Imported from Japan: Woven Notes Gives a Fine Performance at the Winery at St. George

If you're going to the for a glass of fine wine, you might be pleasantly surprised at something even more refined, an import from Japan. 

A six-piece jazz band, Woven Notes, from Japan plays mostly original songs and some covers every Thursday and Saturday at the Winery through September. 

The band was formed by guitarist Tomoyuki Watanabe in 2009 and since then the musicians have been playing at jazz houses and hip hop clubs in Tokyo, and now at the Winery in Mohegan Lake as well as some gigs in Manhattan. Their lead vocalist, who goes by the name Nene, joined the musicians in 2011. 

While studiying musical performance at the City College of New York, Nene met John DeChiaro, a former record label owner of "White Gold.". 

He said he knew of her talent and once he heard the rest of the band, he decided to offer them to come play at the Winery, owned by his brother Tom. In April, the group played for one weekend before DeChiaro decided to act as their manager and sponsor their next trip to the U.S. for three months.

"They're originals when you hear them for the first time," he said. "You feel like you've known the band for years. They're new jazz -- catchy and energetic with amazing vocals."

Members of Woven Notes include Nene (vocals), Tomayuki Watanabe (guitar), Kotaro Sekine (saxophone), Jitsuhiro Masuda (piano), Daisuke Konno (drums) and Motoyoshi Ozawa (bass). 

Watanabe said there is no one place he gets his inspiration from. The way he categorizes their music, he said, is jazz but he is always trying to make music that no one else can. Nene said the band members plan to get popular in the U.S. and then move back to Japan and travel back and forth between the two countries. Music in their native country is not part of people's every day lives and that's what makes it so much more enjoyable to play in the U.S. where people respond to their music in a more direct way. 

"We love it," Nene said of performing at the Winery. "People are relaxed. There is freedom here and it's a good environment."

Woven Notes has a self-titled album which came out in 2009, Nene has her album titled "One" and another joined album is coming out soon. 

In addition to the Winery, the band will perform at a the Groove Club in Manhattan on Wednesday, Aug. 3 from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free. 

To learn more about Woven Notes, click here to visit their website.