Kazuhiro Sunaga "MIRROR"
Interviewed and written by Junichi Uchimoto
A [MIRROR] of music that reflects his own career and current mode – projected here is the unreserved true face of a jazz bassist, and furthermore, a singer song-writer
Where should we line up this album in a record shop? In the section of [Jazz]? [Rock/Pops] or [J-Pop]?? That is what would first strike the mind when listening to this solo debut album “MIRROR” from Kazuhiro Sunaga, the bassist of quasimode (the jazz quartet currently in hiatus since February), that comes with contents so eclectic that makes it hard to define the musical genre of the album.
※ Click here to listen to Sunaga's "MIRROR"
“I wanted to put into shape directly, the images that came to mind. I would have been stuck with one certain direction if I were bound by the band image of quasimode, so in an attempt to avoid that, I tried hard to reflect into my works honestly, the sounds I had personally been listening to until now. Which then ended up with soooo many various elements (laughs). This is something like a mirror that reflects what I have and am now, - hence the title, “MIRROR”.”
The artist took into his own hands the composition/arrangements, as well as the song-writings of a few. Not only does he play the guitar, synthesizer and organ, alongside electric bass and acoustic bass needless to say, he also reveals his gentle singing voice. It is a piece that projects precisely what he is in the raw, and the music itself has the feel of something like ‘a singer song-writer piece that has gone through jazz’. In this way, it may even find itself comfortably displayed next to the song-based albums of Meshell Ndegeocello or Jose James (although, Jose is not a bassist of course). Well, that was what came to me at first listen, but actually, the artist who seemed to have influenced him the most during the production of the album, was Thundercat.
“He is also a bassist and also sings, but he’s not that great in singing (laughs). His lyrics may be like repetitions of a single phrase, but it still seems to work great, and there’s even style to it. I was impressed that things could be done that way too.”
Apart from Sunaga, listed as vocalists are ohashi Trio, sugar me, Maya Hatch, drummer Junpei Kamiya and Kan Sano the keyboardist. Each of them sings in a manner that is bland but has a good mind, satisfying the musical worldview of the song. To be noted also is that none of the band members including Sunaga, ‘over-play’. Listed here is a rich bunch of tracks that would reveal a landscape right in front of you, using only a handful of notes.
“I wanted to enjoy the kind of an ‘arranger’s aspect’ of [working out which song would work out well if sung by who] with the various types of songs written. I didn’t have the slightest intention of making something like a solo-album of a bassist, playing away his bass to the fullest. There were a few takes of bass solos on some of the songs, but in the end, I ditched them as I thought they would interfere with the whole track.”
The opener of the album is “Coexistence”, a track, according to Sunaga that “is pretty aggressive in terms of sounds.” The title is infused, not only with the hope for coexistence of all living beings on the planet, but also hope for coexistence of music and rhythm. The second track is “Rhythm”, a light pop song impressive with Sunaga’s contented singing. Sunaga has been serving as a support member for live tours of artists such as aiko or Yumi Matsutoya, and explains, “I had been singing in the back chorus occasionally, and after several goes, it dawned on me that ‘I might actually get somewhere with singing’ (laughs). I’ve found a new source of enjoyment for myself.”
“The Butterfly” has an adult-contemporary touch to it, while “Sora ga Ochite (meaning The Sky Falls)” is a jazzy tune in triple time. “Showtime” has a Beatly touch to it, and “Suzanne” incorporates rock elements.
“Lately, I’ve been hooked on the likes of Tame Impala, Sean Lennon’s The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger or Daniel Lanois’ Black Dub. “Suzanne” was made in the image of those. I’m seeing a revival of rock within myself lately.”
He also adds -
“It may show in the lyrics, but I have thing for mystic things like the universe or the earth. Many people say that I’m ‘sort of vague’. That’s why this album is also kind of vague. But it’s a piece I’m sure you’d get to feel this inner energy that flows out quietly after a few times of listening.”
