Ai Kanzaki -- Sentakusen（洗濯船）

Wikipedia

 

The above is a photo of the Parisian apartment that has been nicknamed Bateau-Lavoir. It looks rather gussied up and stylish now but a century ago, it was pretty ratty-looking. In fact, the humble abode got its nickname from the fact that its rickety structure back then tended to sway back and forth during storms just like old washing boats on the Seine which is what Bateau-Lavoir means in English: washhouse boat.

Now, why would this place in the 18th arrondissement of the City of Lights get even a mention in Wikipedia? Well for folks who are into art and art history, Bateau-Lavoir was the residence for many an artist and literary people including Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau.

The apartment has its own name in Japanese, too. It's known as Sentakusen which also literally means "washing boat". Not sure if a lot of Japanese tourists have been drawn to Bateau-Lavoir but at the very least, a song was created in tribute to it. In 1980, singer and flautist Ai Kanzaki（神崎愛）released a 1980 single called "Sentakusen" which was written by Keisuke Yamakawa（山川啓介）, composed by Yasuo Higuchi（樋口康雄）and arranged by Osamu Shouji（東海林修）.

Now of course, this is Friday which is always Urban Contemporary Day on KKP and when I saw Kanzaki's name attached to this song, I thought "City Pop" based on what I've heard from her through songs like "Pandora no Hako"（パンドラの箱）. But this time, I have to say that "Sentakusen" isn't really City Pop at all unless the city is Paris. It can fall under the label of New Music in the more specific area of chaise lounge-friendly Fashion Music or maybe I can even categorize it as an especially classy version of exotic kayo.

If by chance, any of you readers have ever visited Bateau-Lavoir, let us know what you thought of it.