The Ventures/Yuko Nagisa -- Nagasaki Bojou（長崎慕情）

 

Over the years on "Kayo Kyoku Plus", I've included the legendary instrumental rock band The Ventures and not as part of the Reminiscings of Youth series. If you can take a look at their entries on the blog, they not only had their day in the United States with surf rock but have become stars as well in Japan by providing their own tunes for Japanese audiences that have been sung by Japanese singers. In fact, there is one section in the J-Wiki article for The Ventures which talk about Ventures kayo, some of which are part and parcel of KKP.

Well, it's sad to say but co-founder and guitarist Don Wilson of this very group passed away yesterday morning at the age of 88. As such, I wanted to provide another one of The Ventures' creations in Japan in tribute.

One of the kayo that I wrote about all the way back in 2014 was "Kyoto Bojou"（京都慕情）which was a November 1970 release by The Ventures. Several days later in December, Yuko Nagisa（渚ゆう子）did a cover of the song with lyrics added. In both cases, "Kyoto Bojou" was quite the quietly cheerful affair.

A year later in November 1971, The Ventures then went further west in Japan to provide "Nagasaki Bojou" (Nagasaki Memories) which was a more contemplative and perhaps more melancholy tune thanks to the guitar and what sounds like the electric organ. That rhythm guitar, presumably by Wilson, has a somewhat mesmerizing effect on the ears like a murmuring stream.

Also in 1971 and maybe just after The Ventures' release of the song once again, Nagisa's cover of "Nagasaki Bojou" came out with Haruo Hayashi（林春生）providing the lyrics just as he did for "Kyoto Bojou". It does have more of that kayo feeling with the addition of the soprano saxophone, the thwack-y drumming and the strings although I also hear that electric organ again. 

All of my condolences to Wilson's family and friends. I'm sure that fans in Japan are also mourning the loss but are also celebrating what he has left everyone.