Before they folded in 2009, the Japanese band Free Trans Ensemble perfectly encapsulated the old and the new, combining vintage jazz harmonies with elements of R&B, soul, and even hip-hop. Their legacy, especially as professional, hard-working performers, is cemented on the posthumously released Soul Amplified Live!, documenting their 2006 show at Shibuya PLUG.
The album showcases the group's engaging versatility, from the upbeat pop jazz of “Cloudy Day" to the sweaty funk of “Itaikurai" to the rap moves of “Hadakanomama." Such a talented group existed beyond the radar of a mainstream international crowd, but hopefully Soul Amplified Live! will earn them the global recognition they deserved in their regional heyday. Bassist and founding member Yoshiko Kohmura discussed the band's history, including her own roots as a musician.
Q: When and how did Free Trans Ensemble form?
A: Free Trans Ensemble was formed in 2001, through Bass magazine issued in Japan. Atsuko [Kawabe] and I went to the same university in Tokyo; we met there in 1997. We started to jam soon after, but didn't end up forming a band at that time. I asked Atsuko to form a band in 2001, and we started to look for members. I saw a classified ad in Bass Magazine; there we found Koichi [Morita], the singer and former guitarist. We went through some member changes, and FTE finally found Yosuke [Wada] , the guitarist, in a classified ad in Jazz Life, a music magazine. We wanted to start not something new, but something that really grooves.
Q: What are the different musical influences of the group?
A: All kinds. We like rock, R&B, jazz, pop, Latin, enka (the Japanese traditional soul music), even classic. George Benson and Jimi Hendrix are big influences on us. Our singer has the back ground of enka.
Q: How many gigs does Free Trans Ensemble usually do a year?
A: FTE disbanded in 2009, but we used to have gigs twice a month, so about 24 gigs a year. We also did countless street gigs in Tokyo. That would count up to more than 10 times a month.
Q: Did FTE ever perform internationally?
A: No, but I played at a jazz festival in Bassano del Grappa in Italy after leaving the band.
The album showcases the group's engaging versatility, from the upbeat pop jazz of “Cloudy Day" to the sweaty funk of “Itaikurai" to the rap moves of “Hadakanomama." Such a talented group existed beyond the radar of a mainstream international crowd, but hopefully Soul Amplified Live! will earn them the global recognition they deserved in their regional heyday. Bassist and founding member Yoshiko Kohmura discussed the band's history, including her own roots as a musician.
Q: When and how did Free Trans Ensemble form?
A: Free Trans Ensemble was formed in 2001, through Bass magazine issued in Japan. Atsuko [Kawabe] and I went to the same university in Tokyo; we met there in 1997. We started to jam soon after, but didn't end up forming a band at that time. I asked Atsuko to form a band in 2001, and we started to look for members. I saw a classified ad in Bass Magazine; there we found Koichi [Morita], the singer and former guitarist. We went through some member changes, and FTE finally found Yosuke [Wada] , the guitarist, in a classified ad in Jazz Life, a music magazine. We wanted to start not something new, but something that really grooves.
Q: What are the different musical influences of the group?
A: All kinds. We like rock, R&B, jazz, pop, Latin, enka (the Japanese traditional soul music), even classic. George Benson and Jimi Hendrix are big influences on us. Our singer has the back ground of enka.
Q: How many gigs does Free Trans Ensemble usually do a year?
A: FTE disbanded in 2009, but we used to have gigs twice a month, so about 24 gigs a year. We also did countless street gigs in Tokyo. That would count up to more than 10 times a month.
Q: Did FTE ever perform internationally?
A: No, but I played at a jazz festival in Bassano del Grappa in Italy after leaving the band.
