Sanding out the roughness of my mind with some good tunes.

Here we are ladies and gents! Holidays have arrived and the great cheer is in full effect. Finally, my head can now rest, and there isn't a better way to do it than to read a fine book with some smooth melody playing in my ears. A Murakami Haruki sure is a safe bet for a fine book, and for some smooth melody none other than Uyama Hiroto comes quicker to my mind.

Mr. Hiroto is a Japanese DJ and hip hop music producer whose style reflects a heavy influence from jazz. If there was a genre that would define his style in one word, it'd be Nu Jazz. Now I don't know anything about Nu Jazz, yet, so I'll stop my commentary on the genre right here before I say something hysterically illogical. On with Uyama Hiroto.

I don't listen to hip hop. At all. But this one's a definite keeper even for me. Hiroto's melodies, flying freely above, have a distinct form and style to them that you can only glean by listening to them. Here's 81 Summer. 

and Stratus 

Unlike many so called DJs and hip hop producers, the ingredients that Hiroto puts into his music are all critical elements that make up the overall sound. Nothing goes to waste. Hiroto structures his songs so that if even the most unnoticeable section of the song is missing, it would bring down the balance of
the music.

However, what really draws me to this artist like a moth to flames is his jazz influence, evidently expressed in this song, Waltz for Life Will Born. 

The best of all is that Uyama Hiroto's ability to fuse various styles together into a unique piece of music is just uncanny. Like this next one, Ribbon in the Sea. 

This sort of music I really enjoy listening to, because you can't categorize something like this. This piece can stand by its own, and not called as something definitive so easily. I like that. A song that has character, a personality. It's really hard to find something like that these days, but Uyama Hiroto has gifted us generously with his own cache of rare genius.

Before going back to my reading and relaxing time, I'd like to say that it's good to be back on the blog. Sorry if you guys missed me, I just couldn't muster the time to do it. You'll certainly see me more frequently now, so stay tuned! I'll be back tomorrow. On that note, I shall leave you with a couple more of my Uyama Hiroto favorites.