Julien's last jam session with The TENGOOZ

A Large Tengu Mask and Phallus at the Mt. Kaba Shrine - read more about it on Tsukublog

Lyric to YOU`VE GOT TO LET IT GO, a new song by The Tengooz- soon t be released

Hello there all you TenGoophiles where`er ye might be!

Sorry for another long period of silence, but a lot has ben happening.
One happy thing I`d like to inform you about is that we ar now at the mixing phase for one of our latest songs, entitled YOU`VE GOT TO LET IT GO!

This is another work which has evloved out of a HaseG (Nodoka Hasegawa) bass riff.

Here are the words:

YOU`VE GOT TO LET IT GO

Its been so long now
since he`s been gone how
come you dont move on ahead

Why must you cling still
to gone-past things will
you never settle back in bed

You pace the floor now
you smile no more how
come you keep acting this way

I know you`ll say its a cliche
but I will say it anyway

You`ve got to let it go
You got to let it go

You`re sticking tight now
with all your might how
come you dont just let it wing

You`ll never last must
you hold so fast just
just like you`re savoring the sting

Just loosen up, unload your cup
you`ve got to lighten up your load

Release the pain, relieve your brain
and it will help you down the road

Lyrics

Avi Landau 2010

The TenGooz recording with Go

Always Ran- The Lyrics to the TenGooz` Song

This is another song inspired by a Thomas Mayers chord progression.
I wanted it to express what many of you might fell- that we are always
busy running around, and that no matter how much we KNOW that we ought to take it easy- we never do

Always Ran

Well I smoked a big cigar in Havana
I soaked in hot tubs out in Japan
Safaried on the Kenyan Savanah
Lord, even sang some with a rock and roll band

Sometimes it got a bit crazy
things came close to hitting the fan
When I look back now it all seems hazy
When I should have walked it seems I always ran

I worked a dude ranch up in Montana
Flew out to play some gigs by the strand
I did a post-doc out in Urbana
and I tried my best to lend out a hand

Sometimes things got a bit crazy
thought that things would soon hit the fan
When I look back now it all seems hazy
When I should have walked it seems I always ran

Lyrics by

Avi Landau 2009

Julien enjoying some Hoji-Cha at a Tengooz practice

Emotional Times for The TenGooz

Hello all you Tengoophiles out there.
Its been a while that I have written for our blog.
as you can gather from Michael's recent post, we have suffered a terrible loss- that of our friend and one-time Tengooz guitarist
Kin-Chan. The sudden loss of this until so recently dynamic presence has left me shaken.
Amazingly, as thing always seem to be with Michael Frei, just a few days before Kin-chan's passing Michael just happened to be in Japan for business.
They were able to meet one last time. Unfortunately for me, I REALLY believed that I would be able to see a healthy Kin-chan again and I DIDNT go to the hospital.
I had to say my last goodbyes at the funeral hall.

Having Michael with us was, it goes without saying, an elixir, and he happened to be here for a small gig that we did ( he came to the venue almost straight from the airport) and for a great party that we had at Thomas's place which had a truly international jam session.

Any plans for a big reunion gig at Nalu's were put on hold however because of the funeral.

At the same time, and not comparable of course to the loss of Kin-Chan, my dog of many, many years, Tickles, suddenly collapsed and has been unable to move for several weeks. We have been giving her the best possible care but....... things dont look good.

Then, as I had long been feeling UNDER THE WEATHER, and everyone had been urging me to go to the doctor, I finally went to get things checked out. As it was my throat that had been bothering me I went to an ENT.

When he put a scope down my throat to have a look he exclaimed ( in Japanese)- This is not good. Youve got to go to a bigger hospital as soon as possible!
He asked if I had family that I could consult with, etc, all with an expression and air that spelled my doom.

Since that was a Friday I would have to wait until Monday to get further testing and I had the whole weekend to contemplate my fate.

Hypochondriac that I am, I was convinced of the worst and resigned myself to the fact that I would not be around in this world much longer.

It was an dizzyingly emotional couple of days, full of reflections and memories flashing back.

I realized that so many of the lyrics that I had written perfectly expressed what I was feeling. I am talking specifically about The Chills, Almost Out Of Time, Autophobia, etc.....

Anyway, to make a long story short- when I finally did get to the hospital for tests, the doctor gave me a thorough looking over and declared that I was fine!

That means I might be around, making a racket for little while longer.

Listen to The Chills here:

http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/12850

Gotta go now

will write more later

Avi Landau

Goodbye Kin-Chan

R.I.P.

Last week our good friend Kin-chan (Kanastuka Hirotaka) passed away after battling a serious illness. He was one of the greatest guitar players of the Tokyo area, if not of all Japan, and The TenGooz are honored to have had him play several gigs ( and even more jam seesions) with us.
We will never forget his unique feeling for music, his charismatic performance on the stage, and his enchanting character. We will sorely miss this outstanding artist, who LIVED FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC.

Michael Frei

Michael Frei of The TenGooz

Emmanuel keeping us IN THE GROOVE

Julien,Mario, and Michael jamming al fresco

Michael Frei back with the TenGooz

TenGooz Live

The TenGooz @ TERRA EARTH YA in Tsuchiura

Lyrics to You Know, a Tengooz song from the Facing The Music album

This is another song which gradually generated out of one of Hase G`s bass lines.

Over the months which passed between first conceiving of what the melody line should be,
the idea of what the lyrics should be about germinated in my mind. What eventually emerged
are these words. I am very satisfied with them because everyone I know who hears the song thinks its about THEM.

You Know

You know

but you dont want to think about it

You know

But you dont to have to care

You know

but seems like you`d much rather doubt it

Yes, you know

but you steer clear of the affair

You`ve got lots of other things to occupy your mind

there`s breakfast, lunch, there`s dinner parties

You`ve got good reasons to let your eyes stay blind

so why should you have anything to agitate your mind

repeat

Dont Leave Us Hangin` There !

You`ve got lots of other things to occupy your time

your front lawn needs its weekly mowing

you`ve got lots of other things to occupy your mind

there`s that old blockbuster that the cable TV`s showing

You Know

You Know

Dont leave us hangin` there......

words by

Avi Landau

And to hear the inspiration for all this go to this utube link of Hase G ( Nodoka Hasegawa) playing the bass line solo!

Its here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJeznOiX1dE&feature=related

Mario @ a session with The Tengooz

Thomas Mayers of The TenGooz

Hase G of The Tengooz

Julien @ a TenGooz Session

Lyrics to The Tengooz` new song Calm Before The Storm

This piece also generated out of one of Thomas` chord progressions.
At the last minute, while recording, we decided to add the rap, with words which were written
by the TenGooz ( and Xenophonia`s) original bass player Tom Debor ( AKA Dom Dober)

Here are the lyrics

Calm Before The Storm

Sun comes up
an early autmn day
the temperature`s the norm
breakfast on a bagel, lox n` eggs
and flakes made out of corn

Its the calm before the storm

(No time for small talk
small minds waste my time
Get caught up in the bull....
next thing you know the ball drops

Gotta stay focused
keep your eyes open
Think I give a .... about your problems
huh, you must be joking)

Pick the paper up outside the door
my teams in team-top form
Elevator takes me to the street
where the people and cars swarm

Calm before the storm

Hail a cab and start headin downtown
the driver honks his horn
Grab a coffee after I get out
near Tower Number 1

Its the calm before the storm

By Avi Landau
rap lyrics by Tom Debor

Thomas laying down background vocals on The Tengooz Babylon

Tengooz new album Facing The Music gets noticed in Germany

Just hours after uploading our new collection of songs Facing The Music,
there was a small yet kindly favorable review of it to appear in Germany ( and in German)
Check it out here, and send a message to the site!

http://wasser-prawda.de/new2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=962:the-tengooz-facing-the-music&catid=24:jazz&Itemid=61

Tengooz flashback: A show at The Narita Barge Inn- Avi Landau and Jon Hicks

Lyrics to Babylon ( a song by the Tengooz)

Tengoophiles where`r ye might be! List, list, ooooh list!
Our long awaited new cd, FACING THE MUSIC, has finally been uploaded to
Jamendo. Id like to post the lrics to the new songs, a song at a time over the next
ten days.
Lets begin with our latest reggae style piece Babylon. Inspired by the riffs and chord progression of Thomas Mayers,
our guitarist I came up with these words-

Babylon

Well, you thought you were in Zion
but one day you realized you were in Babylon

Where money is the measure
and all around the talking heads just babble on

First you think of running and of going far off somewhere
but you realize before you start
That there`s no escaping and there`s never real forgetting
so you`ve got to face what`s in your heart

Yes, you thought you were in Zion
but soon you realized you were in Babylon
where money is the motive
and the white gloved smiling faces egg the rabble on

Your initial instict is to imitate an ostrich
and go bury your head in the sand
and though real life dont always go like in the movies
you know you`ve got to take a stand

Everybody join your hands together
and sing with all your might
Everybody raise your voice together
and we`re bound to win the fight

Words by
Avi Landau

Have a listen at:

http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/565724

Enjoy!

The TenGooz with pianist extraordinaire Mario Tahitoe

The TenGooz` Nova Beach Bossa Playlisted on Jamendo

We are proud to inform you that our song Beach Bossa Nova has been selected to be on Jamendo`s
weekly playlist of selected songs. There are 16 other numbers you can listen to along with it, so enjoy:

http://www.jamendo.com/en/playlist/163609

grounded in groove

Avi

The TenGooz Bombs Away Highlighted in Cyberspace

The last track off our first album is surely our skankiest.
Some have even claimed that it was the best song about sex that they
had ever heard. Well of course! It was written by Jon Hicks and myself ( Avi Landau).
Have a listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz69kwt6zoA&NR=1

TenGooz flashback May 27 2006 at Corkheads III

TenGooz flashback May 27 2006 at Corkheads II

TenGooz flashback May 27 2006 at Corkheads II

TenGooz flashback May 27 2006 at Corkheads

Recordings almost ready for release !

Greetings Tengoophiles, wherever ye may be! Your patience will soon be rewarded ( we hope!)
as Hase G will be heading out to the studio on Sunday to put some final touches on our 10 new recordings.
We hope to have them online by the end of the month.

In the meantime, if you are interested in Japanese culture, check out my recent articles which have been posted on TsukuBlog.
The most recent is about Kusa mochi, this seasons special snack ( you can see a picture below).

Here is a link:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2010/03/bitter-herbs-in-this-season%e2%80%99s-sweet-kusa-mochi-%e8%8d%89%e9%a4%85/

k

Thomas Mayers @ a TenGooz practice

Hase G of The TenGooz hard at practice

The Tengooz Amazing Bass player Nodoka Hasegawa AKA Hase G

Tengooz Radio and TenGooz playlists online!

The Online music site Jamendo has a TenGooz radio which seems to change everyday, mixing up the song order and also mixing in other bands which have been deemed to be similar.

You can find TenGooz Radio here:

http://www.jamendo.com/en/radio/the.tengooz

There are also plenty of online playlists which make listening to TenGooz easier than ever. Here is one playlist that you might like:

http://www.jamendo.com/en/playlist/34195

Enjoy

You might also want to read about life in Japan. The Tengooz` Avi Landau posts his articles at Tsukublog:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2010/02/choco-loco-a-deeper-look-at-valentines-day-in-japan/

Keep grounded in GROOVE

More Tsukuba Snowscapes

A Rare Tsukuba Snowscape

This was the view from the Ice Palace yesterday morning! Read more
about it at:
http://blog.alientimes.org/2010/02/tsukubas-fleeting-snowscapes-revisited/

Xenophonia online

The legendary, multi-national Tsukuba-based band Xenophonia
had a major impact on the live music scene in Japan back in the early 2000`s.

With guitarist Ascelin FLASH Gordon from Melbourne Australia,
Tom Debor (bass), Erik Stanford (trombone), Joe Kern (drums) and Avi Landau ( vocals) of the US,
Kawakami Ryutaro ( sax) and Sagara Kenya (trombone) of Japan
and Ashish (tabla) from India. They proved that ORIGINAL music could be popular in Japan`s club scene.

Now literally every Japanese band is following their lead.

You can here some of the bands recordings ( all done at Avi Landau`s house, known affectionately as the Ice Palace)
on jamendo:

http://www.jamendo.com/en/album/2425

Enjoy!

Kawakami Ryutaro,AviLandau and Tom Debor of Xenophonia in Tokyo

More praise for the Tengooz in cyberspace

Greetings Tengoophlies!
We hope that all goes well with you!
I has come to our attention that someone has written an online review
of our album G-Strings.
Read the piece here:

http://www.frostclick.com/wp/index.php/2009/12/30/the-tengooz-g-strings-a-jazzy-funky-bossa-play-of-strings/

and have a great day!

The TenGooz New Years Party

The with Finnish artist John McGregor

Thomas Mayers of The TenGooz putting final touches on a new recording

The TenGooz Bass Whiz on Utube

Hase G ( Nodoka Hasegawa) is one of the most exciting bassists you will see in Japan,
or anywhere else for that matter.
He has started to upload some of his fretboard wizardry on utube and you can begin right here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJeznOiX1dE

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai-VnTeLgDk&feature=related

Enjoy!

and be on the look out for our next album, which will be online soon!

Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasasu from the tengooz !

The Tengooz wish you a happy and healthy year!
We should be
ready to release our next album this month, and weve got a lot more material that we are working on.

For alot more about how we spend New Year`s in Japan, read some of my articles on Tsukublog:

http://blog.alientimes.org/

Seasons Greetings from The TenGooz

Another year is coming to an end, and The TenGooz would like to wish all you, our faithful listeners around the world
a very happy and healthy new year!

Like many TenGoophiles you can add atmosphere to your holdays by playing the TenGooz song- Wish You. which some people feel is the best Christmas song to have come out of Japan.
You can hear it at:

http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/116594

Thomas is back with his family in England and Michael is at the family farm in Germany.
Still, Hase G and I will be up at the studio doing the final mixings for our upcoming album which will feature 10 tracks.

Merry Chrismas

Avi and THe TenGooz

A Visit to Chikusei City ( formerly Shimodate) brings back memories of our old song

Everything passe. Everything changes. In Japan , over the last few years, as a part of a general
RESTRUCTURING, many PLACE NAMES have even been changed. This is quite frustrating, as it took me a while to master the KANJI of all of the local
towns and cities, and when I finally did, they went ahead and changed them all!
Anyway, the other day I found myself in Chikusei City, which used to be Shimodate ( 下館), which was the subject of a song, of the same title, written by Tom Debor,
Ascelin Gordon, and myself ( Avi Landau), when we still Xenophonia, the ancestor of the TenGooz.

You see, Tom used to live way out in Shimodate, and this song was conceived by him during the long drive back home. Tom, in fact, wrote the lyrics and the music to the A pattern of the song, while Ascelin and I created the rest.

We recorded the song in the tatami room of my house in Konda, with Ryutaro Kawakami on the sax.

Have a listen here

http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/17115

with Julien and Go

Julien Assali in Tsukuba before Tengooz practice

Jamming with Julien

TenGooz Memories: Melbourne Australia 2006

Hase G and A-chan of The TenGooz working on new song

Works On Paper- Thomas` Latest Exhibition, Opened Today!

Tengoophiles are naturally familiar with (and LOVE) Thomas Mayers` work on the guitar.
For a more complete understanding of Thomas the artist and the man, you had best have a good look at his latest
paintings, now on exhibit in Ushiku ( through Oct. 11). I have written more about it all at tsukblog:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/09/works-on-paper/

Tengooz fans (or anyone else), shouldnt miss it!

Thomas Mayers Shows His New Works

TenGooz Flashback-Interview on Radio Adelaide

after recieving glowing reviews in the local press we were invited for an interview at
Radio Adelaide. In this picture are trombonist EXTRAORDINNAIRE Sagara Kenya and guitarist ( with the Tengooz, Xenophonia, Geronimo,
The Brown Hornet etc) Ascelin Gordon. I (Avi Landau),took the picture!

http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/tbsagara/2424617.html

Suspicious sawed-off branch found among the debris of a fallen goshawk nest in NAKANE KONDADAI

Tragedies Of Nakane Kondadai Woods and Lake Kasumigaura Bird Killing Nets Linked By WBS of Japan Involvement

The tragedy of Nakane Kondadai is just starting to get the attention it well deserves.
Despite the presence of VALUABLE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES representing various major periods of Japanese pre-history and early history,and despite the presence of nesting goshawks (a protected species),the chairman of the Nakane Kondadai
Development Association ( and one of the area major landowners) has been fighting to push approval of the project through. This means that for an American suburban style housing development, which is being heralded ( to push prices up, of course) as GREEN DEVELOPMENT,huge tracts (by Japanese standards) of forest and meadow will be
cut down and paved over.
How did the the Kamizakai landlord get around the proven presence of the protected Goshawks? He did what any developer or businessman with bird protection law troubles has would do- call the Wild Bird Society of Japans Ibaraki Prefecture Director!

For a fee he will play the role of FIXER, and make sure the project passes through- never mind what happens to the birds.
The thousands of water birds ( and a few birds of prey, as well) who starve after being ensnared by the wing or foot in Kasumigaura`s nets are a testiment to his work.

Any one who complains to the authories or organizations such as the WWF are immediately referred to the Wild Bird Society, where Mr Ikeno, our villain, is quick to answer that THERE IS NO PROBLEM BECAUSE HE IS LOOKING INTO THE ISSUE! Well, he never did release the results of any study- he just hoped that no one would raise a voice.
Fortunately for the birds- the media is now starting to take notice.
Here are two articles, one from the Japan Times and the other- Metropolis, which are helping to let people know what is really going on.

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fe20090830a1.html

http://metropolis.co.jp/features/global-village/forest-conservation-in-tsukuba/

Lets keep the articles coming and let the world know what is going on!

Avi Landau

Thomas Mayers Makes Music For Dance Event

The TenGooz multi-talented guitarist is making the music for a dance event to be held in Chiyoda-Village this month.
Check out one of the rehearsals here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQkZ_FVKFGI&NR=1

More Old Video Clips of Vintage Tengooz

http://www.flipclip.net/clips/c3f77fe3c471555683114b0b5b121de4

Old TenGooz Video Clip URL

Oops ! I forgot to give you the URL for the clips I mentioned
below. Here it is:
http://www.flipclip.net/clips/216daacb140ae0385cf0007568a70629

Old TenGooz Video Clips!

Greetings TenGoophiles where`re ye be!
I was just sent a link to a site with some VERY OLD TenGooz
video clips. They are of interest because as you watch them you realize the lyrics, which you have all grown to love so well, had not yet been set at that time
and Im just improvising most of the time. This practice session was taken at Jon`s old SOUNDPROOF room. Sure brings back memories.

for more of my recent writings check

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/09/traces-of-tsukubas-mammals-past-and-present/

Avi Landau

tryin to stay GROUNDED IN GROOVE

The view from my bedroom- NAKANE KONDA-DAI NO KAIHATSU YAMEMASHO!

Save Tsukuba`s and Japan`s Woods !

Hello there TenGoophiles, wherever you are!
This is Avi, hoping you are having a great summer, or to our fans and friends
in the southern hemisphere, a delicious winter.

The Tengooz are in studio now, working on TEN SONGS, seven of then new.
we hope to have then finished by the end of this month, but who knows.....

Anyone who enjoys the TenGooz music should know that my house, affectionately known as the ICE PALACE , located in the midst of the
splendid NAKANE KONDA-DAI WOODS has had a deep impact on our work, dating back to the XENOPHONIA days.
These woods are now in grave danger of being turned into a motorway and American suburban style housing development.

Please read more of what Ive written about the problem at:

http://blog.alientimes.org/2008/06/fighting-to-protect-tsukubas-remaining-wilds/

and

http://blog.alientimes.org/2009/03/the-destruction-of-rare-woods-and-covering-up-of-ancient-ruins-for-suburban-chicago-style-development-in-tsuku

and of course you can check out a related TenGooz classic- Ice Palace at:

http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/34553

If you are concerned about what you read- PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD about what is going on!

Stay GROUNDED IN GROOVE

Avi Landau

Great Moments With Michael Frei and The TenGooz- Eating Nigerian Food

Michael and Rachel Going,going...

gone...

Thank you TenGooz!

Dear TenGooz!

after only two years as a Saxphone player with the TenGooz I have to leave Japan already!

What a great time - it was truely one of the lucky encounters of my life to come across the TenGooz right after arriving in Japan. 

Thanks to all former and current TenGooz members for their unique creative contributions to our great pool of original songs. And special thanks to Avi and Hase-G for keeping the TenGooz alive through the years - to the benefit of me and many music lovers around the globe. 

I am looking forward to hearing more from the TenGooz. Keep grounded in groove. 

Michael 

---

With Windows Live, you can organize, edit, and share your photos.

Avi Landau and Thomas Mayers of The TENGOOZ

Jenny and Michael performing The Tengooz RAIN FALLS.. at Capio Hall

Going crazy @ a TenGooz gig

Thomas and Michael of TenGooz @ NALUS

Hase G Setting Up at NALUS TOYBOX

Lots of recording and a big beachside for The Tengooz before Michael Frei Leaves for Germany

Its been a hectic and heavy-hearted summer for the TenGooz as we
frantically try to get as much material recorded before saxophonist
Michael heads back to Europe. We have been going up to the NIJI NO ONGAKUDO studio,and have been piecing together
EIGHT completely new TenGooz tracks in various genres, but all with that distinctive TenGooz sound.
Tomorrow night- Saturday July 17th, we will be back at one of our favorite venues- NALUS TOYBOX - an atmosperic hangout for surfers,
beach-bums, and music lovers. Starting time will be 8:30 pm.
We hope to see you there- it should be an exciting show and there could be no more comfortable place to be than by the Pacific Ocean on a July night.
Hassan should be there to percuss and there should be a big all-night drumming session after we finish our sets.
Keep GROUNDED IN GROOVE

Avi

Hassan Practicing with The TenGooz for July 17th gig @ NALUS TOYBOX

TenGooz In Practice

UTUBE VIDEO USES TENGOOZ SONG- TOO MUCH INFORMATION

The TenGooz have never put any video footage online, but sometimes others have uploaded little clips or used our music to accompany a short film.

An interesting work which has just come to our attention was created by a video artist in Italy.
He used our song TOO MUCH INFORMATION.

Please check it out and send comments. You can see it at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXa48GO0NRY

And remember- always stay grounded in GROOVE

Avi Landau

Beach Bossa Nova- A Song On The TenGooz G-strings Album

Though we recorded Beach Bossa Nova just this year, it has been with us for a long time.
Hase G ( Nodoka Hasegawa ) had come up with and been playing the bass part, in almost its exact present form even before our second Australian tour 2 years ago. I think that the vocal melody line, too, goes way back to that time, as what G played almost instantly clicked with me.
Obviously it took a long time for everything to come together with this piece, but I think that all of us who have been living with it for the past two years or so have grown to love it.
It goes without saying that without Michael Frei`s saxual instincts and Thomas Mayers inspired guitar playing things wouldnt have worked out as well as they did.

I'm embarrassed to say it, but for two years I had always improvised lyrics during live performances. It was only when we went into studio that I set down these words inspired by memories of camping out on the beach in the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt.

As you can imagine we DO play this song during our beachside gigs at Nalu`s Toybox

Here are the lyrics

Beach Bossa Nova

Ship shape silhouette sunrise shimmers
on a Red Sea Holiday

your eyes, the surf and sand were all light blue

Sitting on the sandy shore I tap you
as the Bossa nova Plays
pass one earphone to you

IM Taiti Lo Ratziti (If I erred, its not that I wanted to
Ze Lo Het Lishol Its not a sin to ask)

Gam raglaich (my feet and my hands are fidgetting in the sand)
gam yadaich
mistabchim bachol

Lo chashsavti (I didnt think that when I loved I would go for a fall)
az ksheahavti
sh ani yipol

histovavti hishtivavti ( I have wandered around and fooled around
Halomot la hol and all my dreams have come to dust)

Avi Landau

Neji-Bana in Tsukuba