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by Don Crispy
Pacific High
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Spacetime
Continuum, a.k.a. Jonah Sharp
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US club culture from opposite coasts and ends of the musical
dial will provide a glimpse of the New York and San Francisco
scenes in two events next Friday at Milk and Air. Meanwhile,
the resurgent UK hip-hop scene is the focus of an event at
Module.
While last week's column introduced a new event being
staged by a recently established American promoter with roots
in Detroit techno, ArcTokyo, this week we turn to San Francisco's
club scene.
New Tokyo transplant Aeon Karris of San Francisco's Proto
Tracks electronica CD subscription series is staging Pacific
High to promote what she says is the excellent but little-known
San Francisco techno scene. For the event at Milk in Ebisu,
she has booked one of the city's most influential ambient
and experimental techno artists.
Spacetime Continuum, a.k.a. Jonah Sharp, was one of the prime
movers in San Francisco's '90s rave scene, first
getting heads nodding to the release of 1994's Flourescence
on his Reflective Records imprint. The record became an instant
ambient classic and heralded a new era of intelligent techno
from the blissed out city on the West Coast. Sharp has since
gone on to work with some of electronica's signature
artists, including Carl Craig, Matthew Herbert and Mixmaster
Morris.
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| Groove Collective |
In an attempt at a “fusion of the hip-hop crews and
technoheads in Tokyo,” the gig will pair Jonah's
laptop wizardry with the human beatbox skills of US rapper
Radioactive. Recently featured in the documentary film “Freestyle:
The Art of Rhyme,” Radioactive has also been seen on
MTV in the acclaimed single, “Rock The Nation.”
The rapper is known for crossing genres, equally comfortable
in his native hip-hop context as he is with artists in the
jam band and electronica scenes.
With local DJs Kan Takagi and Khuv providing support, Pacific
High's hip-hop-meets-techno exploration should prove
an interesting contrast to this weekend's jazz-saxophone-meets-Detroit-techno
outing staged by ArcTokyo...
Turning from San Francisco to New York, and from Ebisu to
nearby Daikanyama, Groove Kitchen's excellent Nuphoria
series welcomes New York jam-jazz-funk outfit Groove Collective
for its upcoming event at Air.
Formed in downtown New York in 1990 by flutist Richard Worth,
DJ Smash and rapper Nappy G, Groove Collective had expanded
to an 11-piece by the time it issued its self-titled debut
album in 1993. Going on to work with the likes of James Brown
and Erykah Badu, the group has also been a staple at New York's
nomadic dance club Giant Steps.
At Air they are joined by Nuphoria resident DJ Marshall, with
esteemed guests, Tokyo-based house DJs Alex from Tokyo and
Kenji Hasegawa. Live painting by Ponzi and a dance performance
by Ryang Sil will fill out the evening...
Finally, at Module, Lowlife Records, which has been at the
forefront of the recent resurgence in UK hip-hop, is hosting
an event featuring Lowlife resident DJ Tuco and a number of
Tokyo hip-hop DJs. Says promoter and DJ, Tokyo's Ben
Faulkner, a.k.a. Soul Assassin: “We rarely have any UK
hip-hop DJs here in Tokyo, so showcasing Tuco and Lowlife
is a great way of opening peoples' ears and eyes to this
new sound.”
Pacific High@Milk, 11/29, 10pm, ¥3,000
(adv), ¥3,500 (door). Tel: 5458-2826. www.milk-tokyo.com
Nuphoria@ Air, 11/29, 9pm, ¥3,500. Tel: 5784-3386. www.cep-tv.net
Livin' Proof@Module, 11/29, 10pm, ¥2500 w/1d or
¥2000 + flyer w1/d. Tel: 3462-8432. www.clubmodule.com
Jonah Sharp credit: Proto
Tracks
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