KKP mascot and aidoru Kayo Kyoku is back in front of a Christmas tree since the final Reminiscings of Youth article for November 2023 will also be the first ROY article for Xmas 2023 on KKP.
In terms of Canada and jazz, before I heard Michael Bublé, before I heard Diana Krall but after I learned about Oscar Petersen, it was jazz chanteuse Holly Cole. The first time I heard her may have been during my time on the JET Programme or when I got back to Canada. There was a music video (not the one above) where I first saw the Nova Scotia-born Cole but the one song that I've always associated her with is her wonderful cover of the haunting "Calling You" which came out in 1991. I was struck by her gamine beauty and it was like seeing a perfect combination of Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine.
But I did say that this was going to be a Yuletide-themed ROY article, so I'm going to go with "The Christmas Blues" by the Holly Cole Trio. The song came with the rest of the trio's album "Christmas Blues", their very first recording, in fact, in 1989. Aaron Davis was on the piano while David Piltch was plucking away on the wood bass. Meanwhile, Cole had her own fine instrument in the form of her voice as she playfully and seductively sang us into relaxation with our mug of cocoa. I was able to get my own copy of the song through an Xmas compilation.
For the longest time, I'd only known the Cole cover but I eventually found out that the original, which was created by Sammy Kahn and David Jack Holt, had been recorded by Dean Martin in October 1953. I'd say that "The Christmas Blues" could be given an honorary status as a typical Christmas kayo kyoku as the protagonist is going through a lonely and partner-less Holiday season while the rest of humanity is enjoying themselves as usual.
I just had to include this televised version of Dino singing "The Christmas Blues", and I think that may be Kahn himself on the piano. Not sure what it was about Kahn shaking Martin's head vigorously at the end, but I could have imagined Dino screaming "KAHNNNNNN!" years before William Shatner did on "Star Trek II" (sorry...I'll just see myself out there). 😁 Bad joke aside, during my near six decades here on Earth, I only caught the last few years of the musical-variety show era in America but I still have a fond memory of seeing scenes like these.
Anyways, since Wikipedia only mentioned the year that Cole's version of "The Christmas Blues" was released, I'll just go with some of the award winners at the 1989 Japan Record Awards for the comparison.
Record of the Year: Wink -- Samishii Nettaigyo （淋しい熱帯魚）
Album of the Year: Anri -- Circuit of Rainbow
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