Tribute to Wes Across Genres Part I

Tribute to Wes Across Genres Part I

Focusing solely on Wes for many years hasn’t yielded the best results. It’s like the saying “a frog in a well knows nothing of the sea” or “a summer insect knows nothing of winter”—my perspective had become quite narrow.

With the advent of the internet, improved connection quality, and more affordable provider fees, I’ve finally upgraded to always-on connectivity, allowing me to fully enjoy and re-explore “Wes” from various angles. To my amazement, a wealth of information about “Wes” beyond just jazz emerged. Many of these are tribute tracks dedicated to Wes, spanning various genres, which I will introduce in three parts.

First up is Denbei Itachiyama, a singer-songwriter based in Shonan who tours nationwide. Have you heard of him? Let me introduce his profile:

• 1978: Formed the acoustic band “Itachiyama Denbei Shokai.”
• 1993: Released his first CD “I Can Hear Wes” under “DENBEI-LABEL” (self-produced).
• 1994: Made his major debut with “I Can Hear Wes” from Toshiba EMI.

Since then, he has released several works under “DENBEI-LABEL,” but his strength seems to lie in live performances, dedicating himself to touring all over the country. His website mentions, “Denbei’s songs, rooted in the rock, folk, bossa nova, jazz, and blues he absorbed during his adolescence in the 70s, defy genre classification, even for the musicians he collaborates with.”

It further states, “Transcending eras and styles, Denbei sings with a contemporary heart and voice. His steadfast focus on live performances confirms this, never betraying the listener and never changing. There is no genre there.”

Currently, both his self-produced and Toshiba EMI albums are out of print, but the title track “I Can Hear Wes” is genuinely captivating. His deep vocals blend with a 4-beat rhythm, and the back guitarist Hideki “Tsune” Tsuneyoshi’s octave technique is truly impressive. I’d love for you to hear it. This is the first time I’ve heard such groovy music outside of jazz, and I highly recommend it as a “Tribute to Wes.”