A report on “M bit Live” featuring Original Love Jazz Trio and STUTS has arrived. Archive distribution also available.

We have received a live report from the live event “M bit Live #1 Original Love Jazz Trio × STUTS,” which was held on Tuesday, July 2nd at WWW in Shibuya, Tokyo, and attracted attention for its intergenerational collaboration between Original Love Jazz Trio and STUTS.

Also,M bit Project Official YouTube ChannelThe live video archive of the concert that was broadcast on the day is now available for free streaming. This is only available until July 17th (Wed), so don’t miss it.

M bit Live #1_Original Love Jazz Trio × STUTS 2024.7.2. Shibuya WWW

On July 2, 2024, a new live series was born at WWW in Shibuya, Tokyo. The performance, titled “M bit Live,” is the first of the “M bit Project,” which was launched with the aim of “delivering musical encounters to each and every person’s life,” and is a two-man format befitting the theme. The performers are Original Love Jazz Trio and STUTS. Their generations and musical styles are by no means close. Their usual fan bases probably don’t overlap that much either. But there is definitely a sympathy between them, and this combination will bring about a new “encounter with music.”

Tickets were sold out. While the audience filled the venue and those who were watching the live stream on YouTube were waiting, STUTS appeared on stage first. He played a drum solo on the MPC (sampler/sequencer) with skillful fingertips, and then support members TAIHEI, a keyboardist, and Satoshi Takeshima, a horn flute player, joined him and performed “Renaissance Beat”. While making full use of synchronization, the beats played by STUTS himself and the live performances by TAIHEI and Takeshima were intertwined, and it was impossible to immediately tell where the programmed parts ended and where the live sounds began. In fact, it was an exciting live experience that didn’t bother me at all. Also, playing the beats on site brings about nuances such as swaying, accumulating, and thrusting, which are not necessarily in tempo. The groove of soul, R&B, and hip-hop songs such as “Ride” and “Summer Situation” was particularly comfortable.

After the intro of “One,” which had the crowd going wild, he performed his own rap and singing to the danceable sound, followed by “Come to Me,” which starts with a bossa-style phrase and a two-step rhythm. The soft sounds of Takeshima’s flute and other instruments intertwine with the hard beat to create a sense of speed that is irresistible. Following the MC, in which his personality was surprisingly apparent in contrast to his cool performance, he called out Takao Tajima of Original Love to perform “Mirage.” The original song was released by STUTS as Mirage Collective as the theme song for the drama “Elpis,” and the melody was sung by YONCE. Tajima’s powerful singing, including his fist-heavy fakery and scat, was a sight to behold. To the heated atmosphere in the venue, they performed “Presence”, the familiar theme song for the drama, “Pointless 5” featuring Scha Dara Parr and PUNPEE, and “Yoru wo Tsukai Hatashite”, which had a release party here at WWW when it was released. The last song was “Seasons Pass”, creating a peaceful atmosphere and ending the live performance.

Next up is the Original Love Jazz Trio led by Takao Tajima. Tajima, who not only plays in bands but also in various other forms, such as playing and singing, is a three-piece jazz trio formed by him with Hammond organist Yosuke Kawai and jazz drummer Hidenori Otsuki “KALTA”. The ambient sound of the organ is combined with the fine cymbal stomp and muted cutting by Tajima, and eventually leads to a dynamic sound mass in the opening instrumental number, and you will notice it when you watch “Air-Resistance”, which rides on odd time signatures with a well-coordinated performance. As it is called “Jazz Trio”, the outer shell is definitely jazz, but at the same time, you can feel rock at the core. The band’s performance of the slightly psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll “Bad Seed” featured a sharp ensemble, and the guitar solo was played intensely at the front of the stage. The three members did not end the show by simply letting the audience sway, but instead bared their fangs mercilessly at times. The audience welcomed the performance and their enthusiasm grew with each song.

In the middle of the concert, Tajima strummed the guitar by himself for a while, and when the hall was suddenly enveloped in silence, he began to sing “Kiss”. After playing one chorus of a slow ballad with a jazz arrangement, he increased the tempo, and the hall erupted in loud applause. The atmosphere suddenly became festive. The next song, “Soul is There”, delivered a bluesy sound while gradually heating up with lyrics that carried a scathing message. The three members’ outstanding performance skills, who synchronized their gazes and breathing during the breaks and pauses, were also captivating. It is worth noting that there were many songs that clearly went into political matters, such as “Air Resistance” in the first half and “Invasion” that was played afterwards. In terms of sound, he warmly embraces and makes you sway and dance, but he says what he needs to say as an artist. I felt like I saw Tajima’s pride.

The final song of the main part, “Jodan,” changes the tune drastically, and after the introduction of the members in the interlude, Tajima jumps and shakes his head while playing the song, which gets the crowd really excited. This is the finish that shows the excitement and energy of a live performance. During the encore, STUTS, TAIHEI, and Takeshima appeared together and had a short talk. STUTS usually performs live with featured singers and rappers, but on this day, he was in charge of vocals himself. Tajima said, “I want you to sing more and more,” and STUTS replied like a boy, “I’ll do my best!” It was very cute. The last song that the six of them performed was “I WISH,” a number from the classic album “EYES.” Tajima sang with a hand microphone to the beat created by STUTS’ MPC and Otsuki’s drums, and a relaxed and groovy sound filled the venue. The audience all raised their hands and clapped and waved them left and right. It was a closing performance full of a feeling of celebration.

The catchphrase for “M bit Project,” which was also shown on video at the beginning of the live performance, was “Living, the number of songs you like increases.” Although it’s not food, clothing, or shelter, music adds color to many people’s lives. There’s no doubt that encountering new music will open up new vistas. Although anyone can easily find any music in the world, fewer people are actively digging for it themselves, which is why it’s so meaningful to have a place where you can see, listen to, and like music live, rather than just relying on recommendations from an AI algorithm. What kind of encounters will “M bit Live,” which has started off with great success, bring in the future? This is a must-see for all music fans.

Text by Kazama Taiyo
Photo by Kazuhiko Tawara

【event information】

“M-bit Live #1_Original Love Jazz Trio × STUTS”
Date and time: Tuesday, July 2, 2024 OPEN 18:00 / START 19:00
Venue: Shibuya WWW, Tokyo
Cast:
Original Love Jazz Trio (Takao Tajima, Yosuke Kawai, Hidenori Otsuki “KALTA”)
STUTS

Organized by: M-bit Live Executive Committee
Sponsor: J-WAVE
Planning and production: Wise Connection

■M-bit Live Official Site