Japan Live House

JApan Live House 2025: The recording tour II

We recorded lots of shows, so check back often as they will be getting posted over the next week. Shows are not currently in date order, but will be once posting is completed.

Shows from Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefectures –  videoS Coming MARCH

This time around I took a few added items to record with, as I knew in advance I was not going to get line feeds. These show were audio recorded using a Zoom H6 recorder with it’s built-in omni microphones, plus a pair of Lewitt pencil microphones. I also mixed in the audo feed from the low end Zoom video recorder I took. Imagery on the Zoom in dark ioncert lighting was terrible, but the built-in microphones were excellent.

These shows cover Acosutic Rock, Alt Rock, Acoustic Pop Rock, and Blues Rock this time.

MINORU PHON & YUKO – JR FUNABASHI STATION STREET MUSIC FESTIVAL, Tokyo – OCTOBER 18, 2025

Here’s another great performer I met through friend Gaku Torii at his former live house Soul Kitchen, when I was on tour with Gregory Page. Unfortunalety, I don’t get to connect with Minoru everytime I go back. But this time around I got to see two of his shows.

On this show you might hear a animatronic clock tower ringing out with some animation. It was really loud and even Minoru made comment during the performance. As it being outdoors not only was there a clock going off, but the wind picked up and was so harsh the windscreens I was using were useless. Though, the wind is less noticable after I did some removal in Izotope RX.

MINORU & YUKO Set List

1. 1. Festival host introduction
   2. Cooking March
   3. Make it a Slow Boogie
   4. LIFE IS MUSIC – The Sound God Descends –
   5. Lullaby of the Generation

MINORU PHON – CAFE SALONGO, CHUO, Tokyo – OCTOBER 25, 2025

Minoru “Loop Magic” Phon filled Cafe Salongo this night with infectious energy. He even told a story about how we met.

MINORU PHON Set List

1. 1. Intro + 素敵な未来？[A Wonderful Future?]
   2. テレホンシンドローム [Telephone Syndrome]
   3. 同じ時代〜時は旅人 [Same Era – Time is a Traveler]
   4. Tokiwa Tabibito
   5. Minoru’s story about Ted from New York
   6. ラーメンライダー [Ramen Rider]
   7. LIFE IS MUSIC – [The Sound God Descends -]
   8. 世代のララバイ [Lullaby of the Generation]
   9. Encore: アンコール曲は 井上陽水 「夢の中へ」[Yume no Naka e] (Yosui Inoue cover)*
      * 1st vocal & guitar [female] – Kiyoka  / 2nd vocal & guitar – Oshida Taro  / 3rd guitar & vocal –  / vocal & guitar – Minoru / Bongos – Pepper Babe

YOZI FZ – Live At BILLY’S BAR GOLD STAR, Shimo Igusa, Tokyo – OCTOBER 24, 2025

Wouldn’t be a trip to Tokyo, unless I got to hang out with Yozi and catch a few of his live shows. He also performs with acoustic duo 鳥井賀句G&Y and Hallucionz. I did not get to see Hallucioz this time around but did get to see G&Y, which I also recorded.

Big thanks to Yoji (Yozi) for accompanying me on the bus and to the club on that rainy night to make sure I made it. And a bigger shoutout to friend Takashi Ito for getting me from the bus in Shimo Igusa to the train station to where he was headed. Finally got to hang out with Takashi to drink, instead of just watching him perform

Yozi Fz Set List

1. 1. Yozi Fz greetings
   2. I’m Waiting for the Man (The Velvet Underground cover)
   3. A Day of the Dog
   4. Pig and Pearl
   5. Spider in the Night
   6. Arcadia
   7. The Corpse Town
   8. Punk Rocker
   9. Yokosuka Blues (Masato Minami cover)

YOZI FZ – Live At BAYOU GATE, Mitaka, Tokyo – OCTOBER 15, 2025

The first of the two solo shows Yozi FZ did that we recorded..

Yozi Fz Set List

1. 1. 僕は待ち人：I’m waiting for the Man（Velvet Underground cover)
   2. 犬の一日 : A day of the Dog
   3. 豚と真珠: : Pig and Pearl
   4. スパイダー･イン･ザ･ナイト : :Spider in the night
   5. .桃源郷 : Arcadia
   6. パンク･ロッカー : Punk rocker
   7. ヨコスカ･ブルース : Yokosuka Blues（Minami Masato cover)

CHEAP HOLIDAY – Live At BLACK AND BLUE, Kichijōji, Tokyo – OCTOBER 21, 2025

When Akira Tamura isn’t playing with his band Funny Trip, he’s playing with Cheap Holiday, his other country string band quartet of equally amazing musicians. Akira also shares the vocal spotlight with fellow musician  Masahiro Ally Ariyama, known has Allie to all his friends and fans.

Cheap Holiday is:
Akira Tamura (Vocal*, Banjo)
Allie (Vocals**, Guitar)
Yusuke Baika (Bass)
Shion (Washboard)

Cheap Holiday Set List

1. 1. Fishing Blues **
   2. 鈍行列車 (Donko Ressha) **
   3. コウモリの唄 (Koumori no Uta) *
   4. Ghost of the St. Louis Blues **
   5. .箱庭の朝 (Hakoniwa no Asa) *
   6. Side by Side **
   7. 太陽のマルシェ(Taiyo no Marche) *

NAKANO MIZUDEPPO (Nakano WaTERGUN) – Live At BLACK AND BLUE, Kichijōji, Tokyo – OCTOBER 21, 2025

I did not meet the artist, but Akira thought it would be nice to record them, as he was opening for Cheap Holiday. I reached out to the artist through the only site I could find but received no response. From his website the following is what it says about him:
Nakano Mizudeppo is a singer-songwriter from Tokyo. He also holds the title of “Singer-Song Tax Accountant,” making him a unique artist who embodies two roles: tax accountant and musician. His appeal lies in his rock sound, down-to-earth lyrics, husky vocals with a volume that fills the venue, and a cheerful personality that combines kindness and humor. His dedication to both his work and his music attracts many, not just his songs. With a logo featuring a guitar and a water gun (shooting the world with music and playfulness) as his signature, Nakano Mizudeppo’s evolution knows no bounds.

The female vocalist is Ari. I do not know the standup bassist’s name.

Only website we could find is at Fukumaru Tunes

NOTE: Since artist did not contact us, we did not master the performance..

Nakano Mizudeppo Set List

1. 1. Gee Whiz (Carla Thomas cover)
   2. Star of Stars
   3. Blue Moon
   4. Deatta Korono Mama
   5. .Be My Baby (The Ronettes cover)
   6. Rock ‘n’ Roll, Oyasuminasai (Kojiki Bansankai cover)

TAIGA YAMAZAKI QUARTET – LIVE AT Higashi Koenji U.F.O.CLUB (UFO Club), Koenjiminami, TOKYO – October 19, 2025

Taiga Yamazaki is known for his moody and occasionally depressing songs of friends and lovers lost with his poignant and emotional lyrics that punctuates his acoustic performances. However, if you add in three other musicians with electrified bass, acoustic guitar, and drums, Taiga Yamazaki’s quartet takes on a whole new depth and emotionality, delivering you to his Alt Rock side. This was a very powerful performance that I was happy to record.

Taiga Yamazaki Quartet [山崎怠雅カルテット] is:
Taiga Yamazaki [山崎怠雅] (Vocals, Guitar)
Ito Akihito [伊藤昭彦] (Acoustic guitar, Backing vocals)
Koike Minoru 小池実 (Bass)
Inoue Junnosuke 井上順乃介 (Drums, Backing vocals)

TAIGA YAMAZAKI QUARTET Set List

1. 1. Intro + 素敵な未来？[Koboro]
   2. テレホンシンドローム [Nord]
   3. 同じ時代〜時は旅人 [Evaporated City]
   4. Bout de la nuit
   5. ラーメンライダー [Fiction
   6. LIFE IS MUSIC – [Monolith and the Sea]

TANAKA TATSUJI & FRIENDS – LIVE AT JOE’S BAR, ROPPONGI, TOKYO – October 28, 2025

I met Tanaka a few years back through friend Yozi at one of his gigs. Tanaka was doing his duo gig back then and we seemed to hit it off. This night it was special. Once a month Tanaka bartends at So’s. When he does he gets his friends together for a blues/rock jam sessions.

This performance was only video recorded as I had already left the AirBnB and checked into the airport hotel. Made the trek back into Tokyo because this was the only time Tanaka was performing during my stay and I refused to miss it. The Zoom video recorder has some excellent omni microphones.

You get a warmup/rehearsal plus the show.

COMING SOON

MINORU B GOOD – LIVE AT JOE’S BAR, ROPPONGI, TOKYO – October 28, 2025

Didn’t get to talk to the artist. I just decided to record the show, since I was hanging out with Tanaka’s band drinking. Yozi Fz also showed up to do one final hang.

As the artist did not contact us, this recording did not receive mastering. And we have no set list.

Japan Live House 2024: The recording tour

Shows from Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefectures

SONG TITLES + MUSICIANS & OTHER CREDITS ARE BEING UPDATE AS WE GO.

In September and October 2024, we were in Japan recording some of our friends. We are proud to present those recordings to you.

The audio recordings were done using a Zoom H6 recorder. The audio recordings will vary from the soundboard stereo feed plus microphones or just off the Zoom recorder’s built in stereo microphones.

FUNNY TRIP – Live At BLACK AND BLUE, Kichijōji, Tokyo – September 29, 2024

Funny Trip is a country string band quartet, which draws inspiration from folk, country, and blues from both American and Japanese music. In cooperation with Akira Tamura (banjo, vocals), we are proud to be able to release this live recording to streaming platforms worldwide. We will have those links for you as soon as they become active. Akira is also very active with his string trio Cheap Holiday.

Follow Funny Trip on X at Funny Trip Music.

Apple Music || Spotify || iTunes Store || Youtube Music || Deezer || Tidal || Amazon Music || Pandora || iHeart Radio,
and many more worldwide

Funny Trip set list:

1. 時にうもれて [Toki ni Umorete]
2. 裸足のリリー [Hadashi no Lily]
3. ポケットの穴 [Pocket no Ana]
4. 青天井のブルース [Aotenjo no Blues]
5. 働き蜂のささやき [Hatarakibachi no Sasayaki]
6. 真夜中のオペラ [Mayonaka no Opera]
7. 太陽のマルシェ [Taiyo no Marché]

Funny Trip are:

Banjo, Vocal: Akira Tamura
Fiddle: Yuri
Mandolin: Kato-King
Wood bass: Shoji Uno

Special thanks to Shohei Anraku, Head PA engineer for Black and Blue.

Taiga Yamazaki [acoustic solo] – YOYOGI BARBARA, Yoyogi, Tokyo – October 3, 2024

This show was captured through both the sound board stereo mix, as well as two stereo microphones.

Taiga Yamazaki is another vocalist & guitarist, who plays the Tokyo live house circuit a lot. When he’s not playing bass for the rock band BaraNambu, he’s out playing acoustic shows a couple times a month. If you’re into moody acoustic ballad rock, you’ll definitely want to check out one of his live shows. His music is also available to listen to on Spotify. Official Taiga Yamazaki website.

This live recording definitively captures the essence of Taiga’s emotional performances. He was always a go see well before he became a close friend, and eating and drinking cohort.

Yozi Fz [acoustic solo] – LIVE at Heavy Gauge, Shinjuku, Tokyo – October 6, 2024.

I first met Yozi, when he came to New York City on vacation many years ago. My oldest friend Gaku Torii, who I met and became friends with in the mid-1990s, while on tour in Japan with the Kevin K Band, asked my wife and I to take care of him. Yozi didn’t need much taking care of, he adapted very well to the city. On this first visit, Yozi had brought his guitar with him and was able to do some busking in the busy 14th Street-Union Square subway station. That was a long time ago, when Yozi was only a few years into playing guitar. Now he and Gaku Torii share the stage in their bands 鳥井賀句G&Y and Hallucionz.

As a prolific performer, Yozi can be found playing in live houses throughout the Tokyo & Kanagawa Prefectures of Japan as a member of three different bands: 鳥井賀句G&Y,  Hallucionz, and The Hard Bops. When he’s not performing in a group, he’s out doing solo electric or acoustic gigs. Yozi plays out at least five times a week, so you’re almost guaranteed to be able to catch him play if you’re visiting Japan.

Heavy Gauge is a very small bar, where a few night’s a week, they do live acoustic music. These shows are run by Yucco Pink, who manages and bartends these events. On this night one of Yozi’s fans came out with a cold, and of course sat next to the Zoom recorder. So, enjoy all the nose blowing, rattling of beer bottles and glasses, and Yozi’s fans.

Yozi Fz Set List

1. 1. I’m Waiting for the Man (The Velvet Underground cover)
   2. A Day of the Dog
   3. Spider in the Night
   4. Pig and Pearl
   5. Arcadia
   6. Town of the Living Dead
   7. House of the Rising Sun (The Animals cover) [Maki Asakawa version]
   8. Punk Rocker
   9. Yokosuka Blues (Masato Minami cover)
   10. Dancing All Night (Monta & Brothers cover)

Special thanks to Yucco Pink, Heavy Gauge live gig manager and bartender, who is also a DJ.

• The Hard Bops [with special guests] – Live AT KAVACH-YA, Kabukicho, Tokyo – October 12, 2024

Yozi has requested, on behalf of the band, that this release be put on hold until the Hard Bops album gets released this Fall. So expect to find this available as early next October, as the album is getting released in September.

HOT RED SMOKY NIGHT – Live At BAR & GIG SMOKY, YokohAMA, KANAGAWA – October 4, 2024

Yohei Tamaki and DAIsuke Otherghat

This show was captured through both the sound board stereo mix, as well as two stereo microphones.

Special thanks to Akihiko Saito Bar & Gig Smoky, Manager and PA engineer.

Yohei Tamaki [acoustic solo from Egottaman Group]

Yohei is the voice of the Eggotaman Group. When he’s not performing with his band, or doing a rare solo gig, he spends his time with his family. As a friend, I know how devoted he is as a husband and father. As Yohei does not live in the Tokyo area, I don’t get to see him very often. So this gig was not only important to record but reconnect with him, have a few drinks, and just hang out.

Yohei Tamaki Set list:

1. Hjimari no uta [Start Again]
2. Yakusoku [Promise]
3. Taiyou ga noboru basho [Sunrise]
4. Ganbare ganbare [Do Your Best] (from SION)
5. 2gatsu toiu dake no yoru [Night in February]
6. Dead Flowers {not the Rolling Stones song}
7. Zero kara hajimerunda [Start from Zero]

Daisuke Otherghat [acoustic solo, frontman for the band Otherghat]

Daisuke is known for being the guitarist and vocalist for the rock band Otherghat. When he’s not gigging with the band, which is usually three times a week, you can sometimes catch him doing an acoustic solo show for his fans. As I had come out to Bar & Gig Smoky to record Yohei Tamaki that night, Daisuke asked if we could record him and share with all his fans. The post-production on this show was challenging. Daisuke loves to move around the stage a lot, often singing way off microphone. He also likes to thump on the body of his guitar for added percussion. We balanced this recording out as much as we could without sacrificing all of the “performance” over a better mix. It’s rough and raw, just like Daisuke’s passionate style of performing.

Official Otherghat website.

Kaname & Sharmin birthday bash (featuring Takashi Ito, Kaname, Sharmin, and more) – Recorded at PanchMahal, Jinbōchō, Tokyo – October 5, 2025.

This was a special invite by friend Takashi Ito to come and hang out at Sharmin’s restaurant PanchMahal for this special event. Sharmin doesn’t usually perform outside his own venue, so I was happy to get the invite on the special night. In celebration of Sharmin’s birthday, along with his friend Kaname, they got a group of their musician friends to come out and jam, in between drinks and food. You get two sets for this event. One more acoustic, while Sharmin’s set was electric.

Official PanchMahal Facebook page. It will also have the basement live show postings.