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The book "Japanese City Pop" has provided a lot of revelations. One surprise was seeing Ayumi Ishida（いしだあゆみ）in those pages. The singer/actress who immortalized "Blue Light Yokohama"（ブルーライト・ヨコハマ）, a most beloved kayo from the late 1960s, is someone that I would never have imagined tackling anything like City Pop. And yet here we are.
I have to say that is one lovely and dramatic picture of her on the cover of her April 1977 album, "Our Connection"（アワー・コネクション）. However, she was not alone in this endeavour. The band Tin Pan Alley（ティン・パン・アレー）collaborated with her, and I realize that this is my second Tin Pan Alley article for tonight but on hearing the first track, I just had to write about it. The official collaboration is called Ayumi Ishida & Tin Pan Alley Family, by the way.
"Watashi Jishin" (Myself) is definitely an eye-opener for me. I've really only known Ishida for "Blue Light Yokohama" so to hear her soft voice adorning this funky 70s City Pop number is quite something. Actually, it is her soft and whispery delivery that makes things even cooler against Haruomi Hosono's（細野晴臣）music as she sings Jun Hashimoto's（橋本淳）lyrics about being a single woman in Tokyo nonchalantly enjoying the metropolitan lifestyle while still keeping emotions close to her chest and under her hat.
At the same time, although I know that this is an original song for the album, I couldn't help but imagine "Watashi Jishin" being a cover of one of those 1960s Mood Kayo tunes the way Ishida sings it. It sometimes sounds like Ishida herself singing it in the "original" way while overlaid with that modern 1970s urban melody. Furthermore, Ishida's delivery makes me think that Akina Nakamori（中森明菜）can even cover it now. She's also got that whispery voice and I know that she can do urban well.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
ReplyDeleteOne of those songs that started it all. I stated in an earlier comment that I discovered early City Pop through obscure labors of love via various post of 70s City Pop in general. This was one of those tracks.
The aughts revealed an eclectic view of the City Pop genre that is not bound by the orthodoxy of those who were either in the know early or, who discovered it organically (i.e. or by other means).
However, you get it where you find it.
I found this song through Soundcloud playlists either through Megane-kun (a French ex-pat who formally lived in Osaka) or through JULIE (a DJ from Osaka). Both of them had wonderful Soundcloud content that has since been removed.
But I remember it fondly. To find out that both Ishida Ayumi and Haruomi Hosono were both involved in this song is quite the revelation!
Hello, Chasing Showa.
DeleteIt's good to hear that "Watashi Jishin" was one of the catalysts that started you on your way to enjoying City Pop. Yes, it was quite the surprise to find out that a familiar face on TV and one of the YMO triumvirate actually worked together to come up with something this funky.
Good evening, J-Canuck,
ReplyDeleteAfter looking around I've found that neither playlist has disappeared.
Megane-kun, who had a wonderful site called Drink Cold (French language only) which was Showa af! However, for whatever reason it disappeared.
He has since revived it but all of that tasty content from the old site is gone.
Anywho, he has a number of playlists on Soundcloud. I will give the link to his classic City Pop playlist but he's all over the map when it comes to Japanese music.
https://www.mixcloud.com/meganekun/playlist-drink-cold-5-oh-so-vintage/
And that DJ from Osaka by the name of JULIE? Well I thought he was on Soundcloud but he was actually on Mixcloud.
Mixcloud, Soundcloud, tomayto, tomato...
I found about him during an info search of Yoshida Minako. JULIE'S blog had links to his sets via MP3 files that you could directly download. Then all sets were moved to Mixcloud.
https://www.mixcloud.com/j_u_l_i_e/tokai/
Watashi Jishin is the first song.
Just like Megane-kun, his taste in Japanese Music is also all over the map. Being a DJ, I guess that comes with the job.
Enjoy.
Hi, Chasing Showa.
DeleteThanks kindly for the tip of Megane-kun. I took a listen to the first song on his "Drink Cold 5" and got some epic Momoe Yamaguchi that I hadn't heard before called "Tasogare Matsuri". Gonna have to talk about that one! Will have to check out Julie's blog as well!