Wonder City Orchestra -- African Market

 

Knowing composer-arranger extraordinaire Joe Hisaishi（久石譲）for all of those lush soundtracks of the Studio Ghibli animated epics such as "Kiki's Delivery Service", it was quite the kick in the pants to discover that in the late 1980s, he not only created but sang a dramatic City Pop tune titled "Night City". Listening to that one, I felt more like having a drink with Totoro in the Keio Plaza Hotel rather than stand with him under an umbrella.

Going even further back in his career, I found out that Hisaishi was all for the minimalist music scene in the early 1980s as a member of the percussion group Mkwaju Ensemble. However in 1982, he put out his own solo album, "Information", under the name of Wonder City Orchestra. The first track "African Market" is definitely beyond minimalist although that Mkwaju Ensemble（ムクワジュ・アンサンブル）percussion threads itself throughout the song. But surrounding it is a lot of atmospheric and fast-flowing fusion and funk that was all created by Hisaishi. Now, I feel like I should be having that line dance with Totoro, Kiki and the Cat Bus.