As I listen to -Pia-no-jaC-’s Fujin Raijin (which translates to “God of Wind, God of Thunder”) there is a tremendous thunderstorm erupting outside my window. The entire sky flickering with lightning and thunder rumbling forth. At the same time, there are moments of respite where the only sound from outside is the soothing patter of rain. Very appropriate listening conditions, and they’re really making it clear how this album lives up to it’s title – explosive one moment and contemplative the next.
-Pia-no-jaC – is a two piece instrumental band featuring Hayato on Piano and Hiro on Cajon (a type of Peruvian hand-drum). Their bio describes their sound as “neither jazz nor classical” – and it’s true that they blend styles into an amalgamation of those genres.
Opening track ‘Typhoon’ really sums up the album. A brief jazz interlude introduces the song, coupled with rhythmic swells on Hiro’s Cajun. The tone of the sound shifts radically with a propulsive rhythm, first with handclaps, then with pounding drums. A heavy, thundering piano enters briefly, then shifts to a lighter jazz progression with a walking bassline. Through all of this the tone is of excitement, evoking the title of the song. A quiet interlude acts as the eye of the storm, soothing for a moment before the chaos begins again, more fierce than before, and builds the song to a rumbling conclusion. Pia-no-jaC-’s strength is in creating moods – each song is well suited to it’s title.
The more contemplative side of -Pia-no-jaC- is apparent during ‘The Cherry Blossoms In The Evening’ – it’s the slowest song on the album, and it creates an image of enjoying nature during a quiet evening. The tone of this song is similar to Air’s ‘Alone in Kyoto‘ and it’s perhaps the most haunting song on this album.
Hayato’s proficiency on the piano is especially impressive given that he is purportedly self-taught. He doesn’t yet have the technical chops (or the soul) of the great jazz players, but his fluidity when moving between styles is striking. I can’t help but feeling, however, that this album needs a stronger range of dynamics. I think that Hayato’s piano playing is full of soul, but the recording is over-compressed to the point that those dynamics lose their power. With few exceptions, it feels like every song is at maximum loudness. That works with plenty of pop and rock music, but piano is an instrument that depends on those dynamics for emotional power. If you’re listening to Fujin Raijin on computer speakers or earbuds on the go, this won’t be a concern, but if you’re an audiophile paying close attention it becomes noticeable.
That criticism aside, this is a great little album. If you’re a fan of instrumental piano music, this is a good pick, and even if you aren’t usually a fan of piano, it’s at least worth listening to the samples to see if they pique your interest.
Audio: Typhoon
-Pia-no-jaC- MySpace | Website
Buy Fujin Rajin at HearJapan
