The places we live leave a deep imprint. In the case of drummer and composer Rintaro Mikami, it was life on the small island of Kuchinoerabu in the south of Japan that inspired his debut release as a leader, First Fish. For two years during childhood, Mikami gained life lessons on Kuchinoerabu that he likely wouldn’t have in his native Tokyo.

First Fish refers to Mikami’s earliest experience living on the island, a memory that would guide him as he matured and developed his own artistic sensibility after returning to Tokyo. Later he pursued music studies for seven years in the great music capital of New York, and grew to become the fine drummer and creative, well-rounded musician that we hear now. All nine tracks on First Fish weave together the story of Mikami’s journey, from the island to this day.

1. Arrival
2. The Whistle
3. First Fish (feat. Lily Resnikoff)
4. Derailing
5. The sky he saw
6. A stone flows to (Interlude)
7. Interlaken
8. Secession
9. Deer’s Dream (feat. Ariel Bart)

Recorded by Colin Mohnacs at GB’s Juke Joint in New York City in February 2023, this sumptuously-sculpted new recording opens on an original poem in Japanese, Arrival (which is recited here by Mikiami himself) and then brings us the quietly fervent jazz waltz The Whistle, before revealing the ornate gossamer of the titular First Fish (featuring the dulcet vocals tones of Lily Resnikoff), and then comes the upbeat and joyously animated Derailing.

Along next is the dulcet, sobering ambiance within The sky he saw which is in turn backed by a brief solo drum interlude A stone flows to (Interlude), the sweeping Interlaken is next, the album rounding out on the veritably shimmering, at first, albeit soon enough playfully boisterous Secession, closing on the gently wistful, yet at the same time earnestly affluent Deer’s Dream (featuring Israeli harmonica player Ariel Bart’s soulful accompaniment to the tenor sax play of David Truilo).

Musicians:
Drums, Voice (Track 1) - Rintaro Mikami
Bass - Bar Filipowicz
Guitar - Omri Bar Giora
Piano - Henry Plotnick
Tenor Sax - David Truilo
Voice (Track 3) - Lily Resnikoff
Harmonica (Track 9) - Ariel Bart

www.rintaro-mikami.com

Official Purchase Link

Rintaro Mikami @ SoundCloud

Rintaro Mikami @ Instagram