Autumn 2007, I received a request from the Japan Foundation "To create a new Asian Jazz, we would like to form a group of Jazz musicians in Asia comprised of Japanese musicians. We also plan to organize a Southeast Asian Tour for the new group." For an organizer who had organized many tours in Asia like me, this project was "what I had dreamed of". I really wanted to make it a success, so I started to choose musicians to participate in the project.

From the very beginning when I heard of this project, I already decided that the musician who will be the center of the group must be "Isao Miyoshi".

Miyoshi is the musician who participated in "Asian Fantasy Orchestra" ASEAN Tour 2003, starting from Bangkok (Thailand), Yangon (Myanmar), Vientiane (Laos) and Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam). The concert was organized to celebrate the relationship between Japan and ASEAN. He is certainly a skillful earnest guitarist with a variety of music styles. Moreover, his endurance is exceptionally admired. He was one of the key people who made AFO ASEAN Tour 2003 successful. I was thinking that, someday I want to organize a concert tour with him as the main role.

I discussed the project with him. He immediately agreed and said "Please allow me to join this project". So the next step was to choose a drummer and bassist. We agreed to choose "Hiroyuki Noritake" as drummer. Noritake is a member of the fusion group called "T-Square". He is a very famous and colorful Japanese drummer. His drum is soft and precise with a wide range of skills in jazz, fusion, pop, and classic. For bassist, the name of "Shigeki Ippon" was proposed by Noritake. According to Ippon's studio and behind-the-scene work for musicals and plays, even though he has limited experience as a bassist, his ability is promising. He really is a rising star of Japan at the moment.

From the beginning, I had the idea that I would let Japanese musicians play a main part in the rhythm section. To widen the possibility of music for this group, we needed musicians who showed a power to respond and I had confident in these 3 powerful musicians.

Regarding the group name, ever since the time that the Japan Foundation proposed this project, (though it seems so ordinary) I already named the group as "UNIT ASIA". When I discussed with the 3 musicians, they all agreed and said "Isn't it good?", so we decided to use this name.

After that, we started to ask the Japan Foundation in each country around Asia to submit the list of musicians to participate in this event. Finally we came up with 13 musicians, their performance CD, and profile. We all watched those performances together. It was a tough decision to choose teammates from all these fantastic musicians. However, we finally decided, for the saxophonist, to choose a famous Thai superstar Koh Mr. Saxman who has a powerful emotional performance technique with beautiful voice. For pianist, we decided to choose Tay Cher Siang from Malaysia, who has a clear piano touch, lively and charming performance. We promptly reached them and explained the project to them. They both showed eagerness to participate and said "I am interested in the project and please let me in". That's how we finally got 5 members for UNIT ASIA.

UNIT ASIA Southeast Asian Tour 2008

October 16th 2008, all the group members and concert staffs gathered together at Training Room, Philharmonic Hall in Kuala Lumpur where the first rehearsal of UNIT ASIA started.

Miyoshi was the center of the group who collected various music styles and ideas from each member. Since they are the top selected musicians, although sometimes they got lost, at the end of the second rehearsal day they already created a framework of each song. October 20th, we departed to Singapore for the first concert. Lasting for 1 month, Southeast Asian Tour already got started.

October 22nd, the memorable first concert of UNIT ASIA took place at Singapore Conference Hall. All of the members showed their excitement while walking onto the stage. However, after the first song, "Song of UNIT ASIA" finished, a big applause and appreciation from audiences gave them the confidence to perform an incredible first concert beyond our imagination. After the encore song, "For the Children", they were given a standing ovation. The warm applause and support from audiences that night encouraged members of UNIT ASIA to work to the utmost ability.

After that, we organized concerts in Manila (Philippines), Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), and a final performance at Chiang Mai (Thailand). Every time, they were warmly welcomed by the audiences. For every concert, they developed a new music style and deepened the friendships amongst each other.

Although they differ in countries, birthplace, childhood, circumstances, music learning processes, and career path, 5 different musicians encountered their teammates in this Southeast Asian Tour (some people said they were destined to). With the precious experience gained from this tour, we are confident for the promotion of UNIT ASIA and their future.

Having members with confidence in their teammates, warmth in sharing, powerful performance, gentle expression through their music, and strong intentions toward UNIT ASIA, these compositions urged their performances to be unique. The integration of rock and pop music under jazz's principle goes beyond music's boundary and create the "New Asian Jazz" with their own originality and scale.

Later activities of UNIT ASIA are not only to broaden the possibilities of Asian Jazz, but also, hopefully, to represent a promising future of Asian jazz musicians.

Regarding the show in Bangkok, we wished to perform a show full of energy which can bring warmness through our audiences' hearts.

We are waiting to see you at the concert.

November 2009 / Planet Arts

Hommura Ryonosuke (Producer)

About writer: Mr. Hommura Ryonosuke has long worked as management staff at "PIT INN," the place which has been the center of the Japanese Jazz scene for years. He is active in producing music events such as "Japan and Korea Music Festival" featuring famous Japanese drummer Mr. Eitetsu HAYASHI and internationally famous South Korean Samul Nori ensemble led by Mr. Kim Duk-Soo. He has also designed and produced international music tours like Asian Fantasy Orchestra's Asian tour in 1995, 1998 and 2003, the South East Asian tour of famous Japanese Jazz musician Mr. Satoru Shionoya's group in 2007 and Unit Asia's South East Asian tour in 2008.

Unit Asia will perform in Bangkok on Monday 29th March 2010, 8 pm. at Main Hall, Thailand Cultural Center!