Keiko Saijo -- Okaerinasai（お帰りなさい）

 

The whole thing about anime is that it's filled with oft-repeated tropes and expressions. And one of them is the well-worn offer by a young wife to her husband: Would you like to have a bath, dinner or me? Of course, most of the time, it's played for laughs.

Strangely enough, that's what I'm reminded of when I listen to Keiko Saijo's（西城慶子）"Okaerinasai" (Welcome Home). A track from her 1981 album "Twilight Silence"（トゥワイライト・サイレンス）, it's written by Rei Nakanishi（なかにし礼）and composed by Kyohei Tsutsumi（筒美京平）. It's also quite the sultry and extended version of the multiple-choice question that I mentioned in the previous paragraph. Along with the let's-make-out arrangement, there is some added jazziness which isn't surprising since Saijo is a jazz chanteuse by profession. 

Keiko Saijo -- Otoko to Onna no Story（男と女のストーリー）

 

I introduced jazz singer Keiko Saijo（西城慶子）at the end of August and was instantly smitten by her refined and classy "Twilight Silence"（トゥワイライト・サイレンス）, the title track from her 1981 album when she was also exploring some of that City Pop. There is something quite Michael Franks about that one.

Well, from the same album, I give you "Otoko to Onna no Story" (The Story of a Man and a Woman) which has a bit more urgency and action. In fact, the intro is rather reminiscent of Taeko Ohnuki's（大貫妙子） "Grand Prix" on her "Aventure" album from the same year. Written by Mimi Yokosuka（よこすか未美）and composed by Hiromasa Suzuki（鈴木宏昌）, there's also a goodly amount of disco and funk powering this one as Saijo's vocals fly effortlessly through the air. I also gotta give my respects to the keyboard solo.

Keiko Saijo -- Twilight Silence（トゥワイライト・サイレンス）

 

Ahh...once again, we're treated to another urban contemporary tune with something to do with "twilight" in the title. It was a few weeks ago when I noted that trend in kayo kyoku in an Author's Pick and indeed Twilight Time continues.

This is the first time for me to know about the singer Keiko Saijo（西城慶子）but what a short, sweet and succulent song to be introduced to. "Twilight Silence" is the title track from her 1981 album and with its bossa jazz background and Saijo's smoky vocals, the song practically demands a date, a steak dinner and the best red wine (I've read that it's probably Cabernet Sauvignon) while this is playing...oh, and a penthouse apartment overlooking a bay. My delusions of budget-sapping grandeur aside, "Twilight Silence" is quite the classy tune which has some echoes of "This Masquerade" by George Benson. Mimi Yokosuka（よこすか未美）and Daisuke Inoue（井上大輔）were responsible for words and music respectively.

As for Saijo, she was born in Ibaraki Prefecture and has tackled music ranging from jazz to kayo kyoku. Her career began in 1958 when she was 20 years old and since then she has released her fair share of singles and albums along with a lot of commercial jingles.