東京中央線

東京中央線是我們樂隊的名稱，我們是一隊樂器演奏的樂隊， 由吉他手大竹研(Ken Ohtake)、貝斯手早川徹(Toru Hayakawa)和鼓手福島紀明(Noriaki Fukushima) 組成。 樂隊名稱來自貫穿東京市的鐵路系統，被稱為中央線。中央線沿線有許多酒吧、Live House、俱樂部，而我們三個人從年輕的時候，就常在這些爵士樂和搖滾樂的場地玩音樂，直到現在。所以東京中央線這個名稱，具有我們音樂之旅的象徵意義，也是我們的根源之一。 

2013年東京中央線首個在台灣的演出，是只有Ken和Toru的吉他貝斯二重奏。Ken和Toru在大學唸書時認識就一起玩音樂， 之後二人跟新客家民謠歌手林生祥在台灣開始長期合作。 Ken和Toru經過一些表演，決定需要一個鼓手，於是就找了Noriaki來玩。 Toru和Noriaki(每個人都叫他Nori)是合作多年的夥伴，他們甚至更是受同一位音樂導師Ryojirou Furusawa教導及影響，Ryojirou Furusawa是日本的傳奇爵士鼓手，Toru和Nori於2000年開始就在他的樂隊中一起玩音樂。那時Ryojirou Furusawa的樂隊名稱叫“Ne”(意思是“根”或“聲音”)，Toru和Nori從2000年至2011期間，有過無數次的演出合作，建立了深厚的默契和信任。 

三位成員第一次的演出在2014年，我們做了一個小巡迴，在台北的Legacy(6/12)，台南的Room335(6/13)和高雄In Our Time(6/14)。同時，我們也做了現場錄音，並於2015年5月出版了首張(現場錄音)專輯“佇台南”。 其實當時我們沒有稱自己為“東京中央線”，那時的節目名稱是“難以想像的東京中央線”。但台灣的觀眾不斷將樂隊稱為“東京中央線”，所以我們意識到這個名字已經被卡住了。所以我們決定從2017年開始，正式以“東京中央線”為樂隊命名，同時，在2017年5月，我們製作出版了全新的錄音室專輯“One Line”。 

“One Line”的所有作品皆為我們原創，Ken獨特精緻的吉他彈奏方式，在他的作品中表現出來。 Toru則創造一個夠大的開放空間，發揮可以自由即興的無限可能。Nori的節奏感總是強大有力，但與此同時，他的作品旋律有趣之處乃令人充滿驚喜。我們三人都有爵士樂影響的背景，但我們不是以爵士樂的方式即興演奏。而且由於我們長期合作的關係，使得這個樂隊演奏起來更有味道、更有默契，並滿載驚喜。 

目前我們在台灣、日本和香港有演出，未來如果有機會，也期待可以到您們的城市玩音樂！

Tokyo Chuo-Line is the name of our band. We are a instrumental band, consists of a guitarist Ken Ohtake, and a bassist Toru Hayakawa, and a  drummer Noriaki Fukushima.  
Name of the band comes from a railway in Tokyo city. There is one train  running across Tokyo city and it is called central line (Chuo-Line).  
Lots and lots of bars, live houses, clubs in the area and 3 of us grew up  playing those jazz and rock venues when we were younger. We still do. So the word Tokyo Chuo-Line has a symbolic meaning of our musical journey.Like one of our roots. 

Originally, Ken on guitar and Toru on bass, started to play duo concerts in Taiwan  back in 2013. Ken and Toru met in the university and played together a lot since then,  including long-time collaboration with Hakka folk singer Lin Sheng Xiang in Taiwan.  
After some shows we decided that we need a drummer. Then we invite Noriaki to play. 
Toru and Noriaki (everyone calls him Nori) go way back. Toru and Nori first started to play together  in their mentor's band in 2000. Their mentor was a legendary jazz drummer in Japan,  Ryojirou Furusawa. They played in his band called "Ne" (which means "root" or "tone of a sound") until 2011.After countless gigs and various sessions together,Toru and Nori trust each other so much.  

So the first time the 3 members came together was in 2014. We did a tour and played in  Legacy Taipei (6/12), Room335 Tainan (6/13) and In Our Time Kaosiung(6/14). We did a live recording  
also and released a live debut album "佇台南 Live in Tainan" in May 2015.  
Actually at that time we didn't call ourselves "Tokyo Chuo-Line" yet but the name of the event was  "Tokyo Chuo-Line Unexpected". But the audience in Taiwan kept referring to the band as "Tokyo Chuo-Line" so we realized the name already stuck. So we decided to call ourselves that from 2017. 
In May 2017, we released a studio album called "One Line". 

Our repertoire is our original compositions. Ken has his unique exquisite way of playing guitar and  that shows in his composing also. Toru creates tunes that has a big open space to improvise over, and  allows anything to happen. Nori's groove is always big and strong but at the same time, his composing  is surprisingly melodic and interesting. 3 of us have a background of jazz influence but we improvise not strictly in jazz manner. And our long term relationship makes this band ensemble more tasteful and full of sensitivity.  

So far we played in Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong but in future, if we get a chance, we might go to your town to play music!