Kentaro Shimizu -- Ryogiri no Camel（両切りのキャメル）

Hope the week is going well so far for you folks. Had a good time with "Kayo Kyoku Plus" collaborator Larry Chan this morning since he was back in town for a visit. We decided to try out the newest ramen restaurant in the north of Toronto called Konjiki. The place's signature dish is clam broth ramen. I did have it before with the anime buddy and although I liked it enough, I wanted to try the tonkotsu since that is always going to be my favourite when it comes to the famous Japanese dish. Happy to say that it was very good. Ramen was indeed a good choice since although we are now well into April, we actually got hit with some wet fluffy snow in the afternoon! Yes, I know spring officially arrived a few weeks ago.

Just as comforting as that bowl of ramen for lunch is this City Pop song by singer-songwriter Kentaro Shimizu（清水健太郎）titled "Ryogiri no Camel" (Camel Cigarettes). This was a track from his 1977 first album "Shimizu Kentaro First"（清水健太郎 ファースト）, and that silly pose on the cover of the album aside, I enjoy this song since it has that languid sunset guitar and Fender Rhodes piano, tropes of 1970s City Pop, leading the way along with some mellow horns.

At first, I hadn't been quite sure about what the title was about. What did a camel have to do with a guy simply enjoying city life with his girlfriend as he goes to his favourite cafe filled with easy listening jazz? Then I found out that it wasn't the actual animal but the famous brand of cigarettes. Basically, "Ryogiri no Camel" could have made for a fine jingle for a commercial.

Shimizu did write and compose the song with Koji Makaino（馬飼野康二）arranging it. This would be my second song by him to get featured on "Kayo Kyoku Plus" with his most famous tune being "Shitsuren Resutoran"（失恋レストラン）that I introduced way back in the first year of the blog.