It's been over a couple of years now since the passing of Ryuichi Sakamoto（坂本龍一）, still greatly missed. Far from his session musician roots where he was helping out with funk, techno and the like, his last couple of decades will always strike me as being wistful and contemplative through his piano.
The other day on NHK's "Asaichi"（あさイチ）information variety show, I heard this piece accompany the Premium Talk guest of the week...sorry, I can't remember his name, and I'm not sure whether it has anything to do with him or any of his work, but he just said that he simply loved this song when asked if he'd like anything to accompany him musically when introduced on the show.
From the languid playing, I should have known right off the bat that "Koko" was a Sakamoto number. Some decades earlier, he'd come up with "energy flow", the soothing song for the Regain vitamin drink brand, and "Koko" was something along that vein. Released as a single in March 2008, The Professor had once considered giving it the full title of "Kokoro" meaning "heart" but according to the J-Wiki article on the song, he felt a little too embarrassed naming it that so he went with just "Koko". I don't see any problem with "Kokoro" myself, but perhaps he had thought that "Kokoro" was a tad too cornball. I'm not sure.
"Kokoro" was used for a Japan Post commercial. Sakamoto himself stars in the ad. Seeing it and hearing the song definitely hits the feelings with an even more bittersweet and melancholy sense considering that he's left this mortal coil.
The powers that be do not want me to see the first video even on YouTube, but I am allowed to see the second video. Durning his life Ryuichi Sakamoto was very prolific and industrious. The world of music is in a much better place because of him and He will be missed.
ReplyDeleteIndeed he has continued to be missed.
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