Soil & "Pimp" Sessions - A Night In South Blue Mountain (2015)

Soil & "Pimp" Sessions are a Japanese jazz combo who play music inspired by the sound and style of classic bebop, Latin jazz, and cool jazz, but with a funky undertow and the passion, aggression, and force of rock & roll. The group features five musicians -- Josei on piano, Tabu Zombie on trumpet, Motoharu on sax, Akita Goldman on double bass, and Midorin on drums -- as well as Shacho, credited as "agitator and spirit," who prowls the stage as the group performs and occasionally offers gravel-voiced encouragement. The group first came together when Tabu Zombie and Shacho began appearing at dance clubs featuring jazz nights; as DJs spun groove jazz sides, Zombie would jam along on his horn as Shacho worked the crowd, and the response was strong enough that they eventually formed the band to play full live sets without the DJs. As Soil & "Pimp" Sessions' reputation on the Tokyo club scene grew, in 2003 they became the first unsigned band invited to appear at the Fuji Rock Festival, and in 2004 they released their first album for JVC Victor, Pimpin', which was followed by a steady stream of albums and EPs. Giles Peterson, the British DJ who launched the Acid Jazz label, took notice of Soil & "Pimp" Sessions, and after giving them steady airplay on his BBC radio show invited them to play London in 2005. The combo signed with Peterson's Brownwood Records label for Europe and the U.K., and soon became regulars on the international festival circuit, impressing audiences with their energy and instrumental skill. In 2008, Soil & "Pimp" Sessions struck an American record deal with Koch Records, and Planet Pimp became their first U.S. release. ~ Mark Deming