March 2019 Live Schedule

MARCH 2019 : Live shows by Samm Bennett and his various ensembles
Hello friends, Samm Bennett here, hope to see you at one or more of these upcoming shows!

FRI 3/8 : with pupeteer Yamamoto Yoshiya and Umezu Kazutoki (winds)

at Esorabako Performing Gallery & Cafe, Shinjuku, Tokyo

I'm always delighted to have the chance to make some joyful noise with my old partner Umezu Kazutoki, a brilliant musician who I've had the honor of performing with since 1986, on my very first journey to Japan. Some of you may know him from our trio, Third Person. Umezu is a musical force of nature, ever inventive, creative, playful, funny, powerful... just a great musician, all around.

This will be the third time Umezu and I have made music to accompany the amazing puppetry performance of Yamamoto Yoshiya. This is quite the spectacle, folks, and Yamamoto-san always brings a big slew of his puppet creations to use in the performances.

This night with Umezu and me is just one of a month-long series of performances by Yamamoto-san. Check him out!

FB event page (Japanese only) for entire month-long Yamamoto series HERE

Website: Session Yoshiya (Japanese only)

Esorabako website HERE

Below: screenshot of map to Esorobako. Need more detail? Go to Google map

SAT 3/9 : the SMOKE BENDERS

at Barrelhouse, Ikebukuro, Tokyo
open 19:00 - start 20:00 / entry 1000 yen + drink

Daysuke Takaoka on mind-blowingly funky tuba + Naoya Numa on whip-crack drums + yours truly on this that and the other = The Smoke Benders. We'll be bringing you the grooves again at Barrelhouse, come on over!

Barrelhouse website HERE

Below: screenshot of map to Barrelhouse. Need more detail? Go to Google Map

SUN 3/10: BENNETT-KURODA

at What The Dickens, Ebisu, Tokyo (Roob Bldg., 4th floor)
music from 8-ish to 11-ish - entry: FREE!

Ah yes, the good ol' Dickens! Where streams of ale are flowin', where the steak and chicken pie-lovin' folk are goin', and where, yours
truly, along with guitarist Daisuke Kuroda will be serenading the glorious, drunken crowd, in our duo incarnation as Bennett-Kuroda, with tender songs of murder and whisky, runaway trains and window panes! Plenty of my original songs will be performed, but also a slew of cover tunes by familiar artists such as the Band, CCR, Dylan (you know, that Nobel Prize dude), Merle Haggard, Ray Charles and lord knows who else.

Below: at-a-glance map to What the Dickens. Need more detail? Go to the Google Map

FRI 3/15 : Tokyo Song Celebration #1

at Fuglen, Asakusa, Tokyo
music from 19:00 to 22:00 / FREE entry

This will be the inaugural installment of a new music series at Fuglen in Asakusa. Bennett-Kuroda will host and perform, and this month's guest performers will be Minstrels Gallery, featuring Bruce Allen and Jean-paul Richard. Please come out and support live music, y'all!

Full details at the Tokyo Song Celebration page HERE

TUE 3/26 : SOLO songs, as part of "One on One on One" event

at Jirokichi, Koenji, Tokyo
open 18:30 - start 19:30
advance（♪2300）door（♪2800）

This will be the first time for me to play at the legendary Jirokichi, I'm looking forward to it! I hear the sound system is quite good.

The two other acts on the bill look fascinating and promising! Come on down to Koenji, y'all!

Check out the Jirokichi website page for this event, where they've posted details, HERE

And the English-language basic information page for Jirokichi is HERE

Below: at-a-glance map to Jirokichi. Need more detail? Go to Google map

SAT 3/30 : KING CAKE BABY

at Moon Stomp, Koenji, Tokyo
open 19:00 - start 19:30 / entry 2000 yen (includes 1 drink)

Friends, King Cake Baby is ready to bring you those sweet sounds of New Orleans! We take our cue from Crescent City music legends such as Professor Longhair, the Meters, Dr John, Huey "Piano" Smith and many more. Good times guaranteed! Matt Gillan on the ol' 88 keys, Hisa Nakase on bass, and yours truly, Samm Bennett on drums and vocals. Don'tcha miss it!

AND... the big news is wew will be joined by New Orleans-style trumpet legend Shingo Sato! Many have compared Sato-san's sound to that of the great Louis Armstrong, and though Sato-san himself is far too modest to agree, there is truth to it! He knows New Orleans music inside and out, and will be adding a brilliant brassy energy to the proceedings!

MARCH 2019 : Live shows by Samm Bennett and his various ensemblesHello friends, Samm Bennett here, hope to see you at one or more of these upcoming shows!