alot.
00:51:23: I travelled to other side of town for it was called Sharmaan.
00:51:27: It was in a place called Yanaka Ginza, and it had been around since nineteen fifty-four.
00:51:32: Art Blakey went there in nineteen sixties.
00:51:34: Coltrane went their.
00:51:36: they have profound experiences that um... They heard their own records the way that Mark is talking about In these places on this systems then I'd very deep experience as well.
00:51:45: There were an awe of Japanese jazz culture.
00:51:49: Yeah, without giving too much away.
00:51:51: I was very lucky the documentary series The Centurion Sounded we actually We finish with the words of an absolute legend of jazz.
00:51:58: who talks about this talks About how all these legends Miles Davis you know John Coltrane People like Sonny Rowland Art Blakey when they came to Japan in the sixties and found out about Jazz Kisa culture They just couldn't believe it.
00:52:13: at a time When they were treated Like dogs back In their own country.
00:52:16: that would treat like Kings.
00:52:19: So it was very, very emotional.
00:52:20: But anyway to get back to it there's this place called Sharman beautiful little place and It was always.
00:52:26: no matter what was happening in my night on a Saturday Night I always make sure that i would go There towards the end.
00:52:31: That Was The first time?
00:52:32: I heard money jungle And On.
00:52:33: Their System Is Incredible.
00:52:35: but the owner who was the second generation He Was A dentist and he'd taken it over from the original owner Who I think kept running it until the two thousands and he only opened at three times a week.
00:52:48: And He would like open it up so all the regulars could go an experience there, any doers?
00:52:53: Be cleaning orders his former senpai The old master's records.
00:52:57: but every night as he was closing he Would play a record that gives me goosebumps Every time I hear it.
00:53:03: and i would travel to the other side of Tokyo to yonika Just Soi Could Hear This Record on His System Because A copy Of That Record At The Time was thousands of dollars and it's not a jazz record at all.
00:53:16: It is by Caetano Veloso and Gal Costa, and its a record called Domingo And you know he'd play the A-men The A side to that...the second track in particular I forgot on the name..its in Portuguese but Its just so so delicate beautiful!
00:53:30: That s thing is on lot.
00:53:32: these systems.
00:53:33: obviously we're talking about bass lines live.
00:53:37: how double bass especially sounded so good on this JBL system.
00:53:41: but conversely, bossa nova and the fragility of those Brazilian records from the sixties.
00:53:50: They just sound so like a feather and so delicate, so fragile.
00:53:55: So utterly, utterly beautiful And for me listening to that record in that place.
00:54:00: It was the most beautiful record my ears had ever heard.
00:54:02: I would try get experience every single week until sadly it closed down because The building had been knocked out of demolition.
00:54:10: That's my record.
00:54:11: It is Domingo by Gal Costa and Kaitana Veloso.
00:54:14: We are going play the A side.
00:54:16: Amazing,
00:54:17: amazing.
00:54:18: I'm going to go and listen to that.
00:54:19: both of those choices right now.
00:54:21: in fact my own contribution To the playlist.
00:54:23: this issue is a record i'd love to hear In a kisser bar because it's just A record I like to get lost in...I adore It!
00:54:28: I have it somewhere on vinyl..it Is Stanley Cowell And Equipoise Which has an album On galaxy records.
00:54:35: The title track Just sends me Somewhere else Like- I can't even imagine what That's gonna sound like One Of Those bars.
00:54:41: So then I'll bring it to Japan When I come over.
00:54:44: So listen, we've been just diving into the whole incredible world of Angaku Kisa culture.
00:54:48: It's more than music.
00:54:50: it's more then craftsmanship... ...it's more that engineering and JBL sound systems are all those things but its about people behind them.. ..it is a really unique cultural phenomenon that people really should experience in Tokyo if they possibly can.
00:55:08: And as I've been saying, my bucket list is just being recalibrated as you're both giving those recommendations.
00:55:13: so thank you all for joining us on the Audio Talks podcast.
00:55:16: Big Respect!
00:55:17: Mark DeClyde Lowe Thank You For Joining Us.
00:55:19: Thankyou very much for having me.
00:55:20: it's been a pleasure Awesome
00:55:21: and thank you So Much For Joining us Nick Dwarf.
00:55:24: So thank
00:55:31: you.
00:55:33: So make sure you approach music with that love, that intentionality and until next time keep hitting the right
00:56:03: note.
00:56:04: We'll see ya then!