The world is watching! Composer Miho Hasama jazz x classical new ground February 3 19:53

The Grammy Awards, the highest honor in American music, were announced last month. One of the nominated works was a noteworthy jazz composer. Miho Hazama (33) is based in New York. Listening to the song, there are elements of both jazz and classical music, and while it is difficult to categorize the genre, melody that everyone can easily enjoy is repeated, making it a familiar song. How did you get to your current style? What kind of activities do you want to do in the future? We talked to Mr. Hasama.
(Science and Culture Department reporter Chihiro Iijima)

Unexpected "Grammy" nomination!

Nominated for the Grammy Award, Dancer in Nowhere. This is the third album that I announced. Mr. Hasama was first nominated for the "Large Jazz Ensemble Album" category for this work.

It is the first time in nine years that a Japanese nomination has been nominated in the jazz category since the jazz pianist Hiromi Uehara was nominated and awarded in 2011.

Mr. Hazama was in Denmark without knowing the date of the nomination. During the meeting, the mobile phone suddenly ringed, and after seeing a large number of messages from friends, he knew that he had been nominated.

(Miho Hasama)
"At first it was my first impression that I was really surprised, but I was surprised anyway. The fact that what I continued was gradually becoming fruitful or catching more people's eyes and ears But I'm just happy. ''

It's jazz but with stringed instruments

The orchestra “m_unit” led by Hasama-san is playing the songs included in this album. Since it's a jazz orchestra, it's composed of alto saxophones, drums, pianos and other instruments that are essential for jazz performances.

Also includes string instruments that are not used for jazz, such as violin and viola. According to Mr. Hasama, the use of stringed instruments makes the song thicker.

(Miho Hasama)
"I'm fascinated by the complexity of mixing the sounds that can only be produced by the orchestra, and the depth of the sound created by the" wood elements "that are unique to stringed instruments. I am responsible for it. "

Such music is recognized around the world, and in 2016, it was selected by Asia's music magazine "DOWNBEAT" as the only 25 Asian jazz artist to be named "25 Jazz Artists for the Future".

How did you choose the composer's path?

How has Mr. Hasama's unique musicality been cultivated?

Mr. Hasama, who started attending a music school at the age of three. My family loved music, so I was familiar with not only classical and jazz music, but also choral music and TV drama BGM.

When he was in elementary school, he played orchestral songs with electric tones, and listened to songs he liked as much as he could sing with Doremi.

He told his passion that he chose the path of a composer, not a performer, in a life surrounded by such music because of the NHK taiga drama "Hideyoshi" that he saw at the time.

(Miho Hasama)
"I loved Japanese history and I was really into the taiga drama, and once a week I was touching the long-awaited composer's orchestra music. How can the orchestra play for each scene? I thought it was a dream, even if it was a luxury. I hope that one day I could compose the main theme of the taiga drama. "

At university, I went to the Kunitachi College of Music, majoring in classical composition to study composition, but I met jazz at this time.

(Miho Hasama)
"I got into a big band that happened to be a circle. It was a welcome concert for new students, and it was really cool, and I joined as if I was just sucking in. I was improvised. Even though I hadn't had it before, I practiced by imitating, and I realized that the piece I was playing there might be the closest to the music I wanted to make. ''

Complex rhythm fused with melodies that can be enjoyed easily

What I keep in mind when composing is "giving meaning to the sound."

He says he sometimes draws inspiration from the characteristics of the performer, or finds concepts from numbers and figures to create scales and rhythms.

These ideas combine the complex rhythms of jazz with melodies that anyone can easily enjoy, resulting in cool and friendly songs.

(Miho Hasama)
"I'm shocked that both teachers of classical composition, who studied at college for four years, and those who studied jazz in New York, who studied abroad, pointed out the same thing as" You, what does this sound mean? " And since then, I've been writing songs while considering the significance of writing sound and the responsibility for sound. "

Providing “rhythmic songs” to orchestras

The original music was also evaluated by the orchestra, and last month he provided music to the “Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa”. Mr. Hasama visited Kanazawa and attended a rehearsal and a live performance.

An orchestra who usually plays classical music plays jazz rhythmic and bright songs. This is the so-called “symphonic jazz” style.

The song title is "Nanbo Oath". The subject is a Christian daimyo who lived in Kanazawa and Ukon Takayama.

In order to express the religious element of the Christian daimyo, in addition to the melody reminiscent of the hymns, the sound of the church bell is played with the musical instrument "chime" familiar with "NHK throat pride".

“My music is difficult to categorize”

Hasama says that it is difficult to categorize his music. I want to make music that can be enjoyed regardless of the genre.

(Miho Hasama)
"The big goal is to be a bridge with the orchestra. We work to provide new discoveries to our customers through jazz music played by orchestras or music using jazzy elements. want to go"

A place for further expansion

Currently, Mr. Hasama is further expanding his field of activities, including being the principal conductor of a long-established big band in Denmark and collaborating with his orchestra “m_unit” and principals of the New York City Ballet.

This time, he missed the Grammy Award, but at a press conference afterwards, Mr. Hazama stated his enthusiasm: "Nominations are only a passing point, so we will continue our efforts to make good works with our best efforts." I'm really looking forward to listening to songs in various situations in the future.

Chihiro Iijima, Reporter, Science and Culture Department