APRIL 2015 - Live shows by Samm Bennett and his various ensembles
FRI 4/10 - Samm Bennett & Shimizu Kazuto DUO
at Foxhole, Kichijoji, Tokyo - open 19:00 - start 20:00 - ¥2000 + order (オーダー)
Foxhole website - Google map to Foxhole

Some of you may know keyboardist Shimizu-san from his participation in Makigami Koichi's HIKASHU band, or Umezu Kazutoki' s SHIN-OKUBO GENTLEMEN. He is an extremely versatile and profoundly creative player, and I' m really looking forward to this, our first-ever duo performance. We expect to be cooking up a kind of *second-line free jazz with a heaping helping of extemporaneous blues*. Yeah, that kinda thing. We will be doing two sets, at the relatively spacious Foxhole, where there is an acoustic piano for Shimizu to play. I reckon he will also bring along his trusty vintage synth for extra sonic interest. I will be on drums.
Gonna be fun.
Gonna be fun.
Getting to Foxhole: It's a quick and easy walk from JR Kichijoji station (Sobu/Chuo line). Just come out at the North exit (not the Park exit) - that's the one that faces the bus plaza. Then walk along the tracks in the direction of Nakano/Shinjuku. The tracks will be on your RIGHT side as you are walking. You'll first (immediately) cross the big two-way street, then it's just another four streets til the Foxhole, on the left side of the street. If you pass the 7-11, you've gone too far! The walk takes about 2 minutes.
SAT 4/11 - with Rambling Steve Gardner at Yokohama Jug Band Festival

As many of you know, I do a good bit of drumming with Tokyo's premiere resident bluesman Steve Gardner from Mississippi. This time around we will be part of the yearly Yokohama Jug Fest, with two separate performances that day: one will be outside (if you're at the Festival you'll know where, I suppose) in the afternoon, and the other will be in the evening at the official festibval venue, Thumbs Up, a genuine roadhouse-style venue that'll make you feel like you're in Texas. Come on out for a huge lineup of jug bands from all over Japan: a one-of-a-kind event, not to be missed. Oh, and Steve and I will be performing in a quintet formation, with the addition of bblues bassman supreme Hisayuki Nakase, Dave Steenken on harmonica and Akihisa Okiyama on washboard.
Yokohama Jug Fest website
FRI 4/17 - The DOSAGES
at Foxhole, Kichijoji, Tokyo
open charge (1000円~3000円の間でお客様ご自身で決めてお支払いをお願いします) + オーダー
学生 ¥1000 + オーダー
open charge (1000円~3000円の間でお客様ご自身で決めてお支払いをお願いします) + オーダー
学生 ¥1000 + オーダー
Foxhole website - Google map to Foxhole

The Dosages is the duo unit of
Samm Bennett and Sawada Jyoji. Read about the band and check some sounds here. This will be a double bill with the very wonderful NOUON ensemble: 山田あずさ(vibraphone) Kevin McHugh (Fender Rhodes) Huw Lloyd (contrabass,cl) and 山本淳平 (ds)
Getting to Foxhole: It's a quick and easy walk from JR Kichijoji station (Sobu/Chuo line). Just come out at the North exit (not the Park exit) - that's the one that faces the bus plaza. Then walk along the tracks in the direction of Nakano/Shinjuku. The tracks will be on your RIGHT side as you are walking. You'll first (immediately) cross the big two-way street, then it's just another four streets til the Foxhole, on the left side of the street. If you pass the 7-11, you've gone too far! The walk takes about 2 minutes.
FRI 4/24 - SOLO and accompanying poets at Drunk Poets See God # 27

at Bar Gari Gari, Ikenoue, Tokyo
(5.7 seconds from Ikenoue Station, Keio Inokashira line)
open 19:00 - start 20:00
500 yen entry charge, plus 1 drink.
It's the big 2th installment of DRUNK POETS SEE GOD, where some of Tokyo's most daring and engaging wordsmiths get on the mic and show their stuff. Hosted by by yours truly, Samm Bennett, along with singer and poet Sorcha Chisolm, this is the place to be for those who want to keep abreast of the latest in loquacious lingo! I'll be on hand (as well as other musicians, depending) to provide instantaneous musical backing to any poet who might happen to want it, and all are welcome to read, recite, intone, chant, grumble, shout or otherwise enunciate. Fun stuff, serious stuff, flights of fancy, hilarity, stream of semi-consciousness, heaping helpings of free association and extended elocution. Hooray!
(5.7 seconds from Ikenoue Station, Keio Inokashira line)
open 19:00 - start 20:00
500 yen entry charge, plus 1 drink.
It's the big 2th installment of DRUNK POETS SEE GOD, where some of Tokyo's most daring and engaging wordsmiths get on the mic and show their stuff. Hosted by by yours truly, Samm Bennett, along with singer and poet Sorcha Chisolm, this is the place to be for those who want to keep abreast of the latest in loquacious lingo! I'll be on hand (as well as other musicians, depending) to provide instantaneous musical backing to any poet who might happen to want it, and all are welcome to read, recite, intone, chant, grumble, shout or otherwise enunciate. Fun stuff, serious stuff, flights of fancy, hilarity, stream of semi-consciousness, heaping helpings of free association and extended elocution. Hooray!
Come early (opens at 7pm) to sign up for a slot, if you want to get on the mic and let us hear what you got to say. Otherwise, just come for a drink and a listen!
Gari Gari website - Google map to Bar Gari Gari
Gari Gari website - Google map to Bar Gari Gari