While deep down the rabbit hole of Related Videos on YouTube recently, I bumped into the most darling trio of found artifacts from Japan. Someone (apparently a student) from a school in the Kichij?ji neighborhood of Tokyo uploaded three videos of their jazz band tackling Steely Dan’s “Gaucho”.
[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=U2wU-yw1E-M]
It’s a delightfully absurd combination of Japanese children playing a song with a Mexican title in an American art form. Also, these teens are covering the work of an an adult duo that often act very childish and perform in a manner that isn’t quite jazz but isn’t quite hardcore rock and/or roll. What on Earth must they make of it all?
[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=dyIKVQvWOLo]
The notes are forced and the rhythmic swing of the tune never quite starts; you can almost hear the kids trying to play like a grown up. The singer tries to imitate the unique vocal talents (to be kind) of Donald Fagan while apparently singing phonetically, leaving him full credit only for arriving on time with each line.
Every performer completes their task literally, but the combination is more earnest than most concerts you’ll ever hear. They really want to be jazz musicians and adults so badly that you wish it for them as well, finishing their musical thoughts for them and improving the performance in your mind.
[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=jwcReYsLtwk]
On the other hand, your hearing isn’t completely fooled; there’s something interesting underneath when they’re allowed their own space. What will they sound like in five years? What do they sound like now?
I hope they post a video of the song in concert someday; I’d like to hear the finished product, though it will never quite be complete. And if they don’t quite understand the song, it doesn’t terribly matter. Most of us don’t have a damned clue what Steely Dan songs are about as it is, Walter Becker included.