Gypsy Guitar Trio

Blue Drag, Takadanobaba
June 20, 2009

Nobutake Ito – guitar
Masayoshi Tomioka - guitar
Kenji Kitajima - bass

Gypsy jazz is such a straight-to-the-heart pleasure, it is amazing it is not played much, much more. Going under the name of gypsy jazz, gypsy swing, or jazz manouche (now the more politically correct term), this special acoustic style goes back to the famed guitarist, Django Reinhardt, its innovator and patron saint. Since Tokyo seems to hold so many other unique imports, perhaps it is no surprise there is a circuit of jazz manouche players here, but they are a dedicated, fun-loving bunch with jaw-dropping technique and strong dedication to the music.

Playing at super-fast speeds, the three musicians got right into the swing from the first song, with Tomioka singing on the first two numbers in perfect French before the trio improvised relentlessly. The standards in the jazz manouche repertoire come from the 20s and 30s, but sound far ahead in their speed, changes and supple vitality. A tune like “Honeysuckle Rose” demands near-perfect timing, and Ito, Tomioka and Kitajima gave it just that. Timing the playing at such fast tempos is a tricky business, but these three have long played together and feel perfectly at home in the sleek, cool interior of Blue Drag, long the home of jazz manouche in Tokyo.

Other tunes, such as “Douce Ambience” and “Embraceable You” were taken with deep swing and lovely minor key beauty. The solos by all three rocketed along in amazing clarity, hitting each note strongly and letting it sing, before rippling along to the next one so quickly and smoothly you can hardly even follow. That nimble flow is really intriguing, letting you barely register the timing, feeling and speed with a smile before the next line is already played. You want to cheer after every verse!

Both Ito and Tomioka have amazing guitar technique. Ito and Tomioka battled it out for dominance, but they seemed an even match on skill, speed and feeling. Ito has a sharper, tougher tone, while Tomioka streams notes with insistent intensity. Kitajima on bass held the two together like a weightlifter trying to balance two massive weights on either side of him. His bass was both counterpoint and rhythm, swinging hard and deep beneath the blistering fluid guitars above.

After two sets and a couple drinks, it became clear that the audience was all jazz manouche maniacs. They took down the specially made guitars lining the walls of the club and everyone joined in a great big jam session. A French banker new to Tokyo hopped in on a Django Reinhardt number, an 18-year-old student let loose amazingly long and talented solos, two young well-dressed women hopped in, too, one on vocals, the other on guitar, and everyone ordered another round of drinks. As the entire club turned into a stage, this “third set” was just as joyous as the rest of evening, becoming a good reminder that jazz manouche is as much about community as performance, both of which were at a high level for this special evening.