Cocktail Notes || EP. 4 "Five to Nine Osaka", by Branden Nguyen || Japanese Cocktail

This week’s selection is another original piece I wrote a few years back. During that time, I gave myself a compositional challenge: write twelve “blues” pieces, featuring different styles and musical concepts. “Five to Nine Osaka” was the funk installment into my blues collection. It’s named “Five to Nine” because of the intervallic jump I favored in the melody. The” Osaka” part is an ode to a past trip to Japan, one where I learned jazz and funk is surprisingly still ubiquitous. Two memorable music moments stand out during that trip: the first is when my friend Jon and I checked out a smokey basement bar where a free jazz/alt band was holding a concert to debut their CD. The second is when we discovered a hole-in-the-wall micro bar where a jazz duo was supposed to play. By the time we arrived, they were done playing for the night. The guitarist saw my interest in his unique-looking guitar and invited me to play for everyone. It was definitely a highlight of the trip.

The “Japanese Cocktail” has no true Japanese connection. According to “Steve the Bartender” on YT, it was a cocktail created for a visiting Japanese dignitary to NY. The cocktail itself is incredibly easy to drink. The cognac has fruity and almost nutty elements that are highlighted by the addition of orgeat, an almond syrup. The bitters provide a hint of spice and depth to keep the cocktail from being too dull. It is on the sweet side for me, but I would highly recommend it as an after dinner drink. Cheers!

[November 19, 2020]