Trust a Japanese band to take what you and love, tune it up and hand it back better than ever, all shiny and new—in a retro sort of way. Having recently served up hip-hop mash-ups in Keep Up With Me and SUDARA, Clap Stomp Swingin’ have gone Back to the Basic with their latest album release to deliver very danceable swing in a stripped-back trio style.
The Japanese jazzmen—Ryosuke Takada on guitar, Takuro Yamashita on clarinet and sax, Ichiro Saito on bass—are in enormous demand worldwide. “Armed with the fashion and sounds of the good old days, timeless swinging rhythms and unique performances,” their website exclaims, they play “wherever you call” (assuming the Google translation is accurate).
They have already graced Taipei Swing Festival, Jeju Island Swing Camp in Korea, Vietnam Lindy eXchange and more—as well as playing New York City—with plans to tour even more. And the punters will pay: so much so, in fact, that online crowdfunding to fund a world tour recently raised seven times what they were seeking.
The group’s latest album is a baker’s dozen of beautiful instrumentals, featuring all-time greats like Fats Waller’s “Yacht Club Swing” alongside dance-themed original compositions like “Frankie Meaning” and “Sweet Nothings in the Ballroom.” They all sound superb and are highly swing-outable—even more impressive when you consider t
