Melting and Jamming

JAPAN JAM: The High Sierra Music Festival in
Quincy, California, has been the coming-out party for many a band.
Following last year’s event, the buzz was all about a group from
Japan called Meltone. The quartet left a lasting
impression playing on top of an RV in between stages. Ripping into
an extra-funky version of Deodato’s “Also Sprach Zarathustra”
(better known as the theme from 2001), Meltone had the
crowd in the palm of their hand. “At High Sierra the audience
really cut loose,” exclaimed front man Shinichiro
Tomita.

Tomita started Meltone, he said, “not to become famous but to
help strengthen Japan’s jam-band community.” Improvisational
American music has always made a deep impact on the Land of the
Rising Sun, ranging from Miles Davis to the Grateful Dead to Phish.
The latter two have heavily influenced the free-ranging spirit of
Meltone. Tomita’s guitar work draws comparisons to early Jerry
Garcia with an aggressiveness complementing the fluidity.

Meltone makes its second sojourn to the U.S. in support of its
sophomore album, Wonderful View. One only needs to hear
the opening track, “So,” to understand the magnitude of the band’s
potential. Aside from their instrumental prowess, the lyrical
effect is one-of-a-kind, blending Japanese and English. They’ll be
playing SOhO tonight, July 6, with the dazzling L.A.-based
Seismic. With another high-octane jam-band led by
ace axeslinger James “Laker” Lake, audiences
should be advised to screw their heads on extra tight.
— Tyler Blue