Immerse yourself in jazz tonight
File.8 Yokosuka Younger Than Yesterday
Mayuko Niimura (Jazz Cafe Chigusa)
The Chigusa Award was established to discover outstanding young jazz musicians. A competition is held each time, and the winner is given the opportunity to produce an LP and a CD as a prize.
This marks the sixth time the award has been won, and it was this time that the winner was clarinetist Jun Miyawaki (26), from Yokosuka City.
At first glance, they seem like a cute young man, but as soon as they start playing, they burst with passion and a bouncy strength. The moment you gasp, the mellow, lustrous sound captures the hearts of the listeners and never lets go.
He has great technique, of course, but his music also expresses his deep emotions, which contrasts with his carefree appearance. It's no wonder he already has many fans.
After the LP and CD production, a live concert is held every year to celebrate the release of the album. Usually, the concert is held only once in the area around Yokohama Noge, but this year, since the winner is from Yokosuka, the concert was held at the live spot "Younger Than Yesterday" (commonly known as "YTY"), which is a place he has a connection with.
YTY has been a hub of Yokosuka culture since it opened in September 2001, and is a space where you can enjoy a variety of live performances regardless of genre. In a spacious space of over 100 seats, renovated from a former movie theater, you can not only relax and enjoy the live performance, but also enjoy drinks and meals.
Many live music venues have soundproofing issues and tend to be closed in. However, YTY is located on the fourth floor of a building with a nostalgic exterior, and is a former movie theater, so the lobby space is open. You can spend the time comfortably before the show starts.
Those who like retro interior design will love the cool interior that retains the atmosphere of the Showa era.
The owner, Shigeru Sasaki, was born and raised in Yokosuka and is a practicing dentist!
During Sasaki's childhood, the US still had a conscription system, and among the US military stationed in Yokosuka were cultural figures and musicians. It was in Yokosuka that he was exposed to authentic American music, and so he decided to enter the world of music himself.
The reason he opened YTY was that he was approached by an old friend, the building owner, about reusing the site of a former movie theater. He accepted the offer because he thought, "I want to create a place where music can come together!" He named it "Younger Than Yesterday" to express his desire to stay young no matter how old you are. Currently, many famous musicians perform here, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is one of Yokosuka's leading live music spots.
The members of this record release concert are young, in their 20s and early 30s, but they blended wonderfully with the retro, Yokosuka-ized space, and the word "cool!" is simply "cool!" Their talent is obvious if you listen to them in person, but combined with the atmosphere of YTY, it was a one-of-a-kind concert.
We may be in the Reiwa era now, but if you want to immerse yourself in the ska culture that has been passed down since the Showa era, be sure to visit YTY.
*For YTY live schedule, click here >> http://www.yty-jp.com/index.html
*Miyawaki Jun's album "SCENERY" is on sale now!
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