No.67
"UMI (Suddenly last summer)" by Noriko Miyamoto
Hi. Today's song is "UMI (Suddenly last summer)" (The sea) by "Noriko Miyamoto".
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Index
1. Song data
| Title | UMI(Suddenly last summer) (The sea) |
|---|---|
| Artist | Noriko Miyamoto |
| Album Title | SWEET SUGAR |
| Catalog Number | VICL-64509 |
| Track No. | 7 |
| Duration | 3:25 |
| Released | 1984 |
| Publisher | Victor Entertainment |
| Lyricist | Keisuke Kuwata |
| Composer | Keisuke Kuwata |
| Arranger | Darek Jackson, Ichiro Nitta |
About the creators
The lyricist & composer of this song is a notable songwriter, "Keisuke Kuwata".
Keisuka Kuwata is one of the most well known musiv person in Japan, and a leader of his band "Southern all stars" for a long time.
The band debut in 1978. Since then, it is keeping a leading rock band position in the Japanese popular music scene for nearly 4 decades.
Apparently, they have some addictive sort of very unique charms within themselves, and are attracting fans for such long period of time.
At a glance, their music looks like a naughty homeboy kind of songs which school board might not praise. Thus, it appeals to the chunk of ordinary boys & girls.
But people soon notice that the songs are carefully created, and contains quite a few of artistic inspirations. For example, the melody is designed to appeal both rock fan and mass market.
In the lyrics, there are full of considerations for poetic rhythm, double meaning, word melody and the choice of easy words by using both Japanese and English. And the person did this is Keisuke Kuwata.
In this song, he tried to write an AOR. Here is his original "Umi" for your reference. Please check it how it is like.
Apple Music(jp)
Umi(Sea), Southern all stars
The arranger, Darek Jackson is a bassist of the Japanese fusion band "ChickenShack" active since the mid '80s.
(Not a British blues band of the same name.)
Their nice bluesy fusion sound can be listened on Youtube. At the Youtube page, please search for the words "ChickenShack Toki", then a series of clips might appear.
("Toki" is a surname of a member.)
Ichiro Nitta is a Trumpeter, and used to be a leader of an epoch-making brass fusion band "Spectrum".
Their excellent and powerful performance can be seen on Youtube by looking up the key words like "spectrum fujimitsu2", or try this.
Experienced popular music fans might recollect a great American soul band "Earth Wind & Fire" from the costume of "Spectrum".
But it was a obvious homage as far as we see, since "EW&F" was already very popular, respected and well known in Japan.
Cover art
- Sound impressions
The vocal with Vibration
This is a cool & refined AOR in vocal Jazz style in a middle speed.
The ensemble of the drums, bass, keyboard, trumpet, and wood wind(Oboe and flute?) start the music and the strumming of Electric Guitar takes part in.
In the bridge, the saxophone plays a beautiful solo and creates an emotional atmosphere.
mimi(Noriko Miyamoto)'s vocal is soulful and dramatic, and deeply attract us.
This album "Sweet Sugar" has been released under the name of Noriko Miyamoto.
But as you can see, a man is also on the sleeve photo behind Noriko.
He was Takehiro Honda, a keyboardist of a pioneering Japanese fusion group "Native Son" which was formed in 1978, and the leader of his band Takehiro Honda & Breakout which the vocalist was Noriko Miyamoto.
So, this album is actually an album of Takehiro Honda & Breakout's, therefore it is mellow and less funky compared with the Noriko Miyamoto's earlier albums.
- Reference
Google translate(en)
- About the artist
mimi, the soul makes the running
Noriko Miyamoto debuted in 1978 with single "PUSH". Since then, 4 singles, and 11 original, and 1 best albums has been released until now.
(discogs etc, Noriko Miyamoto)
She started her career at the disco scene in the mid '70s.
Soon she gathered a talented musicians, and formed a band called "Three cheers". Since it was a only funk band at that time, the group earned popularity from core fans.
The band was about to debut at that time, but due to the difference of a target between a office and the band, it could not bear fruit.
She had the good fortune to meet with "Jazz god father" Isao Suzuki.
After the break up of the former band, she started a new career as a Jazz vocalist in collaboration with Isao Suzuki.
She quickly gain publicity thanks to her remarkable vocal skill. Soon, she started to appear on the music programs on TV, and awarded a few of music prize.
She continued the activity as a Jazz vocalist, and released 7 albums until 1984.
But on the other hand, she was thinking to challenge for an American market where was a home of the soul and funk music she loved.
In 1990, she finally moved to the United states as a singer, and made good in the show business.
We would like to continue the story some more on the next opportunity.
(Ref, mimi FUNKY SITE, Jvc)
(* Linking to the site needs their permission, so maybe someday.)
- Samples from online music stores
About the samples
Please go to the page below, and just play or click track No.7.
Trial button is on the left side of the song title.
AD : Free listening samples
Amazon JP(en)
recochoku.jp
Apple Music(jp)
7
7. Japanese Letters
| Song Title | UMI(Suddenly last summer) (The sea) |
|---|---|
| Artist | 宮本典子 (Noriko Miyamoto) |
| Album Title | SWEET SUGAR |
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