Kimiko Kasai -- Louisiana-shuu no Nichiyoubi no Gogo（ルイジアナ州の日曜日の午後）

 

The above is an old 2009 photo of a busy intersection in Aoyama, Tokyo. It was taken in September, and knowing summers in the largest metropolis in Japan, it was probably sweltering. As I've often said, trying to walk in the middle of Tokyo in the summer months was akin to swimming through atmosphere. Thank heavens for Gatsby Mentholated Wipes and the many vending machines on the streets.

I've heard that the state of Louisiana can be quite steamy as well. Unfortunately, I've never had the opportunity to visit the Pelican State although I would love to go there someday. Some of the fellow senior translators got to visit New Orleans a couple of years ago for a conference. Anyways, and I'm finally making the segue here, Kimiko Kasai（笠井紀美子）is going to start us off on this first Friday of May 2021 edition of "Kayo Kyoku Plus" with "Louisiana-shuu no Nichiyoubi no Gogo" or as it has been known outside of Japan as "Louisiana Sunday Afternoon".

Written and composed for Kasai by the songwriting team of Peter Ivers and Franne Golde, the former of whom came up with "In Heaven (The Lady in the Radiator Song)", supposedly the most famous song from the cult favourite "Eraserhead" in 1977 according to his Wikipedia biography, "Louisiana Sunday Afternoon" is a track on the singer's 1984 album "New Pastel". It's a smooth and slick swing jazzy creation about pining for that beau while waiting in the heat haze down in Louisiana, and I can't help but feel those influences of Steely Dan and Rod Temperton, the latter especially for his "Spice of Life" hit for The Manhattan Transfer in the previous year. There are some of the "usual suspects" among the studio musicians including Nathan East on bass, Jake H. Concepcion on sax, and Shin Kazuhara（数原晋）on trumpet.

Some years later in 1988, jazz singer Diane Schuur covered "Louisiana Sunday Afternoon" with a slightly classier touch and Tom Scott on the saxophone. This version is available on her "Talkin' 'Bout You" album. To be honest, it's impossible for me to judge which of the two is the better one so I'm happy to say that both are supremely fine in their own ways.