Jazz has established many homes outside its country of birth, and recently musicians and fans in these widely dispersed countries have begun interacting far from jazz's Mecca of New York City. The scenes in Holland and Japan -- long two of the most thriving -- stepped up their cultural exchanges this year with more tours than ever. For the two countries, it is the latest chapter in a relationship established 400 years ago when Dutch ships arrived in Nagasaki.
Three of Holland's best, Faye Claassen, Rob Van Bavel and the ICP Orchestra have delivered powerful shows in Tokyo this fall. Claassen's often-wordless vocals, Van Bavel's muscular, complex piano and the ICP's whimsical boundary busting could not be more diverse. What they do have in common are enthusiastic Japanese fans.
Claassen's vocal style uses her entire body as an instrument. Her voice -- with or without words -- blends with the other instruments as gently as any melodic reed or brass instrument would, proving that her singing is as influenced by horn players as it is by singers.