Yasunori Soryo -- Cebu Islands

 

Now that Japan is in Golden Week mode, I remember when I was living in the nation, students and TV programs often spoke of Cebu in hushed tones as if it were a hallowed destination. And it was...for recreational purposes. It's a group of islands in the Philippines and apparently it was and is still rather popular. Taking a look at the above video from Island Hopper TV, I can see why.

I'm guessing that Cebu has been in the minds of vacationers for decades because I've encountered this track, "Cebu Islands", which belongs to composer/arranger Yasunori Soryo's（惣領泰則）first album "Wings of Love" from 1977. According to Discogs, the angelic chorus in the song are the Jim Rock Singers which seem to be Soryo's own group. "Cebu Islands" sure makes the actual place sound like an enticing Valhalla with the folksy AOR and Sunshine Pop arrangement. 

It's nice to have Soryo back up on the byline again. I think the last time he was up there was back in 2021 when he collaborated with the chorus group EVE for "I'm In New York".