Jazz for Japan & Bob James
A catastrophic earthquake and resulting tsunami rendered nearly 20,000 either dead or missing in northern Japan. It is the largest natural disaster to hit the country in post-war history.
6 months have passed. World-renowned pianist Bob James came to Iwate to participate in the 3rd Iwate Jazz Festival. Right after the disaster, he participated in the charity project, “Jazz for Japan” in the US.
In Iwate, he played with the local big band that featured the members of “SandPipers Orchesra” from Ofunato City where the Tsunami hit severely. In hope to raise the spirit of the Iwate people, Bob composed a new song “Put your hearts together”. At the festival finale, the local big band, Bob James, Naoko Terai and Keiko Matsui all played the song.
This is the documentary which depicts true heart-to-heart exchange between people who are struggling to lead normal lives, and a pianist who supports them.
“After the earthquake, there was nothing good in my life until today. After playing with Bob and everyone, I felt hope and I feel I can move forward. Thank you.”
(By a member of “SandPipers” )
- Bob James
- Bob James (born Dec. 25, 1939) is a two-time Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and a composer. He has been an important figure since turning the fusion jazz more popular in the 1970s. For their album One on One, Earl Klugh and he received a Grammy award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance of 1981. James is recognized as one of the progenitors of smooth jazz. His music has also had a profound effect on the history of hip hop music, having been sampled often.
- SandPipers Orchestra
- Some of the members’ houses were washed away by the Tsunami. Their practicing studio miraculously survived, but the wave took away their instruments and music scores. It took some time for them to get up to play music together again. Their participation to The Iwate Jazz Festival with Bob James brought them smile and strength again. The leader, Hidehiko Suzuki said, “I am glad we never gave up playing music”.
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Comments
I know that the Four Play visited Japan last year, but I did not know about the Iwate Jazz Festival and Bob was participated it as well. This is a very good video. Behalf of all the Japanese people, I would like to say,
Thank you very much to Bob. I really like your music and Four Play.