Reiko Sada -- Shinjitsu（真実）

 

I gotta admit that I was gobsmacked when I heard this one a couple of nights ago (and thanks to my almost-namesake, Kayo Wave Plus for uploading this). I knew that folk singer and popular TV personality Masashi Sada（さだまさし）has a former soccer-playing brother and current entertainment executive, Shigeri（佐田繁理）, but until recently, I had no idea that he also has a younger sister, Reiko Sada（佐田玲子）.

Well, Ms. Sada is a singer and songwriter in her own right and a radio personality. Making her debut as a member of the City Pop/folk group Hakucho-za（白鳥座...Cygnus） produced by Masashi in 1981, she's released a half-dozen singles and eight albums up to 2006 and even a couple of duets with her big brother. In February 1994, Sada released her 5th album "Cinq" which has the track "Shinjitsu" (Absolute Truth).

Written and composed by Reiko, it's got plenty of 1990s champagne-and-caviar City Pop brass as if the Bubble Era hadn't ever ended in Japan. Plus, I always appreciate a good horn solo in the metropolitan music. I don't know what else is in "Cinq" but "Shinjitsu" is a fine calling card. Mind you, her brother has also had a dabble into City Pop through "Nagasaki-City Serenade"（長崎小夜曲）.