Soil & "Pimp" Sessions (stylised as SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS) is a Japanese club jazz sextet who formed in Tokyo, Japan, in 2001. They are known for their energetic live performances, having coined the term "death jazz" to describe their music.
History The band was born out of Tokyo's club scene, when Shacho and Tabu Zombie started including live jam sessions in DJ sets. Gradually the other members were invited, the band's line-up was finalised and the DJ sets dropped.
The band's live sets started to create a buzz on the Tokyo live scene, and in 2003 they became the first unsigned band to perform at Japan's Fuji Rock Festival. They were well received there and in the following months record companies were scrambling to offer contracts. JVC Victor won the battle, and summer 2004 saw the release of the mini-album Pimpin'''.
The album was a critical and commercial success, and this together with constant touring paved the way for the release of their first full album, Pimp Master in early 2005. The album captures the power of their live performances as well as highlighting their individual musical talents. Two tracks in particular, "Waltz For Goddess" and their cover of "A Wheel Within a Wheel", caught the attention of DJs abroad, and they began to receive heavy air-play on Gilles Peterson's Worldwide radio program on BBC Radio 1 in the U.K.
Summer 2005 was a busy time for the band, with the release of their second mini-album, Summer Goddess, and their first live dates outside Japan. Gilles Peterson invited them to play at Cargo in London, and Jazzanova invited them to play in Berlin.
They spent the rest of the year touring in Japan and Europe, and they were also featured in the live broadcast of the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards in 2005, where they were awarded the John Peel Play More Jazz Award.
A second full album, Pimp of the Year, was released in spring 2006, showcasing innovations that showed a development of their sound, as well as one or two tracks that marked a new departure.
2006 also saw the official release of Pimp Master in Europe on Compost Records and the UK on Gilles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings label. They continued touring constantly throughout the year, taking in Britain, Italy, France, Serbia, Belgium, Germany, Slovakia and Croatia, as well as an appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival.
March 2007 saw the release of their third full album, Pimpoint, on the Victor Entertainment label, which features thirteen tracks.
Soil & "Pimp" Sessions' song "Paraiso" is the opening theme for the anime Michiko to Hatchin.
A side project, called "J.A.M.", was formed by members Josei (piano), Akita Goldman (double bass) and Midorin (drums) in 2007. The name of the band is derived from the first letters of each member's name. The project features a notable different sound, combining house, hip-hop and the "rocking jazz of now". The band has released four albums, with their first album, Just A Maestro, being released in 2008, followed by Just Another Mind in 2010, Jazz Acoustic Machine in 2012 and Silent Notes in 2017.
"Agitator" Shacho announced during their performance at the Relentless Garage in London that their latest album 6 was due for release on 26 April 2010 in the United Kingdom. No other release locations were confirmed by him at the time.
On 8 December 2010, Soil and "Pimp" Sessions released their album, "SOIL&"PIMP"SESSIONS Presents STONED PIRATES RADIO", containing 20 tracks. All of the tracks (aside from the occasional skit tracks) are covers, arranged in various ways using their style. From reggae to calypso to their aggressive jazz sound, you can hear tracks like "Walkie-Talkie Man," "Beat It," and "Imagine."
Around September 2011, they announced that a new album will be released shortly, and that release was "MAGNETIC SOIL", containing all new material of 15 tracks (except track 2 is their rendition of the Brecker Brothers' piece "Some Skunk Funk"), including a new version of the track "Summer Goddess."
On August 7, 2013, they released their ninth album, Circles, which featured collaborations with Japanese artists from various genres, including Miyavi, Rhymester and Ringo Sheena. The album also featured a track, titled "Summer Love", featuring American Jazz hip-hop vocalist José James. Tim Conley aka MAST plays guitar on track 8 "記憶の旅 (Kioku no Tavi)".
At the end of 2016, Motoharu (Sax) left the band and they entered a "charging phase", meaning they were on hiatus. In 2017, the band returned without Motoharu with the release of their album "Music from and inspired by Hello Harinezumi". The band were joined by Takeshi Kurihara (Sax & Flute) on this and all future albums.
In June 2023, Midorin was arrested for possession of marijuana; the band subsequently mutually agreed to part ways with Midorin.
Members President a.k.a. Shacho , born January 18, 1978, in Takefu, Fukui Prefecture, agitator Tabu Zombie , born April 13, 1977, in Kagoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, trumpet Josei , born October 30, 1975, in the Saeki-ku Ward of Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, piano, keyboards Akita Goldman , born July 8, 1977, in Hachiōji, Tokyo, double bass
Support musicians Takeshi Kurihara , saxophone, flute
Former members Motoharu , born June 29, 1973, in Nayoro, Hokkaido, saxophone Midorin , born January 30, 1978, in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, drums
Discography Studio albums Year Album Information Oriconalbumscharts Reportedsales (subscription only)2004Pimpin' Released: June 23, 2004 Label: Victor Entertainment (VICL-61421) Formats: CD, digital download2602,0002005Pimp Master Released: June 23, 2005 Label: Victor (VICL-61566) Brownswood Recordings (BW001CD) Formats: CD, digital download808,3002006Pimp of the Year Released: March 8, 2006 Label: Victor (VICL-61892) Formats: CD, digital download5912,0002007Pimpoint Released: March 7, 2007 Label: Victor (VICL-61892) Brownswood (BWOOD019CD) Formats: CD, digital download3815,0002008Planet Pimp Released: May 21, 2008 Label: Victor (VICL-62828) Brownswood (BWOOD033CD) Formats: CD, digital download3312,00020096 Released: September 16, 2009 Label: Victor (VICL-63376) Brownswood (BWOOD44CD) Formats: CD, digital download368,9002010Stoned Pirates Radio Cover album Released: December 8, 2010 Label: Victor (VICL-63684) Formats: CD, digital download793,4002011Magnetic Soil Released: October 5, 2011 Label: Victor (VICL-63788) Formats: CD, digital download445,0002013Circles Released: August 7, 2013 Label: Victor (VICL-64049 and VIZL-563) Formats: CD, digital download1511,0002014Brothers & Sisters Released: September 3, 2014 Label: Victor (VICL-64205 and VIZL-709) Formats: CD, Vinyl, digital download42-2016Black Track Released: April 6, 2016 Label: Victor (VICL-64559 and VIZL-947) Formats:CD, digital download19-2017Music from and inspired by Hello Harinezumi Released: August 23, 2017 Label: Victor (VICL-64835) Formats:CD, digital download91 -2018Dapper Released: May 09, 2018 Label: Victor (VICL-64953) Formats:CD, digital download -2019Outside OST for Anime series "Blue Eyed Monster" Released: August 28, 2019 Label: Victor (VTCL-60505) Formats:CD, digital download--2019Man Steals the Stars Released: December 4, 2019 Label: Victor (VICL-65274 and VIZL-1672) Formats:CD, DVD, digital download51-2021The Essence of Soil Released: March 17, 2021 Label: Victor (VICL-70245) Formats:CD, digital download88-2022Lost in Tokyo Released: June 8, 2022 Label: Victor (VICL-65701 and VIZL-2060) Formats:CD, DVD, digital download--
Live albums Year Album Information Oriconalbumscharts Reportedsales (subscription only)2015A Night in South Blue Mountain Released: October 7, 2015 Label: Victor (VICL-70190) Formats: CD, digital download Tracks: Suffocation (4:49) Jazz Crime (8:26) First Lady (8:35) Mr. Clean (9:29) Montara (7:31) Una Mas (9:59) Spartacus Love Theme (10:07)70-
Compilation albums Year Album Information Oriconalbumscharts Reportedsales2013X: Chronicle of Soil & "Pimp" Sessions Released: October 23, 2013 Label: Victor (VICL-61696) Formats: CD, 2CD, digital download433,800
Extended plays Year Album Information Oriconalbumscharts Reportedsales2005Summer Goddess Released: July 21, 2005 Label: Victor (VICL-61696) Formats: CD, digital download1533,7002008Live Session EP Released: July 23, 2008 Label: Victor Formats: Digital download (iTunes exclusive)——
Singles
Singles as lead artist Release Title NotesChart positions Oriconsales AlbumOricon singles chartsBillboard Japan Hot 1002004 — ——Pimp Master2006"Crush!" 96 —2,300Pimp of the Year2007 96 —2,300Pimpoint2008"Storm" 68 —2,700Planet Pimp2009"Paraiso"Digital download — ——6"My Foolish Heart"Ringo Shiina collaboration, digital download — 85—2011"Movin'" feat. Maia Hirasawa 31 313,500Magnetic Soil2013 feat. Rhymester — 33—Circles"Koroshiya Kiki Ippatsu" feat. Ringo Sheena 14 1812,000
Singles as a featured artist
Release Title NotesChart positions AlbumOricon singles chartsBillboard Japan Hot 1002006 (Ringo Shiina x Soil & "Pimp" Sessions)Digital download — —Heisei Fūzoku2011"Battle Without Honor or Humanity" (Soil & "Pimp" Sessions with Tomoyasu Hotei) — —All Time Super Guest
References
External links – official site
Soil & "Pimp" Sessions on Last.fm Shacho interview by Michael 'The Dood' Edwards in UK Vibe'', July 2010 Pimp Master review at Big Chill