The singer-songwriter Mitsutoshi Ambe (あんべ光俊) is another unexpected discovery I made in the past year while aimlessly browsing the good ole' Youtube. This song tugged at my heartstrings right from the get-go with those sorrowful synths. Still does. I was also drawn to Ambe's sharp and poignant vocals that just echo through the melody like a voice in the mountains. For someone who enjoys a good number of sentimental ballads, this one did something more profound, which I can't express. It's right up there with Off Course's "Kotoba ni Dekinai", another one of my favorites. Not surprisingly, three members from the band, Jiro Oma (大間ジロー), Kazuhiko Matsuo (松尾一彦), and Hitoshi Shimizu (清水仁), participated in the recording of the song along with the rest of the tracks on Ambe's 4th studio album "Hearts" (released in August 1983). Oma was the one who produced the album. The song certainly resembles the Off Course style from that period with its AOR sound and glowing emotion. Ambe, on the other hand, has collaborated with the band on their own material over the years and produced a few of their songs.
As for Ambe, he was born in 1953 in Iwate prefecture. In 1974 he formed the folk group Hikousen, which broke up in 1978. The following year, he transferred labels to Toshiba EMI and released his first single, "Kaze wa Shitteiru". He put out a steady string of albums and singles until 1995, and then decided to focus on cultural ambassador work in his home prefecture, while recording and performing songs on the side.
At the moment, my vinyl copy of "Hearts" is sitting collecting dust at my home in Toronto. Thankfully, I made a digital copy to listen to anytime.
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| Source: feedio.net |
Hi, nikala.
ReplyDeleteThanks for putting up the article on Mitsutoshi Ambe. I'd never heard of him before. I just listened to a few of his other tracks on "HEARTS" and like them. Unfortunately, your video for "HEART" above either hit a snag or has been rendered 'persona non grata' in all but appearance for some reason. I checked for any other copy on YouTube, but it looks like that was the only one up.
Thanks for letting me know. Funny thing, I used to access this video just fine from Canada, but perhaps the uploader decided to make it Japan-only know. Anyways, decided to call Grooveshark to the rescue. The clip you hear above is my personal record rip.
DeleteGlad that you could put up the Grooveshark rip. I can hear it just fine, and the song did put a shiver up my spine....always a good sign. And it does sound like an Off-Course from the early 80s. It's amazing that after so many decades of hearing Japanese music, I can still discover great new singers from the past.
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