toropano
Tak Arikushi the Japanese Gypsy. Jazz night at "Drom Taberna", Toronto.
Tak Arikushi plays Gypsy-jazz music with a Japanese twist: he fuses the red-hot swing rhythms of Django Reinhardt with rhapsodic Japanese melodies both traditional and contemporary. The music is an exploration of the crossroads of American jazz and Japanese culture, and the historic exchange between the two. His accolades include sharing the stage with Gypsy-jazz giant Stephane Wrembel, a concert I also attended. Inventive arrangements with the acoustic string-swing instrumentation are played with virtuosity and passion for a sound that will have you tapping your toe and simultaneously contemplating zen. I am not sure, if this is the best photo of Tak I have, but it's certainly the latest from a jam session at the Drom's 'Swing Tuesday'. Here he is on the stage with Gabriel- clarinet, Max- bass and Matt Smith- trumpet. Tak is at these sessions quite often and his duels with other guitarists are a real treat. Tak usually plays Gitane guitar (John Jorgenson), but on this occasion he brought his Ibanez.
422. Drom; Taken 2024-Aug 27. P1190088; Upload 2025-Apr 28.
Tak Arikushi the Japanese Gypsy. Jazz night at "Drom Taberna", Toronto.
Tak Arikushi plays Gypsy-jazz music with a Japanese twist: he fuses the red-hot swing rhythms of Django Reinhardt with rhapsodic Japanese melodies both traditional and contemporary. The music is an exploration of the crossroads of American jazz and Japanese culture, and the historic exchange between the two. His accolades include sharing the stage with Gypsy-jazz giant Stephane Wrembel, a concert I also attended. Inventive arrangements with the acoustic string-swing instrumentation are played with virtuosity and passion for a sound that will have you tapping your toe and simultaneously contemplating zen. I am not sure, if this is the best photo of Tak I have, but it's certainly the latest from a jam session at the Drom's 'Swing Tuesday'. Here he is on the stage with Gabriel- clarinet, Max- bass and Matt Smith- trumpet. Tak is at these sessions quite often and his duels with other guitarists are a real treat. Tak usually plays Gitane guitar (John Jorgenson), but on this occasion he brought his Ibanez.
422. Drom; Taken 2024-Aug 27. P1190088; Upload 2025-Apr 28.