Butterfly was released in 1979 by Kimiko Kasai with Herbie Hancock. At the time, it was only released in Japan and wasn’t reissued until 2018 in the UK. The rarity of the 70s vinyl pressing made the album something of a find for quite a while. Kasai became interested in jazz when she was only 13 and moved to Tokyo three years later to start performing in clubs. She is considered to be one of the first women to be involved in the Japanese jazz scene and recorded and performed with many western jazz musicians, like Herbie Hancock, Gil Evans and Stan Getz.
The album is both uplifting and soothing. The type of jazz you’d expect to hear in a smoky, Tokyo or West Village basement joint. Some of the best moments are when the band really goes all in — and Kasai grooves right along with them. The title track is up-tempo jazz funk, a song you can’t help but sway along with. The vocals are best highlighted on more restrained numbers, like “Maiden Voyage” with delicate piano and electrifying sax. The last track, a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “As,” toes the line between 1970s jazz and 80s sounds, including the use of a vocoder (a tool popularly utilized by Daft Punk).
As always, enjoy. Have a great week.
Butterfly - Kimiko Kasai & Herbie Hancock
Pair this album with:
Shallot and garlic gnocci in brie cream. This is all of my favorite ingredients in a pasta dish. I’ve never tried brie cream sauce, but sounds delicious and very “night luxe.”
Cantina Giardino Rosé. It’s warm in Texas now! We are finally behind the cold weather, so this means pulling out the dark rosé. This one is fruit-forward, with notes of strawberry and cherry.
Thank you, love you.