Haruomi Hosono - Paraiso (1977)

It goes without saying that Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣) is one of the most eclectic composers and singer-songwriters Japan has to offer. His most famous albums fall under either Electronic/Techno-pop (Philharmony) or Tropical Exotica-inspired folk (Tropical Dandy), the album in question is an exciting and bizarre fusion of both. Paraiso is Hosono's third solo album in his "Tropical '' period, beginning with Tropical Dandy (1975), followed by Bon Voyage Co (1976). The album is credited to Haroumi Hosono and the Yellow Magic Band, which can be considered a precursor to his Yellow Magic Orchestra since it features future longtime collaborators, the late & great Yukihiro Takahashi on drums, and Ryuichi Sakamoto on keyboards. The album also features other well-known musicians like Taeko Ohnuki, Hiroshi Sato, Hiroshi Kamayasu, Tatsuo Hayashi, and Nobu Saito.

TRACKLIST

1. 
   Tokyo Rush ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Shimendoka ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Japanese Rhumba⭐⭐⭐
4. Asatoya Yunta⭐⭐⭐⭐
5. Fujiyama Mama ⭐⭐⭐
6. Femme Fatale⭐⭐⭐⭐
7. Shambhala Signal⭐⭐
8. Worry Beads⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
9. Paraiso ⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE VERDICT

Building on the influences of the previous albums, Paraiso is a collection of Exotica-infused Jazz-funk, as if  Little Feat were produced by Martin Denny, this time with an extra layer of Synthesizers to add some texture to the ambiance. The opening song "Tokyo Rush" is probably the most energetic out of the bunch.  "Femme Fatale" is another great tune that uses synths to add to the jungle ambiance, bridging the gap between lounge music and technopop. There are also some interesting covers, including a reggae rendition of an Okinawan folk song in "Asatoya Yunta" and a humorous take on the American song Fujiyama Mama, written by Jack Hammer, best known as the co-writer of "Great Balls of Fire". Overall, Paraiso proves to be a great compromise between the Tropical and Electronic eras of Hosono's career, and a great jumping point for people to get introduced to his discography pre-YMO.

Dixie Fever by Makoto Kubota & The Sunset Gang - 1977

What happens when four Japanese guys head to Hawaii to make a hit record? If you didn't guess a country rock album, you might not be ready for Dixie Fever. I wasn't either when I first heard it. But if you're this far down the Japanese music rabbit hole, you might as well give this one a chance. Recorded in 1976, Dixie Fever was the third album of The Sunset Gang, led by folk singer Makoto Kubota, along with Keni Inoue (guitar), Yosuke Fujita (slide guitar), and Takashi Onzo (bass). 

Nohelani Cypriano

The album also features the legendary Haruomi Hosono as co-producer, as well as notable Hawaiian talents like pianist Dennis Graue, and his wife, Nohelani Cypriano who performed backing vocals along with future permanent band member Aya "Sandii" Suzuki. And of course, it's not Hosono production without at least one Tin Pan Alley member, for which we have Tatsuo Hayashi on drums. The album was recorded at the famed Sounds of Hawaii Studios, one of the oldest studios on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, and released in Japan in 1977 under the Showboat Label.

THE MUSIC

1. 

   "Sandii" Suzuki

   Dixie Fever ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Wild About My Lovin' ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Camel Blues ⭐⭐⭐
4. Heart Melody ⭐⭐⭐
5. Hoshikuzu (Stardust) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
6. Chinatown Blues ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7. Captain Banana⭐⭐⭐⭐
8. When I Was a Cowboy ⭐⭐⭐⭐
9. 一つだけ光るもの (The Only Thing That Shines) ⭐⭐⭐

THE VERDICT 

 Makoto's Sunset Gang was already known for combining American blues, and country folk with Okinawan and tropical stylings, Dixie Fever takes a full-on trip down the bible belt to add some good ol' fashion New Orleans Funk & R&B into the mix. The album shines most when it goes full honkey tonk, with songs like the soulful "Chinatown Blues", and the titular hoedown, "Dixie Fever", There's even a great cover of Jim Jackson's hokum classic "Wild About my Lovin'". There's also a little detour into Margaritaville with songs like "Stardust" and "Heart Melody". Despite the excellent musicianship, it's definitely offputting the first listen around, the songs sound authentic enough until you hear a Japanese man calling out different Dixie line states as if he's actually been there before and name-checking Buffalo Bill. Kubota's Kermit-Esque voice definitely fits the style, but it's still weird. If you're able to get past it, however, you're in for some silly yet surprisingly endearing Country Pop. 

American Albums for Japanese City Pop Fans Part 1

The audience for City Pop has rapidly grown over the past decade or so. It went from an internet fad to a full-blown niche culture where people get together and congregate over their love of old Japanese music. Here in LA, we have several local DJ groups, like Tune In Tokyo, and the aptly named Timely, that host regular events that play nothing but old-school Japanese records at parties and clubs.  I've talked to a few people who insist that they listen to Japanese City Pop as opposed to American pop because in their minds it's superior. I'm not one to knock people's musical tastes but I think we often forget that the foundation for what we recognize as City Pop is western music, especially in the realms of adult & urban contemporary genres. That's why for those people, and really everybody, I'd like to recommend some records to check out if you enjoy the smooth sounds of City Pop. 

Dixie Chicken by Little Feet - 1973

Little Feat is an American rock band formed by singer-songwriter and guitarist Lowell George and keyboardist Bill Payne in 1969 in Los Angeles. Their music is heavily rooted in Country and roots rock, but with the release of their 3rd album, Dixie Chicken, they began to mix that sound with New Orleans R&B-inspired funk. This distinct mix can be heard in the works of Haroumi Hosono and his band Tin Pan Alley, of course, they would put a greater emphasis on Jazz-fusion on top of that. Lowell George in particular left a huge impression on guitarist Shigeru Suzuki, who along with his bandmates from Happy End, was lucky enough to witness the recording of their second album, Sailing Shoes. If you enjoyed albums like Hosono House, Bandwagon, or HORO, basically any early Tin Pan Alley production, Dixie Chicken is right up your alley (pun intended).

Silk Degrees by Boz Scaggs - 1976

Boz Scaggs may be dismissed nowadays as an atypical example of blue-eyed-soul and cheesy Yacht Rock, however, he was a smash it in Japan. His seminal album Silk Degrees alongside records like Breezin' by George Benson(1976), and Sleeping Gypsy(1977) by Michael Franks,  during this time period that would influence Japan's definition of what they considered "city music'' that is music that evoked the urban, easy-going lifestyle, especially songs like The Lowdown and  Lido Shuffle. Artists like folk duo Kaze, and Ginji Ito in his debut album, would use Silk Degrees as an influence in their transition into City Pop. Also if it weren't for Silk Degrees we wouldn't have the band...

TOTO by Toto - 1978

A majority of City Pop's sound is inspired by the music scene of the West Coast sound, and back in the 70s and 80s, no other musicians symbolized this sound more than Toto. The members of Toto contributed to many of the most popular records of the 1970s, backing up artists like Steely Dan, Seals and Crofts, Boz Scaggs, Sonny and Cher, and many others. It wasn't until the album, Silk Degrees, that the original lineup recognized the synergy they had and decided to form their own band in 1977. The original band consisted of lead vocalist Bobby Kimball, guitarist and vocalist Steve Lukather, keyboardist and vocalist David Paich, bassist David Hungate, keyboardist Steve Porcaro, and drummer Jeff Porcaro.  Toto's debut album showcases their crisp production, tight musicianship, and chameleonic ability to tackle different music genres. Their influence can be heard throughout the entire spectrum of Japanese music in the late 70s & 80s, from rock stars like Masahiro Kuwana, to bands like The AB's, Shogun, and Off Course. On top of that, they have contributed to the productions of our favorite City Pop singers as well like Mariya Takeuchi, and Amii Ozaki.

Niteflyte by Niteflyte - 1979

If you ever wondered where that magical opening guitar riff from Tatsuro Yamashita's Sparkle came from, look no further than the opening track from Nyc Flyte's eponymous album. The Miami funk band led by Howard Johnson and Sandy Torano only released 2 albums on Ariola Records in 1979 & 1980. But in those records, you can hear the sweet summery soul vibes that would go on to influence artists like Tatsuro Yamashita, Toshiki Kadomatsu, and Kiyotaka Sugiyama & Omega Tribe.

Middle Man by Boz Scaggs - 1980

Boz Scaggs 1980 album was another big hit in Japan, selling way more than Silk Degrees ever did. Another Toto backed album with production & songwriting help from David Foster, Middle Man was another one of the albums that sparked the imaginations of Japanese people with a glamourous vision of an American City, with songs like Jojo and You Can Have Me Anytime (In japan named Twilight Highway) that have influenced artists like Tetsuji Hayashi, Akira Terao, Eri Kojima, and Kingo Hamada.

The 14th Moon by Yumi Arai - 1976

The 14th Moon is the 4th album of singer-songwriter Yumi Arai(荒井由実), or as her fans call her, Yuming, and her final one before she got married to the producer of the album, Masataka Matsutoya (松任谷正隆). The title comes from a line from the Japanese movie Love and Farewell to Sri Lanka, although apparently she never saw the movie, rather she read it in a synopsis from the movie magazine about it.

Including Matsutoya, the album also features Tin Pan Alley members Haroumi Hosono(細野晴臣) and Shigeru Suzuki(鈴木茂). However, Hosono isn't on bass here and drummer Tatsuo Hayashi(林立夫) is absent. Thankfully, one of the session members,  Ryuske Seto(瀬戸龍介) on acoustic guitar & banjo, was able to use his connections  get two American session musicians to fill in. Leland Sklar, one of the top bass players from Hollywood who's played for artists like Diana Ross, Hall & Oates, and Phil Collins, and Mike Baird who's been a drummer for big rock bands like Ironhorse and Journey. We also get fusion guitarist Masaki Matsubara and percussionist Nobu Saito (斉藤信男). In the backing chorus, we have the vocal talents of Tatsuro Yamashita (山下達郎), Amii Ozaki (尾崎亜美), Minako Yoshida(吉田美奈子), Taeko Ohnuki (大貫妙子), and the jazz ensemble, Time Five.

Interestingly enough, Yuming was actually considering retiring after this album but soon changed her mind. It may have been in due part to the great receptions since the album reached #1 on the Oricon weekly charts and became the 4th-most successful album of 1977. Many of the songs were popular enough to be featured in various TV shows and movies. Chuo Freeway was featured in the TV drama, Rouge Message (ルージュの伝言), coincidentally named after another Yuming song from the previous year. Smile in the morning sun was used in the movie, Frozen Heart (凍河). In The Morning Light was used for the movie drama, Rip Van Winkle's Bride.

THE MUSIC

Ripples (さざ波) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The 14th Moon(14番目の月)⭐⭐⭐⭐ Where Does Loneliness Go? (さみしさのゆくえ )⭐⭐⭐ In The Morning Light (朝陽の中で微笑んで )⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Chuo Freeway (中央フリーウェイ) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Like Nothing Ever Happened (何もなかったように) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sun Shower (天気雨) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A Summer Place (避暑地の出来事)⭐⭐⭐ Good Luck And Goodbye⭐⭐⭐⭐ Late Summer (The Lonely Season)( 晩夏 ~ ひとりの季節)⭐⭐⭐⭐ THE VERDICT ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The 14th Moon veers away from the Tapestry-esque style of Hikoki Gumo and Muslim and has a brighter, Middle of the Road (MOR) sound. Many songs have added brass & string orchestration on top of the rich backing vocals that give it a sound closer to something from The 5th Dimension or The Carpenters. That being said Yuming's signature interpersonal songwriting is still at work here, covering everything from getting over breakups, to college students dealing with love affairs, even getting over your dog dying. Songs like the opening track, Sazanami, and Sunshower offer breezy sunshine pop sound akin to the works of Sugar Babe. The title track 14th Moon dives into some cool piano rock ala, Elton John or Billy Joel. Chuo Freeway is a funky jazz-pop track about driving on the real-life Chuo Expressway. In the Morning Light and Like Nothing Ever Happened have got all the tropes of a signature Yuming ballad. It has sad lyrics, beautiful melodic piano backed by an orchestration, and it's been covered to death by everyone else.  In the Morning Light is probably one of my favorite Yuming songs, especially the way the song progressively becomes a power ballad with the build up of the drums and orchestral arrangement.  A Summer Place takes a detour from Tokyo to Chigasaki, as we get a tropical samba dance number perfect for a beach party.  Overall, The 14th Moon was a great way to cap off Yumi Arai's bachelorette years. It's a pretty standard 70's Adult Contemporary album, most comparable to something like Now & Then by The Carpenters or Olivia Newton-John’s Don't Stop Believin'. Which feels appropriate considering both features a marriage between the producer and lead singer. Unlike those albums, The 14th Moon has the added benefit of Yuming's knack for composing & writing catchy, original, and relatable songs. The 14th Moon is a must-have if you want to experience Yumi Arai at her best.

HORO by Chu Kosaka - 1975

Chu Kosaka (小坂忠), born July 8, 1948, is a Japanese singer-songwriter, gospel singer, and pastor, but back in the day he was one of the pioneers of Japanese pop music. Born Masayuki Kosaka (小坂正行), he began his musical journey with the Group Sounds band, The Floral in 1966. When The Floral broke up, Kosaka and fellow bandmates Eiji Kikuchi (菊池英二) and Hiro Yanagida (柳田博義) went on to form the band Apryl Fool alongside fellow pioneers Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣) and Takashi Matsumoto (松本隆). The same year, he turned down joining Hosono's next band, Happy End in pursuit of a solo career, which he began as a performer in the original cast for Japan's first rock musical "Hair". He would make his solo debut in 1971 with Arigatou (ありがとう) and would culminate with his magnum opus, HORO(ほうろう).

Kosaka's 1975 album HORO belongs on the list of pre-Sugar Babe albums that would provide the foundation of modern City Pop, especially since many consider this to be the forerunner of modern Japanese R&B, or as they called it, Wasei-R&B (和製R&B). Before this album was released, Kosaka's previous 3 albums took on more of a folk-rock sound akin to Buffalo Springfield or Moby Grape, thanks to the help of legendary rock band Happy End for the first album and Kosaka's own band, Four Joe Half (it's a pun that in Japanese translates to Yojohan/四畳半) for the next 2. However, Kosaka admits that he was originally into soul music, citing his first favorite singer growing up as Ray Charles. So for his 4th record, he reached out to Haruomi Hosono to help co-produce, of course, Hosono brought Tin Pan Alley along for the ride to help recreate that soulful sound. The record also features Akiko Yano (矢野顕子) on the keyboard, although at this time she was still Akiko Suzuki (鈴木晶子), and her future (ex)husband, Makoto Yano (矢野誠) handling string & horn arrangements. The albums chorus included Minako Yoshida（吉田美奈子）, Taeko Ohnuki（大貫妙子）and Tatsuro Yamashita (山下達郎), the latter two still performing as Sugar Babe at the time.

THE MUSIC

1. Horo(ほうろう): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Kikansha(機関車):⭐⭐⭐
3. Bon Voyage Warf (ボン・ボヤージ波止場) : ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Winter Storm Sketch (氷雨月のスケッチ): ⭐⭐⭐⭐
5. Yugata Love(ゆうがたラブ): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
6. Shirakechimauze(しらけちまうぜ) : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7. Meteor City (流星都市): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
8. Tsurube Ito(つるべ糸): ⭐⭐⭐
9. Furaibo (ふうらい坊): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Most city pop records have a big city aesthetic to them however, HORO's unique blend of folk, blues & R&B gives the record a down-home feel to it. Instead of New York or LA, Kosaka takes us on a tour through an old coastal town, possibly Burbon Street in Louisiana. Kosaka himself has a great bluesy voice that lends well to the roots feel of the music. The added string arrangements in certain songs add a layer of Philidelphia-soul to put a bowtie on an otherwise grittier sound.

The titular song HORO is a funky rhythm & blues number that sets the mood for the album. Songs like Kikansha & Tsurube Ito still retain much of Kosaka's folk roots while leaning into a bit of blues & gospel music with the organ. Kikansha in particular shows up in Kosaka's first 2 albums and progressively gets more bluesy with each recording. Bon Voyage Warf shifts gears into full-on soul with a jazzy beat set to the ticking of a clock. While not derivative of it, the song creates a vibe very similar to Otis Redding's Sitting On The Dock of the Bay, it's a quiet song that makes you feel self-reflective while staring out into the ocean. Yougata Love takes you to church as it dives deeper into the funk side of things and mixes it with a little gospel with the funky organ and the upbeat chorus break down. Songs like Shirakechimause and Meteor City bring us closer to that contemporary City Pop sound with an uptempo strut, a light-hearted chorus, and funky guitar riffs. Winter Storm Sketch and Furaibo are excellent renditions of Happy End classics, Winter Sketch Storm in particular have a great honky tonk vibe to it.

Overall Chu Kosaka's HORO stands out as a bluesy City Pop album that provides more of a down-to-earth sound than most other records and is easily Chu Kosaka's best album up to this point. The best part is that we have the choice of the original and the remake he did in 2010. HORO 2010 is definitely its own experience since we get to hear an older more seasoned Kosaka sing classic tracks that have been remastered for the 21st century. You won't go wrong with either choice.

Caramel Mama by Tin Pan Alley - 1975

Some of the most influential bands are the ones that work behind the scenes. They are usually in the form of session musicians but they're so reliable that multiple artists end up relying on them for their services. In the American 60s, we had groups like the Wrecking Crew & The Funk Brothers, and in the 80s you had Toto. Meanwhile, in Japan, one music group would end up fulfilling this role as the "first-call gang", whose sound was so unique it would serve the foundation of modern Japanese music.

Tin Pan Alley was one of the most important bands in Japanese history. Their mastery of American-style production would help define genres like New Music and City Pop, and by extension, brought Japanese music into the modern era. After the breakup of legendary rock band Happy End in 1973, bassist Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣) went to record his solo album from his own residence in Iruma, Saitama Prefecture. He brought with him fellow guitarist Shigeru Suzuki (鈴木茂), alongside drummer Tatsuo Hayashi (林立夫), & keyboard player Masataka Matsutoya (松任谷正隆) from the folk band Four Joe Half (A Japanese pun that translates to Yojohan/四畳半). After recording Hosono's album they decided to stick together and provide sound production for other records, thus forming the band Caramel Mama. The name Caramel Mama originated from the Japanese slang term referring to overzealous conservative mothers who would invade college campuses to dissuade young people from joining protest movements using sweets and treats... We can assume that they named their band ironically.

Tin Pan Alley was the driving force behind the New Music scene in the 1970s. After the dissolution of the influential rock band Happy End in 1973, bassist Haruomi Hosono (細野晴臣) began working on his solo album, Hosono House, which would be recorded from his own home in the city of Iruma, Saitama Prefecture. He recruited former Happy End guitarist Shigeru Suzuki (鈴木茂) alongside drummer Tatsuo Hayashi (林立夫), & keyboard player Masataka Matsutoya (松任谷正隆) from the folk band Four Joe Half. Together they would go on to form a band originally conceived under the name Caramel Mama, a slang term from that era that referred to overzealous conservative Japanese mothers who were trying to dissuade college students from taking part in the left-wing student movements of that time. It's safe to say they named their band ironically.

Caramel Mama's debut as a backing band was for singer-songwriter Yumi Arai's (荒井由実) debut album, Hikoki Gumo, in 1973. Since then they have been a backing band for almost all of the most influential artists of the 70s, including Yumi Arai, Bread & Butter, Kaze, and many more. In the process, they formed a large collective of like-minded artists, such as Minako Yoshida(吉田美奈子), Hiroshi Sato(佐藤博), Akiko Yano (矢野顕子), & Yoshitaka Minami (南佳孝). The collective eventually was renamed Tin Pan Alley in homage to the collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City who dominated the popular music of the United States. They became incredibly influential, eventually evolving into the Japanese equivalent of The Wrecking Crew, backing many of the best acts of the '70s until their breakup in 1977. Within that time they've released their own standalone material, which began with their debut record, simply titled, Tin Pan Alley. 

On top of the four core members, Tin Pan Alley took advantage of their huge circle of talent to provide a star-studded production team. Nearly every name that we associate with New Music/City Pop today has participated on this album. On vocals (including backing) alone, we have Hosono, Suzuki, Matsutoya, Yoshitaka Minami, Taeko Ohnuki (大貫妙子), Tatsuro Yamashita (山下達郎), Makoto Kubota (久保田麻琴), Haruko Kuwana (桑名晴子) and her rockstar brother Masahiro Kuwana (桑名正博). Both Takashi Matsumoto (松本隆) and Yumi Arai contribute as lyricists. We also get Akiko Yano on piano, bassist Tsugutoshi Goto (後藤次利), legendary guitarist Masayoshi Takanaka (高中正義), and percussionist Nobuo Saito (斉藤 信男).

THE MUSIC

1. Caramel Rag: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
2. Chopper's Boogie: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
3. Hadoboirudo Town (はあどぼいるど町): ⭐⭐⭐ 
4. Being on the moon (月にてらされて): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
5. Choo Choo Gatta Goto '75: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
6. She Is Gone: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7. The Girl with the Freckles (ソバカスのある少女): ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 
8. Jackson: ⭐⭐⭐
9. Yellow Magic Carnival: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
10. Ballade Of Aya: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

THE VERDICT: ⭐⭐⭐

Like many New Music albums of the 70s, Tin Pan Alley serves as a sort of a sampler platter of all the different styles of music they have mastered throughout the years, all combined with the band's signature "Yellow Magic '' production style and Hosono's strange sense of humor. Caramel Rag is a comedic overture featuring a ragtime sound backed by weird sound effects of roosters crowing, alarms ringing, and... bombs dropping? Upbeat funky jam sessions like Chopper's Boogie, highlight their knack for Jazz-rock fusion, with Takanaka's epic style guitar-shredding giving the song a vibe that would fit right in with Jeff Beck's Blow For Blow which came out a year prior. Choo Choo Gatta Goto '75 is a great cover from Hosono's own debut album, Hosono House, taking a folk-rock song and sending it to New Orleans with a much funkier ragtime number. We also get to hear rare instances of Matsutoya's vocal chops in Jackson, a strange funky cover of a country classic by Billy Edd Wheeler. Of course, we also get to hear Hosono's signature exotica sound with tracks like Yellow Magic Carnival and The Girl with the Freckles. The song that sticks out the most to me is She is Gone, with fantastic English lyrics sung by John Yamazaki, and a contemporary soft rock sound reminiscent of Pretzel Logic era Steely Dan.

Overall all of the songs on the album are really good, and truly represent each genre they emulate extremely well while also subverting them in creative ways. However, comparing this to their other work, this certainly isn't their best. With a few exceptions, you won't find anything as iconic as the works they've done for other albums, and many songs on this album would be covered later by their contemporaries to better effect. It's interesting to note that only 2 of the 10 songs (Caramel Rag & Ballad Aya) were produced by all four members, with the rest being solo productions by individual members, which explains why this record feels a bit disjointed compared to their other works. In spite of that, Caramel Mama is a compilation of songs that do a good job of showcasing Tin Pan Alley's versatility, fluidity, and discipline as a band.

*Also shout out again to Japanese study expert Moritz Sommet for his help with research on the band. For more information on Japanese culture, you should follow him on Twitter .*