PE'Z | Profile The five-piece PE'Z is made up of funk and jazz session players who, after successful careers backing other musicians, have set off on their own. The group started their own hype with a strong populist ethic, choosing in 2000 to ply their trade on the hip streets of Shibuya rather than hit the jazz club circuit, with its narrower demographic. Their first release, the eponymous PE'Z, shot to the top of Tower Records' Indies chart in early 2001, establishing them as a fan favorite and creating the opportunity to play in a broader range of venues. With their next release, the 2001 mini album Hayato, the band showed off an even tighter set, again featuring Medeski, Martin & Wood style funky organ and sharp horns over a stretchy rhythm section. Okokoroire and Akatsuki, two more mini albums, followed, with the full-length Kugatsu no Sora, their major label debut (Toshiba-EMI) appearing in September, 2002. A string of releases ensued, including "Dry! Dry! Dry!" which was used in an Asahi Super Dry beer commercial, garnering them significant prime time exposure. The band continues to release albums and play shows, including the festival circuit, which has won them the attention of a rapidly growing overseas fan base. by Bill Haw
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