Yucco Miller x Lupin the Third at Yamano Music Ginza

Tokyo is without a doubt a city that rewards local knowledge. There is so much going on in so many different genres that to keep a handle on it is tough and time-consuming.

At Maction Planet, this is something we pride ourselves on.

We don’t just focus on the larger events – we like to keep tabs on the niche things too; experiences that a perfectly planned customised tour can seamlessly take in. We believe that is one of the many factors that differentiate what we do, and we are humbled that so many guests have recognised that fact in our 100% 5* TripAdvisor reviews.

One of many such events took place on Saturday 24 March 2018 – Yucco Miller giving a delightful mini-concert outside the legendary Yamano Music Store in Ginza.

Yucco Miller, real name Yukiko Onishi (大西由希子), started playing the piano at age 3 and the alto saxophone in high school at the age of 15, playing in the brass band. She joined a ‘Jazz Labo’ recording at 16 and the fusion band ‘J z’ at 17.

After winning many prizes, playing overseas and studying songwriting, jazz theory, composition arrangement, she went pro when she was 19. She trained with Ken Kawata, the lead alto sax player of the Tadao Kitano & Arrow Jazz Orchestra and  Los Angeles-based Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Eric Marienthal of Chick Corea Elektric Band.

She has toured all over the world.  She’s even performed a solo of the Japanese national anthem ‘Kimigayo’ in the ring for a WBA World Super Welterweight Boxing title match. Back home in Japan, Yucco makes regular TV appearance and even has her own brand of jewelry (‘Jewl Yucco’) and chocolate.

In September 2016, Yucco Miller released her first album ‘YUCCO MILLER’, recorded with Grammy Award-winning artist Lonnie Plaxico and his band in NY.

What about the venue? Well, Yamano Music Ginza was founded in 1892 and is one of Ginza’s iconic stores. A must-visit for music lovers, the shop’s eight floors are home to a cornucopia of CDs, DVDs, sheet music, pianos and other instruments. The handwritten comments by the knowledgeable staff are a great help as one shifts through new releases and hard-to-find classic albums. Yamano’s corporate philosophy of “Contributing to society through the promotion of music” is accurate and on point. One example of this is their hosting of the University Big Band Jazz Contest which they have supported since 1970. Another is their free concerts which they host on the street outside their store for the enjoyment of all. 

To celebrate the release of her new album ‘SAXONIC’, Yucco was performing two free mini-concerts on Yamano’s Special Stage. We timed things perfectly for our guests – after a morning at the Tsukiji Fish Market and a wander through the art galleries and backstreets of Ginza, during which time they got to hold a 500-year old Japanese sword,  we arrived just in time to enjoy the 13:00 show in the glorious Tokyo spring sunshine.

Our guests have generously allowed us to share this video so now you too can experience the sound of this amazing sax player and her rendition of Yuji Ohno’s classic ‘Theme from Lupin III’, one of the most recognizable pieces of anime music ever written. Enjoy!

Maction Planet runs bespoke Tokyo Private Tours and Experiences. To book yours, contact us on info@mactionplanet.com