Blog - HASEBE Novko, YOSHIMORI Makoto: live report
Hasebe Novko, Yoshimori Makoto: live report
On Monday after work I rushed to Kichijōji Mandala 2 for event 「人生に必要なことはROCKとBOOKに教わったvol.2」 ("I learned things necessary for life from ROCK and BOOKS vol.2") featuring Hasebe Novko with Isoda Osamu (both ex-Modern Choki Chokies), and also pianist Yoshimori Makoto (also ex-Modachoki) who I saw for the first time.
First of all was a set by cross gross, a rock band featuring singer/poet Saitō Inco accompanied by guitar and drums. They were quite good! While most songs were sang, a few were spoken and reminded me a little bit of King Missile.
Up next was Yoshimori Makoto, pianist who was once a member of Modern Choki Chokies! It was my first time seeing him. I thought that solo piano was likely to put me a bit to sleep, but no way! Sure he had taken a bit inspiration for his set from the event's theme, rock, but his style was just captivating, beatless and syncopated, all very energetic. One song he played was "suteki na kūki", a really beautiful song that he had written for Modachoki (album "The Extra Number of Modachoki"). While on the album the song has a "normal" pace, here he played it with the tempo rushing up and down, with lots of emotion. Actually I had noticed singer Hamada Mari earlier sitting at the back(!!), and I couldn't help but imagine her vocals over the piano.
Another song he played was one he called 「スイカの名産地」 ("suika no meisanchi", translates for "place famous for watermelons"), and he explained that he had it on a sonosheet when he was a little kid in his hometown of Hiroshima, and he assumed that everyone knew the song. However almost no Japanese he asked knew the song. It's when he went to New Orleans once that he played some songs for the people there and it was the most popular of all. Once he started playing it I soon recognized "Old Macdonald Had A Farm". He also played this one in his great distinctive style. Other songs he played were, I think, mostly originals, one he said was for an anime series.
Then came Hasebe Novko with husband Isoda Osamu. I've seen them perform together several times, but this time they were accompanied on back vocals by Asada Miyako, who once contributed lyrics to Modachoki for the song "I wish..." (album "Kumachan"). Actually Novko and Miyako wrote the song together for their own band, but later gave it to the band. Of course I was expecting to hear that one, and they performed it in their original, pre-Modachoki version!
Set list: kumazasa Rock / tsuchi to taiyō / oyasumi / niwatori ōji / shufu no seikatsu 2009 / I wish... / bunta to watashi / All My Loving / Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
Aside Novko's great original funny tracks, there was another song that she wrote with Miyako over 10 years ago, "tsuchi to taiyō", but it was here played live for the first time. Then the big surprise was "shufu no seikatsu 2009" (Modachoki cover, album "Rolling Dodoitsu"), as Osamu called it. Just before that everyone else had left the stage, and he started with a rocking intro on his guitar, incorporating bits from famous songs like "Video Killed the Radio Star". After a few minutes of that, the others came back on stage, together with Yoshimori Makoto who brought a pianica. It was Modachoki time, complete with the original dances! It sounded great with the back vocals too, and during an instrumental break Novko jumped on the piano to play some chords.
Followed "I wish...", with Makoto back on piano. Then the members from cross gross were called back on stage, but because of some contact lens trouble the singer had to escape backstage for a bit. Novko called for an unrehearsed "bunta to watashi" ("Panda, panda...!") throughout which she told the musicians what chords to play "C! A minor! F! G!" So funny! Then with cross gross' singer back they ended the show with two Beatles covers sung in Japanese.
Fantastic show ends, on my way out I say thanks to Novko and Osamu who had brought their soundtrack CD-R for play "Cube;0" on my request. Then Novko was so kind to introduce me to Hamada Mari who had come to see the show. She's Modern Choki Chokies' lead singer, I'm a big fan also of her solo works, and I'm happy whenever I see her on TV (lately she's mainly an actress and sometimes appears on variety shows, she also does a lot of narration work). It was just a moment, but I was really moved to be able to say hi and shake her hand! I wish for the day I can hear her singing too.
Can't wait for the next show! I'll go anytime!
Larger sizes and more photos at Flickr
Posted on September 12, 2009 at 11:31 | Tweet
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Sounds like the show was a blast. I enjoyed your article.
Posted by Dan the Music Master on September 12, 2009 at 21:39
Thanks!!
Posted by Patrick on September 12, 2009 at 22:33
Thank you!!!
Posted by Novko Hasebe on September 14, 2009 at 01:46