ドミニクのコットンクラブ公演決定！(Dominic's shows at Cotton Club TOKYO confirmed!)
ドミニクの5年ぶりの来日が決定しました！過去にもライブをやっている、ドミニクがお気に入りの東京・丸の内のコットン・クラブで3日間です。 日程は4月19日(金)、4月20日(土)、4月21日(日）。それぞれ2公演で、計6公演です。 Dominic is coming to Japan for the first time in five years! It's a three-day show at Dominic's favourite venue, the Cotton Club in Marunouchi, Tokyo. The dates are Friday 19, Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 April. Two shows each day, six shows in total.
だから本当に本当に「待ってました！」という感じです。このアルバム『Vagabond』は2023年の4月21日にリリースされ、私はその後、2023年の5月、ハンブルグでドミニクのライブを見ていますが、その時はこの『Vagabond』の中からは「Cruel But Fair」の1曲しかやらなかった記憶があります。 下の写真はその直前にあった、ドミニクのポーランド・ワルシャワの名門JAZZクラブ「Club Jassmine」でのライブのセットリストです。
ここにもこの『Vagabond』からは「All Chage」と「Cruel But Fair」の2曲しかありません。そして、11月の頭のドイツ・レバークーゼンのライブでは1曲もやりませんでした。だから、本当にこのアルバム『Vagabond』のほとんどが3月末から始まるヨーロッパからのこのツアーで初めてお披露目される事になると思います。
ドミニクのECMからリリースされた3作品、特に『Absinthe』と『Vagabond』は美しいだけでなく、非常に深い哲学的なテーマを含んだ作品だと思います。 『Vagabond』に関しては、その「動」と「静」のコントラスト、そして「Cruel But Fair」、「Mi Viejo」という親しい人を亡くした哀悼の気持ちが込められた曲もある為、個人的に「永遠ではないもの」や「儚いもの」へのドミニクの愛情や「時の流れ」といったものを強く感じる作品です。シンプルさを突き詰めた、比較的静かな曲の数々が、ライブで実際にどのように演奏されるのか、本当に楽しみです。
ジェイソン・リベロはドミニクと同じ、ギルドホール音楽演劇学校でクラシックを学んだ人です。 彼はあのケニー・カークランドの死後、スティングのキーボードとして、「Brand New Day 」(1999)、「...All This Time」(2001）、「Sacred Love」(2003)の3作とツアーに参加してドミニクとは一緒に長い活動歴があります。ですから息の合った演奏を聞かせてくれると思います。彼は他にも、フィル・コリンズ、ピーター・ガブリエル、マヌ・カチェとも仕事をしているドミニクの長い仲間の一人です。
Jason Rebello - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (Live Performance)
スティングの代表曲をピアノソロで
そして、ジェイソンと言えばなんと言ってもジェフ・ベックとの活動を思い浮かべる方も多いのではないでしょうか？ジェフの素晴らしいライブとして記憶に残る、「Live at Ronnie Scott's 」ではジェイソンがキーボードを弾いています。もしジェイソンを知らない方がいたら、是非この時の動画を見て下さい。今回彼がいるのでひょっとしたらまたジェフの曲もやる可能性もあるかもしれないですね！
4.19 (Fri), 4.20 (Sat), 4.21 (Sun) COTTON CLUB Tokyo
Dominic's first visit to Japan in five years was announced. I'm very happy! He's finally coming! When Sting came to Japan in March 2023, he said he wanted to come to Japan with his band at the end of the year if possible, so when I met him later in May in Germany, I asked him, "Can you come at the end of the year?" He said, "I would like to go, but I don't know yet. Sorry, I hope you'll waiting." He said. But it turned out to be difficult on the way and I couldn't come in 2023 after all.
So it's really, really, I feel like "I've been waiting for this! The album ”Vagabond” was released on 21 April 2023 and then I saw Dominic live in Hamburg in May 2023 and I'm sure he only played one song from this Vagabond, 'Cruel But Fair'.
Below is the setlist from Dominic's live performance at Club Jassmine, a prestigious Jazz club in Warsaw, Poland, which took place just prior to the event.
Only two songs from "Vagabond" there - 'All Chage' and 'Cruel But Fair'. And in Leverkusen, Germany at the beginning of November, they did not play any songs from "Vagabond". So I think the tour that starts at the end of March will be the first time that a lot of the songs from the "Vagabond" album will be played.
Dominic's three albums for ECM, especially "Absinthe" and "Vagabond" are not only beautiful but also contain very deep philosophical themes. The overall impression of "Vagabond" is one of contrast between 'movement' and 'stillness', while 'Cruel But Fair' and 'Mi Viejo' express Dominic's grief at the loss of someone close to him, so I personally feel strongly Dominic's deep love for 'things that are not eternal' and 'things that are ephemeral' and the 'passage of time'.
I'm really looking forward to seeing how these relatively quiet songs, which are all about simplicity, will actually perform at live.
Pianist Jason Rebello
Maybe you saw this setlist at Club Jassmine and thought: "What's that song?" Yes, Dominic played Jeff Beck's 'Diamond Dust' in memory of his beloved Jeff Beck, who died in January 2023. I was really happy to hear this, as I had wanted to hear Dominic play a Jeff Beck song for many years. However, he has not played this song since.
Unfortunately, Sweden's Jacob Karlzon, who played piano on the recording of "Vagabond", will not be coming to Japan this time. In Japan, the piano will not be played by Jacob, but by the famous British keyboardist Jason Rebello.
Jason Rebello studied classical music at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where Dominic also studied. He played keyboards for Sting after the death of Kenny Kirkland on "Brand New Day" (1999), "...All This Time" (2001) and "Sacred Love" (2003) and has toured with Dominic for a long time. So I'm sure you'll hear us playing in perfect harmony. He is also one of Dominic's long-time colleagues, having worked with Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel and Manu Kache.
Sting - Coming Home
Jason does a great piano solo from about 4:30 onwards. Dominic's guitar is of course excellent.
Jason Rebello - Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic (Live Performance)
Jason's solo piano performance of Sting's most popular songs.
And when it comes to Jason, many people probably think of his work with Jeff Beck. Jason plays keyboards on 'Live at RonnieScott's', which is remembered as one of Jeff's great gigs. If you don't know him, I would encourage you to watch this video. This tour is with Jason, so maybe there is a chance that we will do some of Jeff's songs again!
On the other hand, I am personally a little disappointed that Jacob Karlzon cannot come to Japan. I wanted people in Japan to hear his wonderful piano playing. However, Jacob himself seems to want to go to Japan with his own band as soon as possible, so let's hope for the best.
Anyway, I can't wait for April. I look forward to seeing you all at the 'Meeting Point' - Dominic's live venue.
■ Dominic Miller Live at COTTON CLUB
■4.19(fri) [1st.show] open 5:00pm / start 6:00pm [2nd.show] open 7:30pm / start 8:30pm
■4.20(sat), 4.21(sun) [1st.show] open 3:00pm / start 4:00pm [2nd.show] open 5:30pm / start 6:30pm
