MMK tearing things up at FRF '10

MMK tearing things up at FRF '10

In 2010, I made the mistake of checking out the first half of Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro’s Field of Heaven set before I had to review Akihiro Namba’s (of Hi-Standard fame) Fuji Rock solo debut on the White Stage.  After watching MMK tear through several fantastic funk and soul tracks with an amazing amount of showmanship and energy, Namba’s performance felt flat.

To this day, I’m still not sure if Namba’s concert really was that mediocre, or if MMK just raised the bar so high that whoever I saw minutes after watching them didn’t even have a fighting chance of competing.  This year I’m hoping to space out my schedule so that I’ve got a bit of downtime after MMK’s Orange Court show on Saturday, July 28.  Maybe then other FRF ‘12 acts won’t pale in comparison to the Saitama sextet.

In addition to their Field of Heaven performance at FRF ’10, MMK also appeared in the Crystal Palace Tent in 2008.  They are psyched about returning to Naeba this summer.

“We’re so excited about playing Fuji Rock again,” says guitarist Naokazu “Bobsan” Kobayashi. “Fuji Rock is a special festival, not just this year, but every year.  It’s an amazing gathering of pure music lovers, and has one of the greatest vibes of any festival in the world. It’s an honor to be asked to play, and we are so fortunate that this will be our third time.”

Back in 2010, members of Ozomatli could be seen at the side of the Field of Heaven stage, rightfully nodding along in approval of MMK’s feel-good grooves.  And when the band’s sax player, Kunimitsu “Carlos” Ohashi, had a small mishap during the performance, Ozomatli were happy to help out.

“Carlos’ sax strap broke during our set, and we had to play on without him for a while,” says Bobsan. “In the meantime, our staff were desperately looking for a spare strap.  Ozomatli were playing after us, and the guys were kind enough to lend us theirs.  When Carlos returned to the stage, it was probably the biggest roar from a crowd we’ve ever had!  It was like when James Brown used to show up on stage.  It was so funny.”

MMK started this year with gigs in Australia.  In March, they issued “Taking a Lesson from the Past,” an album of  covers from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zepplin, Bob Marley, Herbie Hancock, and Stevie Wonder.  On July 4, they are putting out their third full-length, “Perfect Times.”

Here’s MMK’s entire concert from Australia’s Peats Ridge Festival:

“We’ve tried a lot of new stuff on ‘Perfect Times,’” says Bobsan.  “It’s a lot funkier, but in so many varied ways.  The songs are more colorful, and the arrangements have definitely evolved.  The album is a lot more powerful than our previous releases.  We definitely feel that this is our best album so far.”

I think it’s safe to say that those who make the trek to Orange Court will hear a heavy helping of material from “Perfect Times.”  What else can fans expect from MMK’s showcase at FRF ’12?

“Our set is going to be loud, funky, energetic, and super groovy,” says Bobsan.  “Be prepared to dance!”

Check out live photos of MMK at last fall’s Asagiri Jam here.
Check out live photos of MMK at FRF ‘10 here.
Check out a live review of MMK from FRF ‘08 here.

*Photo by 北村勇祐 and used with the permission of Fuji Rock Express ‘10.