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As of late, J-Canuck has been doing a series featuring the various Gosanke (御三家) trios in Japanese music. His article featuring the Enka Sanba Garasu (演歌三羽烏) did catch my attention since it featured the three enka greats: Hachiro Kasuga (春日八郎), Michiya Mihashi (三橋美智也), and Hideo Murata (村田英雄). It was a little surprising to see that this trio had been given this collective label as I know them as the Sannin no Kai (三人の会). Still, the music industry back in the day did seem to have a thing for labelling a trio of popular male singers as a bunch of ravens/crows. That, then, brought to mind the trio I knew with this very label: Sengo Sanba Garasu (Three Ravens of the Postwar Era).
The Sengo Sanba Garasu include Haruo Oka (岡晴夫), Yoshio Tabata (田端義夫), and Toshiro Omi (近江俊郎). I would argue that they could've also been a Senzen (prewar) Sanba Garasu since they debuted in the 1930s and Okapparu and Batayan had spawned a number of classics in the immediate prewar era. But some of their most recognizable hits did come from the immediate postwar era, including Omi's late breakout single "Yu no Machi Elegy" (湯の町エレジー) from 1948. Those hits seemed to have been a reflection of those living in a devasted nation, encompassing both their sadness and hope in the war's aftermath. With their song, perhaps these ravens served as the harbingers of solace for the many who needed it. Now, if only the crows outside my place sounded as good as these guys.
"Oi, karasu san! 'Ume to Heitai' onegaishimasu!"
Haruo Oka -- Akogare no Hawaii Koro (憧れのハワイ航路)
Yoshio Tabata -- Kaeri Bune (かえり船)
Ooooossuu!!
Toshiro Omi -- Yu no Machi Elegy (湯の町エレジー)
Y'know, I wonder if there had been a Senzen Sanba Garasu. Even if there wasn't such a trio, I can imagine who'd be the three: Ichiro Fujiyama, Dick Mine, Noboru Kirishima... or Taro Shoji... or Bin Uehara. Okay, the last one may just be favouritism rearing its head.
Hi, Noelle. Welcome to the Gosanke Club. :) I figure that once we finish up the list on that source page, I might come up with some of own imagined trios.
ReplyDeleteGlad to be part of the club, J-Canuck! Looking forward to the imagined Gosankes. That'll be a fun addition to the existing list for sure.
DeleteAnother trio for your collection, the Sannin no Kai, consisting of Yasushi Akutagawa, Ikuma Dan and Toshiro Mayuzumi. Classical composers this time. The one I'd like to highlight is Yasushi Akutagawa.
ReplyDeletehttps://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/3%E4%BA%BA%E3%81%AE%E4%BC%9A
Akutagawa was the son of the novelist Ryunosuke, and brother of the actor Hiroshi. He is the second of his family to have an award named after him (the Suntory award for promising classical composers).
Yasushi sent his youngest daughter (Yumiko?) to Seijo Elementary, which was notable for its theatre classes. Perhaps as a contribution to his daughter's school, Yasushi composed 3 musicals which she performed in. One wonders if Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune did something similar when their kids attended Seijo.
From Yasushi's wiki:
草っぱらの子供たち（1963年、ミュージカル、成城学園児童劇）
子供のまつり（1966年、ミュージカル、成城学園児童劇）
みつばちマーヤ（1967年、ミュージカル、成城学園児童劇）
Here's the A-side of Maya the Bee (1967).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2Ml255o2lU
At 05:12 you can hear the only student to get a solo piece, having already had a solo piece in The Children's Festival (1966). At 19:00 she even does a reprise. She evidently had fond memories, writing a song in 1982 titled "I love Seijo".
Additional note: Apparently it was said student's 9th birthday during that performance.
ReplyDeleteHello, Jim. Thanks very much for all of the hard work in researching this out. If I'm not mistaken, "I Love Seijo" was a Hiromi Iwasaki tune? :)
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