Soil and Pimp Sessions

Soil and "Pimp" Sessions has to be one of the craziest names that i've heard of for any kind of musical group. And what's up with the quotes around the "Pimp"? I kept seeing this name pop up with nothing but good things associated to it, but because the name was so weird I was very skeptical. After a while I figured out that Soil and "Pimp" Sessions is a band of young Japanese jazz musicians consisting of 6 members: Shacho (agitator, spirit), Tabu zombie (trumpet), Motoharu (sax), Josei (piano), Akita Goldman (bass) and Midoryn (drums). I guess they hooked up in Tokyo around 2001 and have been rocking shows since then. At somepoint in the last few years Gilles Peterson found them and got them to be one of the first artists on the Brownswood label with the album "Pimp Master". The music is some high energy jazz soul fusion for the new millenium. I've heard it described as "Death Jazz" and "Punk Jazz" and "agressive alternative jazz" but to me the "Pimp Master" album is nothing but soulful. It's full of these amazing mellow, soulful tracks, but at the same time there are some really high engery songs that i've never heard anything like before. Some of my favorites are "Waltz for Goddess", "Low Life", "Wheel in a Wheel", and a really nice version of Branford Marsalis's "Mo Betta' Blues". Part of what amazes me the most is that this new soul and jazz/hip hop music (new music with an old soul) underground movement is a global one that transcends language and culture. So there is this old spirit that we are tapping into, but playing a big part in this is the new technology that allows us to crate the music and share it instantly through the net. But enough rambling. I've posted the "Waltz for Goddess" and "Wheel in a Wheel" tracks for your enjoyment.

Download:
Soil and "Pimp" Sessions - Wheel Within a Wheel
Soil and "Pimp" - Waltz for Goddess

You can check out a live performance and some vidoes too:
Soil and Pimp Sessions Live - Live
Soil and Pimp Sessions - "Summer Goddess" Video
Soil and Pimp - "Mashiroke" Video