Immerse yourself in jazz tonight too
File.4 Bill Evans “Waltz for Debbie”
(Mayuko Niimura/Jazz Cafe Chigusa)
Chigusa's cafe opens from 12:00 noon. I'm able to prepare for the store's opening in the afternoon, but I sometimes go early in the morning because I want to have the store all to myself.
It's gotten noticeably colder lately, so the mornings in Noge smell like winter. The downtown area was cold and quiet, belying the heat of last night, and there weren't many people around. Looking at the pile of empty liquor bottles and towels waiting to be collected on the street, I thought to myself, ``Last night was a great and drunken night,'' while brewing coffee with a siphon. I haven't put on a record yet because I like the sound of the coffee rising into the glass funnel and making a sloshing sound. When the siphon settles down and the aroma of coffee spreads through the store, I turn on the audio.
* Extra large speaker located inside Chigusa store
The first record I play is always the one with the piano as the main character. Mamoru Yoshida “Oyaji” loved the piano. Especially Bill Evans' ``Waltz for Debbie.''
Chigusa's oversized speakers are designed to allow the piano trio to be heard clearly. The tweeter is in a good mood when the emotional and delicate tone of the piano, especially the high notes, resonates beautifully. I'm confident that things are going well today, and I say, ``Yes, it sounds great!'' and give the 50-year-old speakers a huff. When I listen to this song, I suddenly remember something.
When I was a student in the early 2000s, the number of jazz cafes was already decreasing, and they didn't have the ``60s and 70s momentum'' that people heard about. Still, there remained a few stores that still had cave-like interiors where you could listen to jazz at high volume. I personally don't know when jazz cafes were at their peak, but I thought that the underground atmosphere that ignored commercial aspects was "cool!" and the jazz cafes continued to operate without losing their unique style that existed in Shibuya, Shinjuku, Jimbocho, etc. I was going to a cafe. At first, I didn't really understand the rules, and there were no requests for songs... Thinking back on it now, I'm surprised that the door was often opened to such an extent.
The first successful request was for JAZZ@GROOVE in Dogenzaka, Shibuya. It was a store that let you listen to music at high volume using Altec speakers. The record is Bill Evans' ``Waltz for Debbie''. Recorded in 1961 when the Bill Evans First Trio performed live at the Village Vanguard in New York.
By the way, Evans participated in Miles Davis' ``Kind of Blue'' (released in 1959). It is the best-selling album in jazz history, and is a legendary album that established a new performance technique called mode jazz. ``Waltz for Debbie'' was the album that the trio recorded for the first time two years later, and it was ranked number one on Swing Journal's Top 100 as a masterpiece in jazz history.
Now, what is it like to listen to such a masterpiece at high volume? I requested it with high expectations, but to be honest, I was a little confused as the intense sound baptized my body. The album has a cold impression with its high-pitched melodies throughout, and the already tense sound makes the atmosphere inside the store even more tense. I have no choice but to learn from those around me, pretend to be smart, wrinkle my brows, and listen.
However, the second song, ``Waltz for Debbie,'' which is also the album's title, loosened the wrinkles between his eyebrows a little. This song, written in celebration of my niece Debbie's third birthday, has a fun and beautiful tone that sounds like water droplets bouncing on the surface of water. I imagined a cute three-year-old girl innocently dancing to a waltz that her uncle had made, and my heart felt a little lighter.
There were three songs on one side, and it was about 20 minutes long, but the first request, the tension caused by the cold melody of the loud piano, and then the slight relief...it felt extremely long.
Before I knew it, I stopped going to jazz cafes, and JAZZ@GROOVE closed down. Due to his busy schedule, he had become used to cafes where delicious coffee was served quickly, and he no longer had time to enjoy the sounds at jazz cafes. However, life is interesting, and before you know it, you end up in Noge and work as a staff member at Chigusa. I never dreamed that the day would come when I would be sitting at the counter of a long-established jazz cafe.
*Evans autographed portrait
A little earlier in the morning than usual, I came to Chigusa and listened to ``Waltz for Debbie.'' The songs that once felt cold now sound like they have a warm feeling that inspires the audio equipment that is Chigusa's breadwinner. However, although I wouldn't go so far as to say it was traumatic, I was a little nervous when I heard the beginning. It's not as bad as when I used to stretch out and go to jazz cafes.
Noge's morning passes slowly as he remembers everything. It's almost time for the store to open and the regulars to arrive.
