PE'Z
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese jazz
instrumental band consisting of five men, dubbed "The Samurai Jazz Band." They have been signed onto Sony Music Japan since 2008.
in the center of Tokyo
during the summer of 2000. Word of mouth spread quickly and they began pulling in large crowds which sometimes totaled up to 600.
In just three years, this small band has played in ten big outdoor music festivals all over Japan, including Newport Jazz Festival
'02 in Madaro, Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival
2002 in Shizuoka, and Rising Sun Rock Festival
in Hokkaido. In September 2002 their first full album, KUGATSU NO SOLA (September Sky) was released. They ranked at No.10 on the billboard which was an outstanding result for an instrumental band. In March 2003 they received an award for New Artist Of The Year at the 17th annual Japan Gold Disc Awards.
In August 2003 they participated in the re-mix's of a famous Japanese duo called CHEMISTRY's 8th single "Ashita E Kaeru/Us" ("Return to Tomorrow").
And also, HZM went to Shiina Ringo
's nationwide tour as a keyboard player of her backing band.
In 2004, he joined Shiina Ringo's new band "Tokyo Jihen
" as the member of PE'Z, but eventually left Tokyo Jihen to focus his attention back to PE'Z in the next year.
He has since released a Solo Album entitled "5+2=11" under the moniker H Zett M.
On October 2005 PE'Z performed at UK's In The City
along with fellow Japanese artists DMBQ
and The Rodeo Carburettor
. The five followed that with numerous performances in Europe (including a street-live in Amsterdam). 2006 has been a busy year for the band as they participated in both Canadian Music Week
(CMW) and South by Southwest
(SXSW), managing to drop a live performance in Korea in between. Their gig at SXSW was subsequently followed with their first-ever US tour, performing at New York
, Cambridge
, Philadelphia, Chicago
, Denver, Seattle, Portland
, San Francisco and Los Angeles
.
PE'Z is also noted for performing with Cyndi Lauper
in a TV program.
Other accomplishments include the song "Boomerang Boogie", which is the theme song for the Anime series, "Gad Guard
".
In September 2006, Pe'z released a 3 track EP with the British soul singer Nate James, featuring an original track, "Live for the Groove," a reworked Nate James track, "Universal," and a cover of "Hard to Handle
" by Otis Redding
. They released their newest LP, a 32-track double cd entitled "Funny Day & Hard Night" on 3/25/2007. This was followed by a second Realive DVD, which featured the band playing an outdoor Venue, with two sets which followed the Day/Night themes of the double CD, with the first played roughly at sundown and the second at night, with house and LED lighting.
In 2007, they collaborated with suzumoku and founded pe'zmoku.
In 2007, they exhibited on Web the video by which their fated encounter was reproduced.
And they showed "pe'zmoku" suddenly in an encore of annual PE'Z special LIVE "EN-MUSUBI" for the first time at the end of the year.
In 2008, they started in earnest. Following a brief disappearance by suzumoku, impromptu cancellations of several concerts were forced on the band in March of 2009. As of October 2009 the band is on an indefinite hiatus.
They sang the ending theme "Gallop" for the anime Bleach
, and the ending theme "Ano Kaze ni Notte" for the anime "Valkyria Chronicles
"
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
instrumental band consisting of five men, dubbed "The Samurai Jazz Band." They have been signed onto Sony Music Japan since 2008.
Members
- Ohyama "B.M.W" Wataru, born in Kanagawa, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Kadota "Jaw" Kouske, born in Ehime, saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
- Nirehara Masahiro, born in NiigataNiigata, Niigatais the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....
, double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2... - Kou, born in TokyoTokyo, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Hiizumi "HZM" Masayuki, born in KobeKobe, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
& vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
History
PE'Z began their music careers playing live on the streets of ShibuyaShibuya, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it has an estimated population of 208,371 and a population density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km²....
in the center of Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
during the summer of 2000. Word of mouth spread quickly and they began pulling in large crowds which sometimes totaled up to 600.
In just three years, this small band has played in ten big outdoor music festivals all over Japan, including Newport Jazz Festival
Newport Jazz Festival
The Newport Jazz Festival is a music festival held every summer in Newport, Rhode Island, USA. It was established in 1954 by socialite Elaine Lorillard, who, together with husband Louis Lorillard, financed the festival for many years. The couple hired jazz impresario George Wein to organize the...
'02 in Madaro, Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival
Mt. Fuji Jazz Festival
Mount Fuji Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival held in August in the Lake Yamanaka area, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. The three-day festival features musicians from Blue Note Records and other, performing on different stages. 1986 - 1996...
2002 in Shizuoka, and Rising Sun Rock Festival
Rising Sun Rock Festival
Rising Sun Rock Festival is an annual rock festival held in Ishikari, Hokkaido, Japan. The two-day event is organized by WESS. The festival sells itself as "A True Rock Festival", referring to the fact that only Japanese artists perform at this event...
in Hokkaido. In September 2002 their first full album, KUGATSU NO SOLA (September Sky) was released. They ranked at No.10 on the billboard which was an outstanding result for an instrumental band. In March 2003 they received an award for New Artist Of The Year at the 17th annual Japan Gold Disc Awards.
In August 2003 they participated in the re-mix's of a famous Japanese duo called CHEMISTRY's 8th single "Ashita E Kaeru/Us" ("Return to Tomorrow").
And also, HZM went to Shiina Ringo
Shiina Ringo
, known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer-songwriter, music composer and music producer. She is also the founder and lead vocalist of the band Tokyo Jihen.She describes herself as ""....
's nationwide tour as a keyboard player of her backing band.
In 2004, he joined Shiina Ringo's new band "Tokyo Jihen
Tokyo Jihen
is a Japanese band started by , after leaving her solo career. The band's debut single Gunjo Biyori was released in September 2004.- Origins:...
" as the member of PE'Z, but eventually left Tokyo Jihen to focus his attention back to PE'Z in the next year.
He has since released a Solo Album entitled "5+2=11" under the moniker H Zett M.
On October 2005 PE'Z performed at UK's In The City
In The City (festival)
In The City is an annual music industry conference and festival founded by the late Tony Wilson, formerly of Factory Records and Granada Television, and his partner Yvette Livesey....
along with fellow Japanese artists DMBQ
DMBQ
DMBQ is a Japanese rock band from Tokyo, whose name stands for Dynamite Masters Blues Quartet. They are heavily influenced by British and American rock music of the early 1970s, especially bands such as The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Deep Purple, and Led Zeppelin.Shinji Masuko is a well-known...
and The Rodeo Carburettor
The Rodeo Carburettor
The Rodeo Carburettor is a three-piece Japanese Rock band that formed in 2001. The band is well-known for their live performances that blows the audience away with crazy guitar riffs, howling distortion noises and speedy, sharp lyrics...
. The five followed that with numerous performances in Europe (including a street-live in Amsterdam). 2006 has been a busy year for the band as they participated in both Canadian Music Week
Canadian Music Week
Canadian Music Week is an industry conference and music festival held over four days in various venues throughout Toronto, Ontario, Canada.-History:...
(CMW) and South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
(SXSW), managing to drop a live performance in Korea in between. Their gig at SXSW was subsequently followed with their first-ever US tour, performing at New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, Philadelphia, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Denver, Seattle, Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, San Francisco and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
PE'Z is also noted for performing with Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
in a TV program.
Other accomplishments include the song "Boomerang Boogie", which is the theme song for the Anime series, "Gad Guard
Gad Guard
is a 26-episode anime television series directed by Hiroshi Nishikiori and produced by Gonzo, which was broadcast across Japan by the anime satellite television network, Animax, and the terrestrial Fuji Television network. It has been licensed for North American distribution by Geneon...
".
In September 2006, Pe'z released a 3 track EP with the British soul singer Nate James, featuring an original track, "Live for the Groove," a reworked Nate James track, "Universal," and a cover of "Hard to Handle
Hard to Handle (song)
"Hard to Handle" is a 1968 song originally recorded by Otis Redding and written by Redding, Al Bell and Allen Jones. It was released posthumously after Redding's death in 1967 on the album The Immortal Otis Redding...
" by Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
. They released their newest LP, a 32-track double cd entitled "Funny Day & Hard Night" on 3/25/2007. This was followed by a second Realive DVD, which featured the band playing an outdoor Venue, with two sets which followed the Day/Night themes of the double CD, with the first played roughly at sundown and the second at night, with house and LED lighting.
In 2007, they collaborated with suzumoku and founded pe'zmoku.
pe'zmoku
pe'zmoku is the unit which "PE'Z" formed with the alternative folk singer "suzumoku".In 2007, they exhibited on Web the video by which their fated encounter was reproduced.
And they showed "pe'zmoku" suddenly in an encore of annual PE'Z special LIVE "EN-MUSUBI" for the first time at the end of the year.
In 2008, they started in earnest. Following a brief disappearance by suzumoku, impromptu cancellations of several concerts were forced on the band in March of 2009. As of October 2009 the band is on an indefinite hiatus.
They sang the ending theme "Gallop" for the anime Bleach
Bleach (manga)
is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Noriaki "Tite" Kubo. Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki after he obtains the powers of a —a death personification similar to the Grim Reaper—from another Soul Reaper, Rukia Kuchiki...
, and the ending theme "Ano Kaze ni Notte" for the anime "Valkyria Chronicles
Valkyria Chronicles
is a tactical role-playing game developed and published by Sega for the PlayStation 3. The game was released in 2008.The game is set in Europa, loosely based on Europe in 1935...
"