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Pandemic Influence on Live Shows: Musicians and Tech Synergy
Eventually, as Tokyo’s new generation jazz scene began to attract attention, Baba returned to Japan to pursue his music career. The animated film ‘BLUE GIANT,’ in which Ishiwaka and Baba performed together, symbolizes the rising momentum of the jazz scene. Now, both artists have released new works around the same time, and each is a groundbreaking piece that breaks away from traditional jazz imagery. Baba also participated in Answer to Remember II, led by Ishiwaka’s unit, alongside a diverse lineup of musicians.
Baba： The music of Answer to Remember is so quintessentially Shun! The track I participated in, “Sapporo Okinawa,” is especially reflective of that. The way the chords and melodies are crafted really feels like Shun. What’s different now is the approach to sound production; previously, it was more about fitting into a jazz format, but this time it’s about what sounds to add or subtract, how to structure the length of the tracks, and while maintaining the essence of jazz, the production is intricately crafted. I think this influence comes from track-making and pop music, and it’s something Shun has developed through his work across various genres.
Jazz is often associated with live performances and improvisation, but Answer to Remember II bases itself on sessions while creating a modern sound through meticulous sound design.
Ishiwaka： For example, in terms of drums, there are so many sounds in a single track that live drums alone can’t support it. So, we overlay programmed elements onto the live-recorded drums. Utilizing technology in that way is something we didn’t do in the previous work. Since releasing the last album, the pandemic hit, and live performances came to a halt, which led to more recording sessions. Because of that, I gained knowledge about technology and was able to experiment with it in this album.
Baba: Shun is a drummer, but he has a holistic view of the entire piece. He possesses the perspectives of a performer, a composer, and a producer. People with such a combination are surprisingly rare. I think it’s very meaningful for a drummer to release an album like this.
It certainly doesn’t feel like a typical drummer’s album. On the other hand, your new work, ELECTRIC RIDER, also has a groundbreaking sound.
Baba： This time, I approached it with the mindset of “I’m not going to create a typical ‘jazz’ album.” Like Shun, during the pandemic when live performances came to a halt, I faced technology head-on. I upgraded my computer and bought music production software called Ableton, and I started self-learning how to create music using a computer. I ended up posting a new track on Instagram every week.
Baba: BIGYUKI listened to that, and when we had a barbecue together in NY, he said, “I heard your Instagram tracks, and they’re really good.” I met Yuki when I was 15, and later we hung out in NY. I’ve always been a fan of his music and wanted to collaborate with him, so when I decided to release a new project, I reached out to Yuki and invited him to come on board as a producer. I thought it would be challenging to bring my vision to life on my own when it came to using synthesizers and overdubs. I believed that combining Yuki’s musicality with my own could lead to something interesting. We talked about wanting to create an album that wasn’t just an acoustic performance with solos, but rather a well-crafted piece in terms of sound and production.
