Japanese Sensation KYOTO JAZZ MASSIVE Comes to Musicology Barcaffè Sessions

Interview with Shuya Okino Ahead of the BitefArtCafe Concert

1. This will be your second appearance at Musicology Barcaffè Sessions. What made you want to return, and what do you remember most vividly about your first performance?

We wanted to return because the connection between the band members has grown much stronger over the past two years, and we believe that comes through in our live performance.

We also released a new record on June 24.

Last time was our very first live performance as Kyoto Jazz Massive, and it was truly unforgettable to see the surprise and excitement of people who had previously known us only as DJs.

2. You’ve always blurred the boundaries between jazz, house, broken beat and club culture. Do you think genres still matter, or are they becoming increasingly irrelevant?

Genres aren’t important to me. My mission is to absorb the essence of different kinds of music and transform it into something original, something of my own.

I believe that crossing genre boundaries is precisely what defines my originality. But I don’t do it consciously. It’s simply a natural process.

3. Jazz is often associated with listening, while club music is all about movement. Where do you think Kyoto Jazz Massive truly belongs?

At the moment, the live performances of Kyoto Jazz Massive, Vanessa Freeman and the Echoes of a New Dawn Orchestra are very much focused on the dance floor.

However, even those watching from their seats can experience much more than simply listening to music. The energy between the band members on stage is contagious.

4. You’ve witnessed several generations of electronic music. Is there something missing from today’s scene that existed when you were first starting out?

I think what’s missing is effort on the part of creators, as well as confidence in their own judgment on the part of audiences.

The musicians I grew up listening to embraced challenges and pushed boundaries through their music. It wasn’t just about the quality of their performances, but also the extraordinary quality of their compositions.To be honest, the thought that I might never reach that level sometimes makes me anxious. The countless masterpieces created in the past should, in theory, serve as inspiration for us as artists. Yet today, we’ve entered an era in which commercial creators can simply instruct artificial intelligence to compose songs using text prompts.

We must never overlook the effort involved in creating art, because effort, mistakes and the creative process itself are all integral parts of it.

Today, streaming numbers and large social media followings have become prerequisites for success, even though these figures can be easily manipulated.

Shouldn’t we place a little more trust in our own judgment?

5. If Kyoto Jazz Massive could leave the audience with just one thought after every concert not a melody, but a feeling or philosophy what would it be?

Hope.

Hope is the joy of being alive, the happiness we feel when sharing moments with friends, and a sense of solidarity that transcends national borders, generations and gender.

Through the music of Kyoto Jazz Massive, I want people to discover hope and find inspiration to approach life with a positive outlook.