Mikio Masuda & Mariko Hiraga -- Urban Night

 

Less than half an hour ago, this particular video which was uploaded back in 2017 managed to find itself onto the default YouTube page that shows up whenever I hit the platform. It happens to be fashion designer Tom Ford's six rules of style. Y'know...I do agree that every person should have a sharp black suit in the wardrobe for that special occasion; in my case, though, those special occasions haven't come to me for the past two decades. Still, it seems as if a lot of the comments have been about the hypnotic effect that Ford's voiceover has on them. Maybe Ford should have also provided a video on his own rules of voice technique.

But seeing that Tom Ford video made me search within my ever-growing backlog to find a song that would fit the atmosphere and ambience that video offered me. It took a while but I was able to track down a number that was suitably stylish, urban and urbane. This is "Urban Night" performed by the duet of jazz pianist and composer Mikio Masuda（益田幹夫）and jazz singer Mariko Hiraga（平賀真理子）. Coming from their 1984 album "Twilight" as the opening track, this is the type of tune that would have you and your significant other put on the good clothes and head out for a night out to a restaurant on the rooftop of some famous skyscraper downtown. Of course, by all means, please follow Ford's six rules (well, the one about dousing yourself in scent I don't quite agree with).

As I mentioned in my first article for Masuda on KKP, he's a hard fellow to find information on, but Hiraga's profile doesn't even seem to exist in the pages that I could find aside from the fact that she is a jazz singer. I actually had to find even that smidgen of data on a Japanese site dedicated to session guitarists. By the way, the lyrics were provided by Tommy Snyder from the band Godiego（ゴダイゴ）.

Now if you'll excuse me, Mr. Ford's voice is compelling me to purchase a tuxedo for no reason.