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WE LOVE JAZZ SG Presents
SPEAKLOW! SPEAKEASY (SLSE) Music Sessions Vol.8 :
SPEAKLOW! Speakeasy (SLSE) Music Sessions Vol.8 :
Voice it Out
with Shun Sakai
Facilitator : Aya Sekine
This month, we will be hosting the 8th installment of our signature series at one of the most serene, artistic and atmospheric venue - Palm Ave Float Club (PAFC). Gracing our event is a phenomenal and iconic Japanese jazz vocalist, who made her name through countless live performances and recordings since the 70's, Shun Sakai.
The first half of the performance will be featuring Sakai's unaccompanied pure voice as she sings selective tunes ranging from Japanese tradition, jazz standards to evergreen classics. There will also be sharing in between performances, on her long journey as vocalist, her improvisational ideas and more.
The fun begins when she incorporates a participatory segment into the second half of the performance and invites the audience to join her for a collective improvisation using Hapi (UFO) drums endorsed by PAFC.
The concert, sharing and participatory improvisation segment will be facilitated by a familiar face to Singapore's jazz & improvised music scene, a jazz pianist & WLJ SG's director Aya Sekine. She will make sure everyone in the room will understand everything that Shun-san shares.
Watch Sakai's performance :
"Yon-Cho-me no Inu"
"I Shall Be Released"
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Event schedule :
*The venue will open at 1:45pm
2:00pm - Set 1 : Performance with sharing
3:00pm - Break (20min)
3:20pm - Set 2 : Performance followed by participatory improv session together with Shun-san
using Hapi (UFO) drums endorsed by PAFC.
4:45pm - Session ends
*Due to the very cozy small space, the event is limited to 25 guests only.
*Early bird ticket cut-off : 21st May(Sun) 11:59pm
*Standard ticket cut-off : 26th May (Fri) 11:59pm
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Complimentary for you:
The ticket comes with 1 x complimentary Onigiri by ever persistent authentic Japanese rice-ball brand SAMURICE with free flow Mugi-cha (Japanese cold barley tea).
*Filling for the onigiri will have vegetarian option
For those who need an afternoon 'buzz':
Chilled wine will be available for purchase at the venue, so bring cash!
Authentic Onigiri by Samurice
About the artist : SHUN SAKAI
Shun Sakai is a legendary Japanese female vocalist/improvisor/composer who is known for her soulful singing with her own interpretations of songs regardless of genres. Her repertoire ranges from Japanese traditional, folk songs, evergreens, pops which includes compositions of Tom Waits, Roberta Flack to jazz standards, to name a few. She has been performing and touring regularly across Japan, but in recent years she has expanded her activities to internationally in Vietnam, Italy, and Singapore. She has been the featured vocalist for celebrity hairstylist Shunji Matsuo's project Makeover Magic, which celebrates beauty of aging women.
Legacy
Sakai started her career as singer at legendary Jazz Club 'Misty' in Roppongi, Tokyo in the 70’s. After a sudden move to New York City, followed by an 8 years of extended hiatus raising her son, she made a return to the music scene of Japan. Her signature song 'Mangetu No Yuube (Evening of the Full Moon)’ (1998 BMG Fan House), originally written by Kei Nakagawa (Soul Flower Union) for over six thousand lives lost in Great Hanshin Earthquake of 1995, has won her “The Best Project Award” at 45th Japan Composer's Award. This opportunity has provided her an even wider exposure of her talents such as the national TV programs and movies, but yet her interests and style left convention behind and moved to a more tribal, improvised sound that could not be defined in a single category. During this exploration, Shun released an experimental album Night at the Circus Vol.1. This was followed by the release in 2010 of two more albums, Plays Standard Vol.1 and A Few Little Things, both of which were marked departures from her earlier recordings.
Sakai’s latest album Daily life of Spiral Staircase with Japan’s leading figure in jazz, alto saxophonist Eiichi Hayashi and pianist Nobumasa Tanaka was released in 2012, and has become an important
contribution to the catalogue of this prolific and ever evolving artist.
Sakai continues to be adventurous; experimenting with her own voice and instrumentations that at times can be obscure. Through her unstoppable artistry, she moves all ages, genders and nationalities with her sublime gift of singing.
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About the facilitator: AYA SEKINE
Aya Sekine is a Japanese Jazz pianist based in Singapore who has been actively performing worldwide over the past 2 decades.
She is best known for her soulful and dynamic style of swinging Jazz that is heavily influenced by the Bebop and straight-ahead era, but also for her daring improvisations collaborations. Besides being an experienced artist, she is known for her forward thinking in programming acts at venues such as Blu Jaz Cafe (2006-2016), which raised the bar for quality non-mainstream live music scene, Club L'Opera (2016), and events We Love Jazz Party Vol.3 [SJ50 Edition] (2016) Jazz@Empress & Jazz In The House (The Arts House 2017), and countless small independent music events, which continually impact and inspire the community.
Aya directs multi-faceted programming company Bon Goût Music and recently founded a non-profitable We Love Jazz (Singapore) Ltd., which envisions strengthening the community of jazz and improvised arts in Singapore.
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Venue partner :
Onigiri with no additive :
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inquiry : info@welovejazz.org
official web : welovejazz.org
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