'Japanese Jazz Opera' spectacularly odd

August 24, 2011 8:50 AM

"Japanese Jazz Opera" begins with "Now's The Time," by Charlie Parker. An old peasant couple sings along with the standard, in Japanese.

The explanation, from PRI.

The songs:
Now's The Time
Lotus Blossom
Milestones
Misterioso
Blue Monk
Sister Sadie
Waltz For Debby
危険な関係のブルース No Problem (Art Blakey)
Blues March
Doxy
Five Spot After Dark
Cleopatra's Dream
Comin' Home Baby
処女航海 [Maiden Voyage]
Donna Lee
Cherokee
Fables of Faubus
'Round Midnight
Moment's Notice
St.Thomas

posted by growabrain (9 comments total)

You neglected to mention that they're telling the story of Momotaro
posted by shii at 9:08 AM on August 24, 2011

Momotaro!!

This is bizarre.

That PRI link gave me a 404 btw.
posted by dubitable at 9:11 AM on August 24, 2011

This is really cool. Here is a fixed link to the PRI article.
posted by cosmac at 9:25 AM on August 24, 2011

Always thought "No Problem" was a Duke Jordan composition.

Anyway, this is great. Thanks!
posted by koeselitz at 9:26 AM on August 24, 2011

This is bizarre.

I agree that this is bizarre. I think the seeing the Japanese actress in the naked boy costume complete with rosy-colored genitals pop out of the giant peach and start to sing a Thelonius Monk song was when I first noticed the bizarreness.
posted by longsleeves at 10:07 AM on August 24, 2011 [1 favorite]

It is telling that upon reading the first word 'Japanese', my brain immediately read the next two words as 'Jizz Opera'. Exactly *what* it is telling.. is a mystery to me.
posted by FatherDagon at 10:42 AM on August 24, 2011

*what* it is telling.. is a mystery to me.

Check out dubitable's link a few posts up if you want to know the story it's based on. This is a famous Japanese folk tale, jazzed up a little here.
posted by longsleeves at 11:33 AM on August 24, 2011

I kinda love it. Donna Lee was great. Fables of Faubus captured Mingus' chaos very nicely.
posted by Jode at 1:11 PM on August 24, 2011

longsleeves: "Check out dubitable's link a few posts up if you want to know the story it's based on. This is a famous Japanese folk tale, jazzed up a little here."

Agreed! That link also contains this great gem: "The cowpie was sometimes given the honorific dono (殿). This was to appease the cowpie spirit, so as it won't move to be under you when you stumble or take a step."

This was a great find. Thanks, growabrain!
posted by narwhal bacon at 8:50 PM on August 24, 2011