IN THE WEST

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Along with about a thousand other prog fans, I was very fortunate to see these guys play live at the Progfest 2000 festival. KENSO put on one of the most intense, and tight performances I've ever seen live, and although I was completely unfamiliar with their music before that night, the combination of complex fusion-esque guitar work, dual keyboards, Japanese melodies, AREA-like bass work, and a drummer who used his kit like a war machine won us newbies over in a matter of 10-minutes. The band got standing ovations after every composition 15-minutes into their set! In The West is a 1997 live release from a show at the On Air West club in Tokyo, and although their set back then wasn't as smoking as the one at Progfest 2000, they still put on a great show. Their music falls somewhere between fusion and symphonic progressive rock. Try to imagine ICEBERG mixed with an instrumental LOCANDA DELLE FATE. The leader of the band, Yoshihisa Shimizu, is gifted both as a guitarist and a composer. He enjoys creating compositions that alternate between heavy fusion and melodic symphonic prog, and he has an incredible talent for creating memorable riffs, and hooks. Many of his guitar melodies, and compositional themes, are based on Japanese scales, which is unique to hear in the world of fusion. Do yourself a favor and check out KENSO. "In The West" is a perfect place to start.

If you like instrumental symphonic prog (particularly Genesis' "Los Endos") or progressive fusion as played by Bruford (ONE OF A KIND), National Health and Brand X, and if you wish there were much more, then Kenso's the right band for you!

Kenso are a Japanese band who build upon the above-mentioned styles, but only in order to do their Very Own Thing. I'll gladly go even further and point out they're one of the most convincing prog bands to emerge since the 1980s. In my view, their (instrumental) albums are far more interesting than anything Spock's Beard or The Flower Kings have ever done. The only reason for their relative obscurity must be that they are leading fairly reclusive lives in faraway Japan. If I'm not mistaken, their leader (and main composer), Yoshihisa Shimizu, is a dentist.

Hm, wonder what heavenly music he pipes into his waiting room?